Do you ever buy books to feel better? > Likes and Comments

I was just wondering if anyone else had ever done this, since I've found myself doing it the last couple of days. I've gone to the book store twice in the last two days as well as ordered from the internet and I plan to go again today or tomorrow because it has been quite a stressful week for me and I must admit I did feel kind of good after adding a few more titles to my shelves, even though I probably shouldn't have bought them since I could be spending money on more important things, maybe. Kind of makes me think I really am a book buying addict. There, I got it off my chest, anyone else care to share? :-)

Buying books, fondling books, playing with books... how sweet... Yes, I buy books for stress relief. I vanish into books for stress relief.

And when I'm stressed I can't decided which I want to read more, I confess my Nook is lovely in that I can have oodles of choices without pulling a pile of books until I settle on one to read. ;)

Yes, I buy books whenever I feel bad. But sometimes (like this week) I buy so many books, I start to feel stressed about the money. And about having so many books sitting around that I want to read & don't have time to. If I'm not careful, I'll end up buying more books to relieve the stress caused by buying so many books.

I kid you not!

I tend to buy too many books and actually stress myself out about reading them all.

Always!!! Others buy shoes, food, music. I buy books or hit the library. In the list of addictions I think this is the least disruptive as compared to drugs/alcohol. But then, that's what all the addicts say. LOL

The true mark of a problem addiction is an affirmative answer to these questions. Does your addiction interefere with your ability to work, have relationships, have a family life, eat and function>. Otherwise, I would not worry. And if money is an issue use the library and feed the addiction for free.

*hides Amazon box* No, never.

OK, I lied - I do this all the time. Books make me happy - and it's a genuine happy, unlike booze or drugs, or buying something like shoes.

'Course, like Denise said, that's what all the addicts say. :)

my books are my new bottles of booze. yes, i use them to escape when people suck, when I need a friend to hold me.

I buy books to make me feel better..
I buy books when im happy to celebrate too haha!

However buying books has caused me money problems... I dont really have much of a social life, Ive regularly been late for work because im reading and not noticed the time.. and I eat as I read so regular meals do not really happen. So yup... Ive just addmitted how bad it is but they make me happy.

All the time. It depends upon my moods what books I buy. This is very apparent when anyone looks at my book shelves. The genres are so various I can find a book for any day. The only genre I have not liked as much has been fantasy/sci-fi.

Denise wrote: "The true mark of a problem addiction is an affirmative answer to these questions. Does your addiction interefere with your ability to work, have relationships, have a family life, eat and function..."

Yeah, but one reason I joined this group is that at times my "addiction" to books meets those qualifications-staying up all night reading effects my ability to work the next day, spending money I really don't have to buy books I'm not even going to read for a long time effects my family's financial security. Otherwise, it's a humorous take on my real love of reading.

But there are times it actually is problematic.

Ellie wrote: "Denise wrote: "The true mark of a problem addiction is an affirmative answer to these questions. Does your addiction interefere with your ability to work, have relationships, have a family life, e..."

I'm in the same boat, LOL. My family is great financially right now, but we've been through many many times when buying even one book would have stressed the budget too much. I think that part of my need or desire to buy books now comes from those times, if that makes sense. I guess I buy them now simply because I can.

But I do have times when I feel like I'm buying too much. I'm actually deliberately trying not to buy books this month -- maybe just to show myself that I can?

I do feel a need to OWN books, though, which I know not everyone does -- I just don't get that! I have a hard time getting rid of books I don't like! So I'm "compromising" by shopping the GoodReads bookswap!

That's what I did-but I still racked up a fair amount! But that's become my place of choice! Glad I'm not alone in doing this.

I do this all the time

Oh good. Thanks, Melanie! :)

What frightens me is how oblivious I can be about the actual quantity of books I've purchased when ordering online. When they start arriving on my doorstep - piles of boxes, day after day - it's quite embarrassing. My mood of the week or month can be gauged by how much I overwork the mailwoman. :)

I don't buy books to feel better but I certainly write (and publish) books and stories to feel better. I definitely read books to feel better OR more importantly to learn something. www.joeicarlton.com Joei

HRO, I'm the same way! My mood goes way up when I see a package & drops when I don't. And then I'm surprised when I check my bank account at how much $$ has gone that way!

Ellie wrote: "HRO, I'm the same way! My mood goes way up when I see a package & drops when I don't. And then I'm surprised when I check my bank account at how much $$ has gone that way!"

Exactly! Fortunately, I'm a thrifty book shopper. I know all the sites with cheap books and/or free shipping, and rarely spend more than $4 per book. In fact, that's part of the "feel better strategy" - the rush of finding a great deal or the cheapest price. Of course, even cheap books eventually add up to a ridiculous amount of money. :)

Right-I've been so proud of myself buying cheap books that I've bought 10 times as much as I would have otherwise & ending up spending more money than I did before I discovered how to save $$. :/

I guess I'm lucky in that just window-shopping for books is enough to de-stress me. I don't actually have to buy anything!

That would be heaven. Unfortunately for me it only works sometimes.

Ellie wrote: "Right-I've been so proud of myself buying cheap books that I've bought 10 times as much as I would have otherwise & ending up spending more money than I did before I discovered how to save $$. :/"

It's tricky, isn't it? Like Better World Books has a 3/$10 deal. I make some selections and realize I have 5, so I need to make it 6, but then I have 8, so... :)

There you go: in order to save, you have to spend. In order to save a lot... well, you get the picture, I'm sure! :D

I'm SOOOOO jealous of all your bookswapping possibilities...
For me it's a combination of several things. I love shopping for books, finding good deals on used books on Amazon AND of receiving the parcels AND opening them and typing the titles into my computer AND putting a book label in... And sometimes I even get to read them! :-)
I feel a little bad when like now, I'm half-way through the month, and I've spent way more than I was supposed to, and a good chunk of that was on books...

Always. A book is a sure-fire cure for the blues (or a sulk!)

Yes, I went to the library yesterday to borrow some books to make me feel better. And it has...a little. The thing that would make me feel completely better would be if I had the money to buy them instead, but I don't right now so I'll just have to settle with this. : )

I love to buy books when I feel even ill at east but the library helps. Also downloading books from the library or Gutenberg. Acquiring books in any form is a positive mood changer for me! :)

Books and shoes are like Xanax for me.

I can think of no better, more portable way to cheer me up on a bad day on the road.

I bought myself a kindle, which should arrive this week or next because I love the idea of ebooks saving the environment but hated the kobo software issues, but it looks like my kobo is here to stay. no one without a scam in mind wants it...


BUMMER

and I was feeling like moody blues when I ordered the kindle and 3 cds for 10.00. the kindle was 114.00

Joseph wrote: "I was just wondering if anyone else had ever done this, since I've found myself doing it the last couple of days. I've gone to the book store twice in the last two days as well as ordered from the..."

That is exactly when I shop. When it has been stressful and I need something to make me feel better. I actually did just that last Wednesday. Early shift at work, the dentist, and then Borders...

Yes buying books is my guilty pleasure and I often do it to make myself feel better. It works too. :)

Colby wrote: "I tend to buy too many books and actually stress myself out about reading them all."

Me too, big time.

Joseph wrote: "I was just wondering if anyone else had ever done this, since I've found myself doing it the last couple of days. I've gone to the book store twice in the last two days as well as ordered from the..."

I thought that was why we were all on this site! We are all addicts and seemingly proud of it. Nothing like a bookstore or library to get lost in. Remember, Disney's Beauty and the Beast?? Remember when the Beast presented that library to Belle?? How many of us wished that was us??? ..*raises hand*

Alondra wrote: "Joseph wrote: "I was just wondering if anyone else had ever done this, since I've found myself doing it the last couple of days. I've gone to the book store twice in the last two days as well as ..."

Ohhh! I loved that part! Such a sweet movie, and yeah, I would have loved that gift!

Shopping for new books definitly makes me feel better when I'm feeling down. Usually after I've just taken a particularly awful college exam, and if I have know idea of whether or not I failed it, I'll head over to Half Price books and just immerse myself in the smell of old books and reading stuff that has nothing to do with studies.

I definitely resort to "retail therapy" when I'm stressed or bored. This leads to excess purchases of books and clothes. A few years ago I used to go play basketball every time I was stressed or upset. For the health of my bank account, I really need to get back into that habit of stress relief lol

The more books I have, the better I feel. Clothes, shoes and jewelry help too.

Someone sent me a horrible message-from GR but I didn't recognize the name.

So I immediately clicked to Amazon and bought a book. I actually don't even remember the name & this was just a couple of hours ago.

Ellie wrote: "Someone sent me a horrible message-from GR but I didn't recognize the name.

So I immediately clicked to Amazon and bought a book. I actually don't even remember the name & this was just a couple o..."


You poor thing -- people are jerks sometimes.

Sorry Ellie.

Thanks guys. I guess I'm still a bit naive. Apparently (according to my daughter) this kind of thing happens a lot.

But not, I think, on GR.

Ellie wrote: "Thanks guys. I guess I'm still a bit naive. Apparently (according to my daughter) this kind of thing happens a lot.

But not, I think, on GR."

I would agree with that. People on GR seem pretty nice. But that probably makes the one jerk seem a lot worse.

For what it's worth, I tend to be on the naive side as well. You'd think I'd learn by now, lol.

Anyway, hope you're having a better day today!

It makes me feel better, like a joint makes an addict feel better! It makes me warm and fuzzy inside first but as soon as the 'new book' buzz wears off I feel guilty because my bookcase is crowded as it is!

to stop the guilty feeling I of course buy new books to cheer myself up again!

IT'S A VICIOUS CIRCLE! AAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I am. Thanks Lea. And you're right-it was mostly such a shock. Most people on GR don't even curse mildly!But I'm doing fine today.

Oh, gosh, yes! I do try to budget and not go book buying crazy, but sometimes when that urge hits I'm at a retail or used bookstore. I mostly buy though when feeling upset about something. When nothing else will make me calm down. Of course, there are those times when buying isn't an option. So thank God for libraries! Renee hit it on the mark - "like a joint makes an addict feel better!" Lol!

Yep. I have Amazon.ca on my favorites, and have bought many, many, many books over the years to cheer myself up.
A trip to a bookstore is like mecca to me. It never fails. Bury myself in a good book, and all my troubles melt away.

Books are therapy and more. I have seen that my selection in a bookshop varies depending on my mood. I can never buy one book and love "2for3" offers - I can buy two books I want and take a chance on a third at no extra cost. I love the smell of a book and the sense of hope as you read the first page. You can never have too many shelves.
No book is ever perfect; the one you are reading hits the spot or it doesn't. No book can ever be good or bad, as a result.
My ideal house will have one of those huge circular libraries with a wheelie ladder to get round. Never happen!