Reasons to Stay Alive

For those trying to answer the book title, I would not recommend this book.I don’t know how it got so many great reviews!I haven’t finished it... I didn’t find particularly interesting reading lists ( famous people with depression, depression symptoms from the nhs website, “how to live” tips, which include potentially dangerous advice: no drug in the world will make you feel better than being kind to people(!) - and we are talking about a mental disease here , right?)I agree with other reviewers that point out the privileged position the author was living when depression stroke ... how about those with depression and not having the financial and emotional support he had? And those depressives with young kids to look after? And provide for ?I think the title should warn us that this book is a personal diary and not necessary a book that will help you feel happy.Finally, a book that really helped me to understand my depression and overcome it : Overcoming Depression , by Paul Gilbert

An unconventional book perhaps calls for an unconventional review, albeit the book sits perfectly for an unconventional world. That this book can help to save people is a big understatement, and the words of praise that I have read on Twitter seemingly echo that.Let’s get one thing out of the way, I have depression; I have a teenage daughter with anxiety. This book helps me, and it will help her, and the most important part of this is that a writer has been brave, a publisher has been brave and the rewards are there to be seen. It is the most important thing that this book opens conversation.There is so much to praise about this book: its style; its prose; its brutal honesty; yet any emotion for this book will be nothing but personal for each one of us, and for me it has confirmed my thinking after years of neglect, it has strengthened my purpose and it has given me a proverbial pat on the back to reward my determination to actually physically get here, to this point, and write this.The detail and debate in this book, and the hints in which to lead a life while carrying depression, enrich my soul as well as making me want to cry. That egotistical side of me which always seems to want to put me in my place has just read something which my imagination has been telling it all along.Life with depression can still be a brilliant life; here’s a book to remind you.If you have depression or anxiety, if you live with or know someone who does, read this. Then perhaps read the next one and the next one. Thousands of people on Twitter agree.To ease the pressure of depression I watch favourite movies; I listen to wonderful music; I read and I delve into my imagination while taking a walk:I also now read Reasons To Stay Alive.

Highly reccomend to all sufferers or past sufferers of depression and anxiety. Having experienced bouts of depression myself over the years, I had a lot of “lightbulb” moments in reading about the authors experience of it and could relate to it. I have cried and laughed with this book and quite honestly didn’t want to put it down. It’s cleverly written to give a insight into how the condition can affect you but done where ever possible with humour. It has allowed me to use it as a tool to discuss the subject of my own depression with my husband by sharing specific pages and allowing me to open up to him about my current condition. Thank you very much to the writer for this incredible book.

I can understand why this book has helped people who are trapped in the 'I am the only person feeling this' loop. The writer is searingly honest about his feelings and experiences. I think I was hoping for more understanding of how he rescued himself - more lessons to apply, more inspiration rather than just empathy.

I actually knew almost nothing about this book when I bought it. I am a book addict and in one of my Facebook groups there was a question that went something like “if you could only recommend one book to anyone ever again, what would it be?”. This book was mentioned more than once and had such strong positivity attached to it and long story short I just couldn’t resist. Normally I’ll buy a bunch of books and they’ll sit on my shelf for weeks, months, even years until I get around to it. But this one I actually picked up and read right away for some reason.I am glad I did. I’m not going to post an in depth analysis because it’s nearly 1am and I’m tired. But the bottom line is this: I grew up with a depressive. I am a chronic depressive myself. I supported my partner with a serious bout of depression 2 years ago. All our experiences have been entirely different to one another’s. Yet this book somehow brought that all together. It made me feel light. It made me feel good. I am in an okay place at the moment, but next time I slip away, I think this book will be a ray of light that pierces the darkness. I think everyone should read it (not just the depressed) and it will be top of my list for inclusion in care packs from now on. Thanks to the author for writing it.