We’ve all been there: As you reach the final pages of a book, you start to feel an impending doom. As you get to the last page, you read a little slower. Trying to soak in every sentence, making sure you don’t miss a thing. And then it’s over.
Don’t worry; you’re not alone in the deep, debilitating sadness you now feel. In fact, every good book should leave you wanting more. Here are 7 signs that you’re suffering from book withdrawal:
1.) You just can't stop thinking about that book.
Every thought you have goes back to that book. While you're doing dishes, driving around, even when you're supposed to be working—it just keeps popping into your head. You can't stop reminiscing over how you felt at certain moments, or how the story made you consider something you never had before.
2. You keep re-reading the last page.
This is how you know the book got you good. It's almost as if you think re-reading the last few paragraphs will reveal something extra, or perhaps you just want to savor the feeling a little longer.
I read the last page of The Goldfinch at least 10 times. Even after 700 pages, I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
3. You zone out in conversation, thinking about the future of your favorite character.
You’re having an important conversation with your mom and all of the sudden all you can think is, did Offred from The Handmaid's Tale ever make it out of Gilead? Did that experience really happen in Life of Pi? And did Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester really live happily ever after?
4. You ask every person you see if they’ve read it.
You're desperate to talk to someone else about the book—did they have the same feelings? What did they think at the climax? Maybe you should start a book club just so you can have a group of people to talk to about it.
5. You look for other works by the same author, hoping to spark the same feeling.
Immediately after closing the book you open up your computer, Googling the author and all of their published works. Perhaps they've managed to capture lightning in a bottle a few more times. Or maybe the good people of the internet have some book recommendations for people who loved that same story.
6. You pray for a sequel, knowing full well the book could not possibly get better.
Alas, some books are done after just one volume, or their authors pass before they can finish the series. Or, sometimes an author suffers serious writers block and takes decades to finish telling their saga.
7. You give up books for a while, turn to mindless Netflix watching for comfort.
The final sign that you’re going through book withdrawal: you refuse to read anything. Instead of turning to a new book, you decide to take a break from the book world. You turn to Netflix, binge watching all their best book adaptations in the hopes of getting over the book that stole your heart.
What to do next
If you find yourself showing one or more of these signs, don’t fret, you are not alone. And better yet, there’s a cure (although you might not like the sound of it). Though it sounds sacrilegious, the only way to get over a sad book-breakup is to get involved with another book. Don't worry—we have plenty of recommendations to help you do just that!
Featured Photo: Annie Spratt / Unsplash
