Help!! I'm addicted to reading.

Ever since 3rd grade I've been addicted to books(fiction). This probably doesn't make sense, and doesn't seem possible. So I'll have to tell the whole story:

I used to make fun of my cousin who read all the time, but then I started reading...all the time. First I read punjabi books like Sundri, Manmohan Kaur, Yarte da Shathar, but then soon got hooked to English books. In 4th grade my teacher complained to my mom that I read hiding the book in my lap while she lectured. So I stopped doing it while she lectured, but then when we were supposed to work I would finish early and read and would get so into the book, teachers had to call me. Once a teacher got so annoyed he said, "bring me the book,", I handed it to him but then soon couldn't resists and took out another book from the desk. He took it again and when he caught me with another book, he really got mad and said, "Bring all the books in your desk." I did and it made a pile on his desk. Then he made me stay in break and asked me Do you want your books back. I said I don't know, because If I got them back I knew I would read them, but I also wanted them. He gave them back to me and said, "Your addicted" At that time I didnt belive him but I now know its true.

Soon I started reading Harry Potter in 4th grade and my mom would get really mad, "Why are you reading books as big as college textbooks, and not even for school, your gonna get blind." She forbid me to read but then I would read secretly(hiding or at night), but my parents always caught me and punished me. and soon had to get glasses.I couldn't see the chalkboard in class and always had to squint, when my teacher saw me, he tested my eyesight, and he said he was gonna call the nurse. I got so scared, I started doing Waheguru Simran and thank goodness the nurse wasn't there and my teacher soon forgot. Ever since then I would always pray to get my good eyesight back, but still continued to read even during Break/recess and Lunch time as well as class. Sometimes even in PE when we had free time. In school I was known as the nerd with a book. But then in 6th grade we had nurses come in to check our eyesight. I was given a letter to take home saying I need glasses. I threw away the letter because I knew my mom would kill me and call me bookworm and say I told you to stop reading. This is getting long anyway my mom eventually found out was mad and I had to get glasses. Even though reading had caused so much trouble, I still couldn't stop. I would be like this is gonna be my last book and I would read whenever I had free time and I would have to finish my hw in a rush cause I read all the time. I would think about the story constantly and couldn't wait to get back to the story. I would read until my teacher/mom called me then I would do what they asked and run back to book to read again. I hate my reading becasue it takes over my life and wastes it. ONly if I could spend as much time doing paath or simran. Now I'm in college and I now know how to read books on computer and saying I'm doing hw I still keep on reading. I been amritdhari since 5 yrs old and I know everything besides naam and bani is fake, and will eventually lead us away from guru ji. After inspirational camps/satsang I always make a resolve to quit reading. It lasts about a month and then I get so restless and bored I have to get a book. I've read so many books I can't remember, and the story of one or the other is always running in my head. I'm so hooked that it doesn't matter what books it is, I can even read little kid books. Now that I read on the computer, I read late into the night and say it will be my last book I'll finish it as fast as possible.......but then I'm picking up another book.......I thought going back to punjabi books might help me stop so I read Jail Chittian, half of Se KIneya but that didn't work and im back to reading these kaljugi english novels.
sorry its so long...it probably sounds stupid....but I would appreciate anything to help me.

Get Hooked On To Dharmik Books, especially those written by Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Jee.

That addiction, would be a "safal" addiction. Read them over by all means, read a material worth reading veer/bhen.

Don't try and get rid of a habit, try and twist it around to suit your life and gurmat needs

if u like reading so much why don't u do a sehaj path or add some banis to your nitnem. u will be reading and doing path at the same time.

Yeah that always happens. To some people it's funny when someone else goes through something, but when it happens to you, it's not funny anymore.

Reading is a good habit as it exercises one's brain.

This world is like a dream, it isn't a dream, because the experiences we have in life are indeed very real. The earth is a place of dharam. I don't agree with the thought of everything being fake in this world.

Balance your life out. You are real, because you exist, so are the books you read even if they are fiction, somewhere along the line, they are real because they affect us in real ways.

Just minimize the time you spend on reading a book. Takes time to form habits and takes time to change/break them too. So start to discipline yourself more and you'll be fine that way. For example, you can set an alarm clock, and read only for 30 mins or for as long as you think is okay, so that you don't mess up your school work because of it.

Discipline, that's the word, and self control. Control yourself, unless you want to be reading a story book all the time and be poor, then read away. Do you want to miss out of homework and be repeating school with a fiction story book in your hand?? Is that the goal of your life?

i used to be addicted to a lot of things, at the end of the day,

i started sitting down, and noting it in a diary and the amount of time, i spent on a certain activity.

i still keep this tiny notebook near my desk, and any time, i indulge in a waste of time (english novels? please, i dont know what else to call them) i look at this diary, and remember the countless hours i have wasted, that i could have used to lets say learn how to read lareevaar or get some bani kanth.

its a nice and a gruesome reminder, that sets ur mind back to reality, and makes you realize the value of time. its a strategy you might want to try out.

In Salok Mahalla Nauvaa, guroo sahib states

Know this world as a dream only.

Dreams are very nice sometimes, but they don't last forever, neither will this life jeeeooo

Start reading books with a message.. A lot of fiction can be inspiring too... such as stories about inner struggle, courage, patience, humility, compassion. Just choose books with themes like these and while reading, keep thinking how they are related to sikhi and gurmat. It's what i do.. another eg.. if there's a love song played on the radio, i just think that the person is singing about his or her love for Vaheguru jee. That way, something which might have taken me further from Guru jee, actually becomes something that takes me closer to him.

I tried to stop reading non-gurmat literature after taking amrit.. and i started reading some books by Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee and others.. but i found most of it quite heavy (the english translations at least) and i wasn't really sucked in in the same way as reading some other kinds of books. Anyway, in the end i stopped reading almost any literature for some time.. which, i feel, was far more destructive than reading fiction or books by people from other religions.. i was acting against my nature and eventually lost most of my inspiration in life.

Try to find the right kinds of books. Eg. biographies of people that have helped the humanity.. people who have stood up for righteousness and gone through adventurous lives.. Also poetry is great since it raises awareness of the nature and beauty around you.

I know true Gursikhs aren't interested in anything but Gurbani and naam... but those of us who are still struggling with all this maya... better to try to make it constructive and supporting to our sikhi rather than trying to fight against it with all our useless efforts and fall back into it again.. maybe one day if we have Guru jee's grace with us, we don't want to read or hear anything but Gurbani.

Most importantly.. listen to your intuition and don't care about what anyone else says.. if you have an undying passion for reading, keep reading.. maybe it turns out to be a gift from Vaheguru jee.

Reading books is an excellent hobby, in my opinion. I have been addicted to books ever since I was a child. As others have posted, the only thing you need to be careful about is, what you read. Read books written by Gurmukhs like Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee, Bhai Vir Singh jee, Bhai Raghbir Singh Bir etc. If your shauq can be re-directed towards reading good books, it will really benefit you.

Kulbir Singh

This was my personal analysis on myself....

Use to love reading non-fiction books a lot on life stories of others & history .(still do to be honest) But, if I made the attempt to re-read the same book the 2nd time..found myself bored as , already knew what the story was. Hence, the curiousity,suspense and excitement was no more there.

Now , when reading bani. Let's say nitnem or any other bani... when read repeatedly(daily basis or as Jaap). If the effort was made to do paath with dhian, where the concentration was properly attached to shabad. I never found myself getting "bored" listening to bani.
I never found telling myself within, "gosh, it was so boring doing paath today" .

I was reading in both instances. From there on, it hit me. Why do I never get bored reading gurbani?
I may not understand all, but I have never got bored listening to it. I thought to myself, "Sri GuruBani ji has to be S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G that I don't get bored reading it ." These thought also affirmed my faith on Gurbani back then.

Chota veer

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

[www.vidhia.com]

This could keep you occupied for a little bit.

My advice:

Do make a list of the books alongwith authors you have read. This will help you in analysing your past experience with books. Feel proud of your reading skill, but do investigate that what you have learnt so far from these authors. Which author you like most? What message he gives generally? Do you really need to read him more? Which subjects you have read so far? What was useless and what was worth reading? Do write an essay on the literature you have read so far.

Somebody told me, Read authors not books. Once we know that this author can not imagine and think beyond a certain level, we will be able to stop reading him more.

Start writting books. Be a writer.Enough with reading.

Assa Di Vaar says, even if we read truckload of books and for years and years; it is all HOMAI JAKHNA JAAKH.

Start reading people. They are living books.

lol, i have the total opposite problem...i never read books...i used to get in trouble at skool b/c i would never read a book.....

Thank you all,
Great suggestions. Yeah I guess I need discipline, .. I'm going to try to stop wasting time by reading. and if the irresistable urge to immerse myself in another fake/story world comes, I'll try to read the books by Bhai Randhir Singh and Bhai Veer Singh, they're really inspiring, Maybe I'll try writing poetry, I've read very good examples here. and very good insight Harsimran Kaur ji, I can relate to that.

Thanks again.

Read read read read Baani. But honestly have you considered a career in Law?