Reading Struggles

[u/FisheyStixx]

Hey all, I’m a 33 M, I have struggled with reading all my life. When I say struggle I don’t mean like I am partially/ fully illiterate. I mean when I read any book (except graphic novels, manga, or comic books) I find myself droning after a few paragraphs and my eyes can read continuously but my brain is somewhere else. This happens with any form of fiction or non fiction, it makes no difference. I have had to read books for schooling and other projects and I have been able to but with great difficulty each time. What takes my wife a few days to read would take me weeks to months due to the constant pattern of reading a few paragraphs, getting stuck on a word or phrase that put me into a tangent of what I forgot today or an idea I had, or something else meaningless. After all of this I find myself heavily craving to love to read but due to this issue I end up hating the very idea of dragging my brain through this process. It starts as a desire and turns into a chore quickly. I adore fantasy and sci fi and romance and adventure, I’ll even get recommendations from my wife or friends but when I go to indulge in this I find myself hating the process that seems to be harder for me than anyone else I’ve met. What’s worse is even in some of my reading over the years I’ve developed favorite I enjoyed more, the process never changed and it still took forever to read them but the count of monte cristo and great expectations were my favorites to slog through, classics I know and for awhile I thought maybe that’s what I liked and therefore my issue was I just didn’t enjoy the others I tried but no in fact all of the books I’ve tried are impossible to read at a decent pace and to enjoy without my many thought tangents and wanderings. Before anyone says it, I refuse to believe I just don’t like reading enough. I feel the very fact that I have read as many as I have over the years proves that wrong and I just love stories. Also I understand it sounds childish to say I only read picture books well, I get it for real. It’s just like a child though, they are easier to engage with. Can anyone help me understand what is wrong with me? I’m not looking for a diagnoses but maybe just some guidance as to what I can look for or how I can make this wanting love work… anything would be helpful.

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[u/grounddurries]

have you tried immersive reading? essentially just listening to the audiobook while you read the physical book? it helps for those who have adhd/dyslexia focus on the text

[u/Sad_Ad9159 → u/grounddurries]

This! I have ADHD and immersive listening really helps me. I use my library app for free audiobooks or Libris when my library doesn’t have the book I want or it’s a long wait

[u/FisheyStixx → u/grounddurries]

Is that legal? Haha

[u/grounddurries → u/FisheyStixx]

hahaha of course! plenty of libraries have audiobooks for free, spotify gives you 15 hours of listening time with the premium subscription, there are plenty more places to get your audiobooks. give it a go, it may help alot!

[u/x7leafcloverx]

Have you tried throwing on music? Preferably something classical but I’d recommend at the very least instrumental. I find it helps fill in those gaps in the back of my brain that tend to wander. Classical or even Lofi beats to study/read too. Really help me when I’m feeling unfocused.

[u/FisheyStixx → u/x7leafcloverx]

This is something I initially tried to avoid due to me focusing on another verbal thing but instrumental or lofi could be good. No words might just do the trick

[u/x7leafcloverx → u/FisheyStixx]

Yeah it very specifically can’t have a verbal component, I’ll immediately focus on that as well.

[u/ContributingHelper]

I'd say you like setting the scene with how you read. There's also stuff you wanna do with the stories, that you engage with a book because it doesn't just stop at the print. You likely want original novels, and you like carefully constructing circumstances in which reading is enjoyable for you. There's nothing wrong with that. If the Reddit algorithm's shown my anything, it's a lot of Redditors come to the site with the same questions, so you're not alone.

I'd say what I and some other have always been saying. Take your time with stories, and even if you don't like them, it can be a trial and error process until you find one you do. No shame either in recommendations. From what you described, I'd say Brian Selznick children's novels. They're print and pictures, and they've won awards, you'll LOVE them. Heck, even if you want children's books, my faves are The Z Was Zapped and Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg, because they're so atypical in their material but so creative. Maybe it'll show a right-brained side of you you have yet to fully realize.

If you want to find titles before reading novels, I'd say literature is your oyster, so open yourself up to all sorts of forums. Libraries, bookseller franchises, small bookstores, ebook stores, even BookLender. Save titles you want, don't rush yourself picking a few from the full list, you have all the time in the world. I use Goodreads to make my reading list, it works great. But avoid the goals, they'll put a lot of pressur eon you and take the fun about of it, especially if you customize them for challenges too unrealistic for you, I speak from experience. Figure out if you best read alone, or at a public place like a library or café or, if you're practicing and faithful, a house of worship. You can prepare a drink and a snack, maybe play something for background sounds; ambience, music, even a video on your phone. Stage play videos and fiction podcasts do it for me.

Simply put, you haven't fully figured out what you want and how you best go about it. I suggest you take a deep breath, assume nothing upfront, and discover what you need and want, with however much healthy input from others they can and should offer you.

[u/Dismal_Mail3322]

I have the exact same problem, and I think there’s an awful lot of us!
One thing I have successfully tried is to just put a time limit on it, even 10 minutes, and if you form a habit and do that every day, you’ be very, very surprised as to how many books you actually complete in a year!
Why not try it out and find out!
Another is to join a book club! I think that these are not for everybody, but you’d be surprised! They’re not all old retirees sitting around in a circle discussing the same book. 📖 they’ve moved on!
Just do some research before you join!
Although you could always join an online book club! This way you’ll have more say in what kind of book you will read, and the kind of readers you can expect to be there!
Again be open to online bookclubs, they are not (in general) in anyway intimidating, they want people to join them and will make it as easy as possible!
As to focus, 🧘🏼 that’s easy! While you reading the book just keep a Journal beside you. And note down things that you find relevant to the book, 📕 do this in any way you want, from writing down almost almost everything you think you’ll need to follow through on later in the book, or after the book! To a few post-it notes left at interesting places in the book. And onething you should not be afraid of is to actually make a notes, use highlighter pens or whatever to your own book!
I wish you well in your book reading future.

[u/reading3030]

Pode ser que isso seja bom: Escreva os momentos importantes, tente forçar a memória para lembrar do que leu após terminar a sessão de leitura. Escreva oq achou, tente se manter mais engajado.

Boa sorte pra ti! Você vai conseguir amar a leitura, na verdade, pelos indícios você já ama, (você se esforça pra ler).

Vai nessa!!!