Reading and Dissociation

It wasn’t too long ago that BookTok decided to misuse the term DISSOCIATION and said that reading causes us to black out, disengage, and much more while reading. Um, what?

Dissociation is very serious and not a term anyone should use lightly. (Life Coaches, I’m looking at you.) Do we let go when reading to “see” the images on the page come to life—absolutely! But it’s not stepping away from real life so much so that you can’t be reached, which is what happens when someone dissociates.

Recently, I read KINDRED by Octavia Butler, which did more than transport me to another time and place. It moved me and allowed me to see a different side of slavery in the South. Plus, it gave me a lot to think about in regards to the time traveling/sci-fi genre. Now, I will be honest with you, to offset how hard it was to stay with Butler while on this journey, I did sprinkle in some Ruby Dixon, who writes fluff. All of it was powerful and allowed me to use reading as self-care AND learn/examine/think about Butler’s themes in today’s world.

One might try to escape reality while reading, but it’s not a sign of mental illness. I believe authors who do their job correctly transport and inspire us. Because that’s what reading is: a vessel to explore what it means to be Human.

So, what are you reading? What are you learning about your or the world around you?