7 Small But Sure Signs You are Descending into Book Addiction

It takes one to know one

Corrie Alexander
Artisanal Article Machine

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Exhausted pup asleep on a ton of books
Image credit: vitalytitov on Depositphotos

For most of the last three years, I’ve worked seven days a week, which didn’t leave much room for hobbies or leisure time. Needless to say, it took a toll on my mental health. So last fall, I decided to start reading for fun to save my sanity.

As with any vice, it started innocently. One book here, another there. But the more I read, the more I wanted to read. Six months later, I find myself experiencing an array of odd symptoms that all point to one sad truth — I have become dependent on novels.

Wondering if you’re similarly afflicted? Here are a few signs to watch out for:

1. Your Hands Always Have This Weird Cramp from Holding Books/Kindles

If you read for 20–30 minutes a day, this is not a symptom you will ever experience. No, this perpetual cramping of the digits only sets in after spending an unspeakable number of hours tearing through tomes.

When I go to bed at night, my hands feel achy and cramped, a testament to how I stubbornly refused to put the reading tablet down until I finished the next chapter… and the next… and the next. Because despite how lightweight my Kindle is, it turns into a brick after a few hours.

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