Books i’ve picked up because of my Mental Health
When picking up a book, we usually enjoy seeing the characters being in the same shoes as we are, or so we can relate to that character in a way or another.
For many of us, this means finding books that have a rep for whichever mental illnesses we may have; which was my case ! In case you were wondering, mines are all around Anxiety and Depression. Both of which I have been profesionally diagnosed with.
* They are under no particular order, and there’s a mix of some i’ve read and some haven’t gotten to yet and/or on my virtual wanna read *
❍ Reasons To Stay Alive, Matt Haig [My review]
❍ Eliza & Her Monsters, Francesca Zappia [My review]
❍ Under Rose Tainted Skies, Louise Gornall
❍ Starfish, Akemi Dawn Bowman
❍ Emergency Contact, Mary H.K Choi
❍ I Am More Than My Nightmares, Jennae Cecelia
❍ My Heart and Other Black Holes, Jasmine Warga
❍ Notes on a Nervous Planet, Matt Haig
I fear that i’ve most probably missed a few, though I did go through the books on my shelf aswell as thoses in my “Virtual Wanna Read” on goodread. Of course i’m always on the look-out of even more books about that topic ! So please let me know if you have more book titles in mind that might work for me ❤︎
Have you read any of thoses, did you liked them ?
Do you have the same as mine, or is it different ? If so, what it is ?
Loved all the recs! I have the same illnesses as yours and will definitely read the books mentioned here that I haven’t yet. Also,I just bought emergency contact today but didn’t know that it had mental health rep in it. Will get to it soon!
Yay!! Ah That’s a nice surprise! I *almost* got it, but decided upon something else ahah
I will always recommend books by Alice Oseman, Solitaire revolves around depression and it’s such a dark, but relatable read. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is focused around anxiety I believe, and Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde also focused on a MC with anxiety
Right!
I had Radio Silence in mind but when “errrh.. no.. that’s not one..” xD I just didn’t thought of Solitaire ahah
Hey, I hope you get better soon! I was on borderline depression just a year ago and I remember how hard recovery was. I think reading such books helps you cope (It did for me) and well, if you need someone to talk to, I’m always here 🙂
Thankfully, medication does it’s wonder for me! So I do not feel the relapses as often (though of course it’ll still be happening)
Anxiety and/or depression is something reccurent in my dad’s side of my family. So it’s not something I can “get over” off, and more something i’ll need to live with 😅
But Thank you xx
Oh, I’m so sorry about that… There’s no family history with mine, so I guess that is why I recovered pretty easily (I mean, I had a lot of help…)
Hope you are feeling better! xx
Well there’s different kind too! One that’s from “external” source, and one that’s an “inside” source like unballanced in the brain and such.. so no worries !
Thanks for the recs, I admit I’d love to read more books with mental health reps so this was like the perfect list, the only one I have is The Noonday Demon, An Anatomy of Depression
Happy you enjoyed it !
hmm, from the title of that I don’t think it’d be my cup of tea, but I’ll check it out !
It’s a nonfiction book, memoirs and medical opinions
yeah.. Matt haig’s has been my exception, non-fiction are quite a difficult thing for me
Emergency Contact is in my TBR. I really need to order it at some point, especially now that I saw it in your list. The only mental health book I can think of is The Kiss Quotient.
Ah, is it ? I never paid close attention
mental health rep is so important! I’ve heard so many good things about Eliza & Her Monsters and Matt Haig in general. I also really liked Fangirl (anxiety), Life Inside My Mind (essay anthology from 31 different authors, several different mental health conditions), and – if you like John Green, I know he’s kind of polarizing 😜 – Turtles All the Way Down.
Life inside my mind sounds interesting! My main thing anout fangirl is that im not sure as im not a fan of harry potter eh … and i’ve heard saying its kind of a fan-fiction kinda thing?
Turtle all the way down I just.. I dont get the synopsis of that book xD no idea whats going on there ahah
I am currently reading Eliza & Her Monsters. And you should try The Quiet Kind of thunder along the same lines, you might like it.
Ah, ive heard of that one.. thanks!
I had a flare up with my anxiety lately and fell in love with Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet. I definitely need to read Reasons to be Alive!
Yes!! As ive read notes on a nervous planet is like the « book two » following reasons to stay alive.
Under Rose Tainted Skies and Emergency Contact are two of my favorite books. I recommend them highly if you haven’t read them.
Thank you! I haven’t yet, but I highly want to !
I have both Matt Haig books coming from Book Depository so hopefully I will see them soon though that’s always up in the air 🙂 I love his non-fiction so I think I will really like those!
I wound up really not liking the romance in Eliza- I thought he behaved like a child and guilt-tripped her and it really affected the rest of the book for me. Turtles all the Way Down is one where I really saw my OCD and anxiety to the point where sometimes it was uncomfortable to read. Thanks for the recs!
I sure hope you do ! Non-fiction was a first for me and.. it was really well-put!
Ah, I see.. it did was a little bit, yeah. Though he came back and apologized for it, didn’t he?
No problem ! Happy you enjoyed my recs xx
I recently finished Taurok’s Vengeance and Blackbird of the Gallows. While not about me per se, they are about people trying to get their life in order. Thanks Kristina! Great picks! ❤️❤️
Thank you ! xx
I may look into the ones you mentionned, I never heard about them yet
I absolutely love your recommendations. I am a huge Brene Brown fan as she talks to much about shame, courage and empathy. I will definitely be checking out more of these! Thank you!
Yay!
hopefully atleast of thoses will be for you 🙂