When I moved to my new town, Twilight made me feel less lonely.

Harry helped me LOADS. I was suffering from clinical depression and thought about suicide constantly; I was also witnessing an abusive relationship which really did scar me. I didn't really think I had anything anymore, and everyday would be a battle - but somehow after I read Harry, I realized that I have so much to be thankful for and the obsession erased everything else from my mind.

^^That sounds so sad DracoLuver. :(
I'm happy that the Harry Potter series helped you too, because the books helped me sort out if I have real friends or frenemies. And over a decade ago, it made me focus on the positive aspects of life instead of throwing mine away by being a long-time trigger-happy teen in the streets like everyone else was trying to emulate in my neighborhood. I believe that good books gives great therapy and the Harry Potter books are on that scale to me as well. :)

It does sound sad! I honestly couldnt imagine going through that! And i thought the same thing tracey! :)

Probably sub-conciously (Harry Potter)

Unless you count curing boredom at school then both did.

It came at me at a time where I needed a series like that (far away places, magic, awesome characters) most.

I needed something to demonstrate to me how to think more rationally, and what happens when you're impatient and don't take your time.
Something to show me that trying to go insane, intentionally, is not a good idea.

This past year, when I was alone and felt like I could trust no one, I would just fade into my Harry Potter fantasy world and I would feel SO much better

I'm going through a lot right now, and some of the few things that help me keep going are from Harry Potter; the books, the movies, certain quotes...and Wizard Rock. WRock is amazing. <3

Nope.

I don't use books to ignore problems

I am/was in the exact same position as Lunalovely.

^Sometimes you can't do anything about these "problems". They just happen and it's a part of life, and you can't do anything about it. Would you rather "ignore" the problems, or mope around because something happened or will happen and you had/have no control over it? Sometimes it's healthier not to agonize about it.

A lot of the problems I had weren't even close to "ignorable." The books weren't used to ignore anything.

I'm not saying you should dwell on uncontrolable circumstances, but I don't think it's healthy to read a book and "escape" from your problems. The best thing to do would be to process and accept what can't be changed.
I think it's alright to put off dealing with it, if there's an initial shock, and wait until your glucose levels have evened out so you'll think more rationally. Reading a book can help pass the time, but that's not "getting through" anything.

I'd processed and accepted everything I was going through. But it actually would have been a lot more unhealthy for me to not have something to completely throw myself into than it would have been for me to have.

now that i'm thinking again and twilight helped me: when i broke up with my then bf i was reading twilight and i realized that are worse things that can happened to me like becoming a bella swan. but this isn't really count :P
every time something bad happened to me since i was a kid i was reading harry potter and it was helping me a lot, i was like "what would harry/hermione/ron would do?"

@youknowit101: You mean if, hypothetically, your best friend died, you wouldn't try to make yourself feel better in any way possible? You'd just tough everything out your entire life?

I didn't say that. I said you should process and accept the unchangeable. Acceptance will help you feel better.
That's what I did when my family died 10 months ago.

Oh gosh, I'm sorry about that. Must've been rough, I had a family member die too...

I don't really use books to get through rough spots, usually just computer, music, drawing, TV, food, and movies.

THe way the hp books helped me was one of the quotes:

"It is our choices that show who we truly our... far more than our ability."

THis quotes made me realize that the choices that you make show who you truly are and that if you watch the choice people around you make, you can tell what kind of a person they are. Our choices in life are what make us and it doesnt matter how good you are at something, as long as you make the right choice you are better off.

Harry Potter kept me company when no one else would. As the youngest kid I've always been a latchkey kid, home alone a lot, I never had many friends in my town because I thought, dressed, acted, and talked (I had a stutter) a lot differently than everyone else.

There wasn't a particular rough spot it helped me through, but whenever I'm feeling lonely I use Harry Potter and Led Zeppelin to help me get away.

When I was a kid, I felt constantly left out and was pushed away by other kids. Harry Potter made me happy and helped me accept myself.