3 Moving Books About Depression and Anxiety
Helped me put things in perspective
If you are feeling low or know someone close to you who is suffering from their mental health, you will know how difficult it can be.
By reading the below books and hearing very real-life accounts of the author's battles with mental health, I learned more about what can trigger depression and anxiety.
It also put things into perspective for me. Sometimes we feel that we are the only person going through these internal battles.
The truth is, when it comes to mental health, we are all on the spectrum and all experience some level of internal struggle.
In these 3 books, the authors spoke openly about their experiences with depression and provide useful ways to help reduce these symptoms arising.
1. Boy’s Don't Cry — Tim Grayburn

This very open account looks at how one seemingly ‘normal’ young man tackled his life while going through regular bouts of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Tim realized that he was not alone in these feelings. In the UK, suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45.
He channeled the internal pain and numbness he was feeling by creating a show Fake It ’Til You Make It, that was centered around his experience with depression.
2. Lost Connections — Johann Hari

This is the most fascinating book I have read in a long time. The story starts with Johann describing his story of depression and anxiety and how he had been taking anti-depressants for nearly two decades.
He realized that despite working his way up to be on the highest dose of an anti-depressant, he would still eventually find himself depressed.
Hari went on a quest to find out if a chemical imbalance in the brain was the only thing causing depression or if there were other potential factors. He found 7 others that were nothing to do with our genetics.
Hari then went on to think about ways we can reconnect with ourselves and our environments. We have become so disconnected in our current lives from things that make us human. This is a contributor to why depression rates are on the rise in today’s society.
This book actually gives you actionable things you can do to become reconnected and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety in the process.
3. Reasons to Stay Alive — Matt Haig

This is a harrowing story about one man's battles with clinical depression. The story starts with the author being in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. A paradise in Spain. But despite this, felt empty and that life was not worth living.
The book lists in great detail all the things going on in the mind of someone suffering from manic depression. Never heard it described like this, in this great detail.
Throughout these battles, the author is still able to list all the reasons to stay alive.
Goes to show, no matter what trauma you are living with and how bad things get, life is always worth living.
These 3 books have really opened my eyes to new ways to look at causes of depression and anxiety. Give them a read a see what you think.
Are there any books in this area you would recommend?