
7 Book Recommendations to improve understanding of Mental Health.
Books, in my opinion, are the best gateway into somebody else’s thoughts and world that not only provides a way to escape but also helps in dealing with one’s own life better. There are a lot of lessons that I have gained from my habit of reading and I believe it helps us in becoming better individuals. My habit of reading has helped me in dealing with my own mental health issues and it has also helped me in de-stressing from stresses of workplace. Talks around mental health are important and I believe literature can help a great deal in fostering dialogues and bringing awareness about mental health. They can be useful for people battling mental health issues as well as for the caregivers to understand and cope better. Here are some recommendations for books that discuss mental health:
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman:
Eleanor is a funny, logical and kind-hearted girl who comes across as Plain, Introvert, Socially Awkward and Quirky. The book is about her struggles with depression and troubled past and how she overcomes it with the help of her friend and therapy. The title of the book comes from the much conditioned social norm of saying “I am fine” whenever we are asked how we are doing. Is it necessary to say we are fine when we in fact are not?
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides:
This book is actually a psychological thriller about a women convicted of murdering her husband and she is declared to have committed the crime due to her mental illness, but since the murder she stops speaking completely and all therapists fail to make a breakthrough in her. The reason why I have put it in the recommendations is because its set in a mental health institution and describes some modes of therapies both prevalent and older, conventional and unconventional. It also has quotes on psychology at the start of each section. In fact I found these insights on counseling and patient management more interesting than the plot itself.
Veronika decides to die by Paulo Coelho:
This book also gives a peak into the world of mental health institutions and therapy, that the author has partly written from his own experiences in mental health institutions. It is the story of Veronica who seemingly has a happy successful life, but one day, decided to commit suicide. Her attempt fails and she lands up in an institution for treatment. The book is about how she learns about herself in the institution, meets other patients of clinical depression, panic attacks and schizophrenia and she begins to question the societal definitions of sanity and insanity.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman:
This is a superbly comforting and heart-warming story of love and loss of a man called Ove. Ove is a strong, honest man who is highly set in his ways. He comes across as a hard, cantankerous person who is perceived as unkind and mean. He decides to end his life when the only person he has ever loved –his wife, passes away. But his attempts are interrupted by some or the other event until he ultimately heals and overcomes the loss. The character of Ove has an obsessive, compulsive personality and the story beautifully describes how a community can come together to deal with the issue of elderly depression.
Phantoms in the Brain by Dr. V.S Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee:
This is a non-fiction book that gives fascinating insights into neurology, psychology, philosophy, literature and art. It is a must-read for those who are interested in learning about the mysteries of human mind. Although there is more of neurology in it, I recommend this book because this book very beautifully tries to bridge the gap between neurology and psychology and how they can come together. The Freudian philosophy, the principles of neuroscience and the viewpoints of the “Cosmologists and mystics” have been largely conflicting for decades. But even the hardest critic of Freud, the maddest genius of neuroscience and the most ardent believer of cosmology will not deny that the ultimate goal of all these branches is the same- To unravel the mysteries of the mind, to understand the working of the brain and to find a reason for the curious cases.
Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto:
This is a poignant narration by a young man growing up with his sister in a family where his mother suffers from manic depression and a father who is the biggest support and warmest caregiver one can ask for. This book describes the role a caregiver has in mental illnesses and how sometimes even the caregivers need care. The book invokes a large number of emotions- pain, anger, sorrow, happiness and there are moments when you laugh and cry with the characters. Very few books have described this with such sensitivity and nuance by giving the caregivers point of view.
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh:
This is an illustrated autobiographical story that is funny with a touch of darkness, simplistic, realistic and very relatable. It’s a great book to understand what someone with depression and anxiety and depression feels and thinks. I never thought a book can explain this in such a simple way with humour and yet, without taking the seriousness out of it. It also dared to touch upon thoughts that many of us have but are too embarrassed to admit.
Happy Reading and hope this list helps in improving understanding about mental health. May we grow together as a more empathic community!