Sitting down by yourself and reading is not everyone’s favorite thing but when you find the right book and indulge it, it can end up being exactly how you want to spend your time. Reading someone's story, fictional or not can help you understand part of what you are going through and emphasize that you are not struggling alone. There are so many people out there struggling with the same problems and reading their stories may give you insight into how to help yourself or how to help a loved one. Below are a few books that we found to be insightful, education and helpful for those suffering with suicide thoughts and those who feel they don't understand the topic.
-
Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig
​
- ‘I wrote this book because the oldest clichés remain the truest. Time heals. The bottom of the valley never provides the clearest view. The tunnel does have light at the end of it, even if we haven’t been able to see it . . . Words, just sometimes, really can set you free.’
-
Remember This When You're Sad by Maggy Van Eijk
​
- Maggy Van Eijk knows where the best place to cry in public is: the top deck of a bus, right at the front. She also knows that eating super salty liquorice or swimming in an icy cold pond are things that make you feel alive but aren't bad for you.
These are the things to remember when you're sad.
Turning 27, Maggy had the worst mental health experience of her life so far. She ended a three-year relationship. She was almost fired (twice). She lost friends and made bad decisions. She drank too much and went to A&E over twelve times. She saw three different therapists and had three different diagnoses. She went to two burns units for self-inflicted wounds and was escorted in an ambulance to a mental health crisis team. It was quite the year.
This book is about anxiety and depression, Maggy's panic attacks, teenage bulimia and disassociation. But it's also about being a young woman with the added pressure of having an untrustworthy mind. Remember This When You're Sad is a brave, beautifully written and important book that lays bare the true reality of mental illness in the hope it can help others through their turmoil.
-
“How to Survive the End of the World (When it’s in Your Own Head): An Anxiety Survival Guide” by Aaron Gillies
​
- There are plenty of books out there on how to survive a zombie apocalypse, all-out nuclear war, or Armageddon.
But what happens when it feels like the world is ending every single time you wake up? That's what having anxiety is like - and How to Survive the End of the World is here to help. Or at least make you feel like you're not so alone.
From helping readers identify the enemy, to safeguarding the vulnerable areas of their lives, Aaron Gillies will examine the impact of anxiety, and give readers some tools to fight back - whether with medication, therapy, CBT, coping techniques, or simply with a dark sense of humour.
