The Audiobook Lifeline
By Christine J
Greetings, Everyone! It’s Christine J, aka ChristineJay Reviews on Facebook. As Love Bytes Reviews celebrates its 5th Anniversary, I would like to share with you the joy that I have found in listening to and reviewing audiobooks. There’s more to my story, however.
Just over a year ago, I was feeling adrift and depressed. Menopause hit hard during that winter, and I was suddenly dealing with physical and emotional issues I had never even dreamed of experiencing. I was struggling to focus, to maintain a positive outlook, and to function beyond rote existence by just going through the motions. I was diagnosed with moderate depression and began going to therapy to try to find some sort of lifeline in all the negativity and darkness that surrounded me. I hated my job, my body, my emotions, and my life in general. The review blog I had called home for three years also closed its doors at this time, cutting precious connections with my fellow reviewers and dear friends. The black hole deepened and I sank lower.
I struggled daily with getting up and going to work. When I got home after an entire day of “putting on the face” and masking my depression, I didn’t want to do anything but crawl under the covers or curl up on the couch and vegetate. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, go anywhere, or engage in any of the activities I had once enjoyed. Sadly, one of those activities was reading. I couldn’t focus long enough to connect with the story, let alone become enthralled with it. I just didn’t know what to do. Reading was my passion, my escape, and my go-to activity when everything else just wouldn’t grab my attention. I loved my m/m romance stories, but depression often robs you of much of what you love.
I decided I needed to continue reviewing so that I would be forced to read and finish a book. I contacted Dani here at Love Bytes Reviews and was overwhelmed by her graciousness in bringing me on board last spring. I picked up titles to review by authors I knew and loved, and felt I was on my way back into the land of the living when I was able to sit down and get them read and reviewed in a fairly timely manner.
Audiobooks, however, turned out to be my true lifeline. Of course I had listened to and reviewed many before, but audiobooks were now helping me to climb out of the black pit of depression. Not only did they keep me engaged in my favorite pastime, but they helped me to enjoy it once again. I didn’t have to sit and read, trying to focus on the printed word when my brain and emotions simply weren’t cooperating. Audiobooks allowed me to escape and to regain my love for stories when I couldn’t muster up enough energy to make myself pick up my Kindle or a print book.
I feel extremely fortunate that I am doing better now after therapy and making a job change, which is one reason why audiobooks continue to be an extremely valuable part of my life. I left the job site I hated and returned to an old favorite 90 miles away last August. You guessed it. I am now commuting 180 miles daily, and audiobooks are with me constantly during those long drives. I thrill to the performances of Greg Tremblay, Michael Pauley, and Joel Leslie, just to name a few. They are music to ears, and I have become passionate once again about books and m/m romance.
I wish you all good health and overall wellness, and I thank you for reading my reviews, for supporting this site and the LGBTQ+ community, and for helping us spread the message that “love is love.”
Happy Reading and Listening!
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Thanks for sharing and I’m happy you found a new home at Love Bytes and that you found audio books helped you along your journey. I used to listen to audio when I was doing more long-distance driving, but I never thought about audio helping in the way you described. Another bonus for this medium.
Happy Anniversary! Keep up the good work.
I’m so glad that audiobooks were able to help you.
thanks for sharing your story. I have only listened to 2 audiobooks . I may have to change that . Take care
Thank you for your post. I am so glad that you are doing better. Audiobooks help me too, both for my long commute (although not as long as yours) and when I have insomnia.
Thanks for sharing. I’m glad things have gotten better for you.
That’s so cool–I wish you all the best!
Thank you for the post. I love audiobooks as well, they ,keep my mind from drifting to dark places.
Thank you for sharing. I think your story can help others and am so happy to hear you are doing better. Wow 90 miles one way! I can see where audio books would be a great distraction and it’s sort of like you are doing your second job on the way to the first.
Thanks for sharing and thanks for the chance.
I feel ya sister! I had a complete hysterectomy and got thrown into surgical menopause. Not a fun time at all – plus recovering from a major surgery. I also love audiobooks – I fly every week, so that gives me time to catch up with my favorites!
Thank you for sharing. I’m glad that reviewing helped you and audio books were especially a source of aid for you.
I’m so glad you found a new home <3
Audiobooks are amazing adding so much more depth to the original story
Thank you for sharing your story! It’s really great that you get to continue enjoying all these wonderful stories through audiobooks! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your experience, Christine. It’s very satisfying to hear that audiobooks helped you overcome your depression. I often hear from friends that reading books – apart from nonfiction books – is a waste of time. Hearing your story, I see once more that apart from being a freetime pleasure, books can also heal us.
Thank you for sharing such a personal story.
I enjoyed your post and I’m so glad audio books helped you and that you were able to keep reviewing.
I’m extremely familiar with what you’ve gone through, and I’m really glad you’re feeling better now…Thanks for the post!
Oh, fellow audiobook lover here! I’m glad that they’re helping you deal and that you feel good now.
Thanks for the lovely post! Books help us all, and I’m glad you feel good now.