Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig is the first book I will recommend to anyone. I don't even need anyone to ask for a recommendation- everyone needs to read this book. It is SO IMPORTANT that everyone read this book. It's an honest, brilliant and incredibly necessary portrayal of Matt Haig's struggle with mental health.

This book is a best friend for anyone: someone who is struggling with any mental illness; someone who has never experienced any mental health issues and wants to educate themselves about it all; someone who has never experienced any mental health issues but they are someone, like us all, who may; someone who knows someone struggling with mental health illnesses.

I'll say it one last time: everyone needs to read this book.

I always want to find out more about mental health and my want to know more won't stop here. But the lessons I learnt from this book will always stay with me. The book did teach me a lot about mental health that I didn't know before or had never crossed my mind. Ignorance in ways like this is fine if we are passionate in amending it. One main thing I took away is that pills work for some people but don't for others. Haig is very clear about this message and he shows his alternatives and I can imagine this is incredibly useful for those struggling.

Reading is an experience I find very personal and it becomes even more personal and meaningful when a story like Matt Haig's is in front of me. It meant I felt and feel very invested in anyone's life that is, has or will be affected by mental health issues. Reading such an honest account of depression is heartbreaking but cannot be ignored. Depression is of course a nasty, vicious character but it can be fought if we raise awareness and help everyone out.  

The book didn't just teach me- it uplifted me and gave me hope. It gave me hope for myself and for others. I think this book is an absolute treasure and is a book I will always be so glad I read.

Uplifted & Hopeful,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. I am sorry, once again, for the terrible photo and the fact enlarging it makes it very fuzzy... so I didn't enlarge!