Confessions of a Paperphiliac

With great anxiety, I sat down to type in my symptoms. I waited for the computer to digest them and spit out my ailment. Seconds later, all was revealed. I suffer from paperphilia. I think this makes me a paperphiliac.

Paperphilia, according to Word Spy, is "a deep appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of paper; a preference for reading items printed on paper rather than displayed on a screen." I love the convenience of my Kindle, but my paper books keep calling to me. Day in, day out. Read me, touch me, turn my pages down, write notes in me. It never stops.


I seek help. I head to Starbucks or any local coffee place to surround myself with electronics and people obsessed with them. My oldest daughter, an avid reader, reads on her tiny ITouch. I have the Kindle app for my IPad and my actual Kindle, yet I squint and fidget.

I read two books on the Kindle in a row recently. Wonderful, intriguing novels. I have more waiting for me, but I had to grab a paperback next. Get my hands on paper again. Slide into the bathtub, my favorite reading place, without fear. I grabbed my pencil and bookmark and felt a sense of calm, turning down several pages just for the sensation.

The two Kindle books I loved... I now fight the urge to buy the paperback versions. I might want to read them again, mark them up, show my appreciation. Wait, I think I stumbled on something. When I love a story, the book is the emotional reminder sitting on my shelf. It's tattered, worn cover and dog-eared pages reflect my love. All my notes are like love letters to a boyfriend, forever captured on the page.

I have a long way to go, but the first steps are identifying and admitting the problem. Now to set goals and pace myself. Maybe I'll read two eBooks and then a paper book to ease the nerves of withdrawal. Up the eBooks as I'm ready. Slowly. When I slide, letting my Kindle gather dust in a corner, I'll take five heavy books on my next flight to teach me a lesson.

I am a Paperphiliac. I know the steps I need to take, and I'm surrounding myself with online support. But, just in case I need it, does anybody know of a treatment center in the Washington, DC area?