visual trigger and reading

[Guest guest]

HI guys, we've talked on here about visual triggers in the past and I was wondering if anyone here likes to read? It's something that I've noticed ever since I started my master's in library science and have started noticing books more. I like to read a lot, always ahve but it is super super hard for me to find a book I want to read for pleasure. And the reason is, i think, purely because of my multiple triggers- mostly visual but also repetive and slightly ocd.

One of my big, big hang ups is people's names. I'm very sensitive to the use of names. I cannot read a book (yes, I'm physically able but it's painful and I never would choose to) that mentions the characters names within the first few sentences of the back flap synopsis. If I turn a book over to read what's its about and the first few sentences say something like "Jane Doe is a brilliant so and so. She meets a mysterious man, Mike Someone,...blah blah blah..." I have to put it down and walk away. Isn't that so stupid? But it activates something in me that drives me bonkers. It actually makes me really anxious and I feel upset. But the same book could read "A brilliant so and so falls in love with mysterious man and they blah blah blah.." No Names. I am free to read it at my pleasure.

GRRR....

And then if a book's font is too big or too small or if the author is prone to certain repeat phrases or stylistic touches, the repetition of those drive me to distraction and I have to put it down. Or if the book's paper feels funny or if the book is too firm or too floppy or the pages too rough or too smooth...put it down. Ridiculous right? It's so hard to find a good book these days and it has nothing to do with content and everything to do with what sets off my triggers. I love to read but books are hard to find.Yup.

Tammy

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