The fellowship of the book – How reading fights loneliness
Loneliness has become a global issue. Yet research suggests that an effective and lasting remedy may be much closer than we think — in fiction, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports, citing The Conversation.
According to the World Health Organization, about one in four older adults experience social isolation, and between 5% and 15% of adolescents report feeling lonely. While in-person interaction remains vital for wellbeing, reading has shown remarkable potential in easing loneliness and supporting mental health.
Reading helps us build deep emotional connections, even with fictional characters. A survey by the UK charity The Reader found that 59% of young adults aged 18 to 34 felt more connected to others through reading, and 56% said it helped them feel less lonely during the pandemic.
Another study, conducted in partnership with the University of Liverpool, confirmed that reading is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress. More than 60% of respondents said it helped them develop empathy, better understand other people’s emotions, and even inspired them to take up new hobbies and pay more attention to their health.
“Reading creates a parallel world in which personal anxieties can recede, while also helping people to realise that the problems they experience are not theirs alone,” reads the study report.
Scientific research backs up these effects on a neurological level. Brain scans of young adults have shown that reading fiction, especially stories with social content, activates areas involved in emotional awareness and social understanding. One such region, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, is more active in frequent fiction readers and is linked to stronger social cognition.
Reading can also have long-term benefits for brain health. A study that tracked participants over more than five years found that engaging in mentally stimulating activities, including reading, reduced the risk of developing dementia by 35%. Other studies have reached similar conclusions: regular cognitive activity helps slow age-related decline in brain function.
Starting young makes a difference. According to the large-scale U.S. Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which followed over 10,000 children, those who enjoyed reading early in life showed better academic performance, healthier brain structure, and lower rates of stress and depression.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that short story collection won International Booker Prize for the first time.