"Depression is also smaller than you. Always, it is smaller than you, even when it feels vast. It operates within you, you do not operate within it. It may be a dark cloud passing across the sky but—if that is the metaphor—you are the sky. You were there before it. And the cloud can't exist without the sky, but the sky can exist without the cloud."
If I'm being honest, I didn't expect to finish Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig in less than a week. Four days seemed to be rather fast considering that I had estimated a longer period, say two weeks or three.
As it turned out, Reasons to Stay Alive was a swift non-fiction read for me. It follows Haig's journey in battling depression and anxiety. Navigating his life after college was not easy, especially when his disease was not physical and thus was often misunderstood. In this book, Haig also emphasizes the importance of his loved ones and the joy of little things as he suffered through depression in his early 20s.
For me, reading this book felt like an in-depth look at a young adult's thoughts during depression. In other words, it was messy, understandable, but also relatable.
When I read this book, I didn't put my focus on Haig's condition only; it also lay on Andrea, his then-girlfriend (now wife), who played an important part in Haig's attempt at recovery. I understand how pivotal it is to have someone listen and just be there during your lowest. Haig mentioned that medication didn't work for him—I genuinely thought that in one way or another, Andrea became the only one that worked.
Furthermore, I understood Haig's point when he utilized writing as a form of weapon to keep him sane. I can testify about the therapeutic effects that words facilitate us with. Everything might still stay the same outwardly, but I do believe that writing something down can magically work something within us.
In conclusion, I stand my ground about the importance of this book as an introduction to depression for someone who wants to grasp the concept of mental health issues through a real-life experience. If only this book provided a closer look at how Haig was able to fight through depression, not only some glimpses of how his life looked afterward, I would also label it as something you should read to fight off the disease.
Still, I believe that this story could help so many people in need. In light of easier access to much research on this subject, I hope more people will not take mental health issues lightly.
Actual rating: 3.5★
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