Reasons to stay alive - Matt Haig
There is no standard normal. Normal is subjective. There are seven billion versions of normal on this planetm - Matt Haig
How I discovered it
Once ever few weeks I would just go to Waterstones and I would just let myself be influenced by the cover of a book. Reasons to stay alive came just at the right time because it was at the same time when my life took a U turn.
Who should read it ?
This book is perfect to everyone that struggles with anxiety and depressions, or knows anyone going through this. Regardless of who you are, Matt’s way of writing is personal and somehow will make you relate to most of the chapters. You do not need to struggle with your mental health to read this book, it will benefit you either way.
Summary and impact on me
This was the first book I’ve read from Matt Haig and it simply opened the door to all his books, which by the way they all come from a different world. A soul’s world. He has been struggling with depression for years and even considered taking his own life. His approach to axiety and depression is just uplifting in a strange and calm way. It is just like seeing a storm in the sea, you know it will pass, but you also know another one will come at some point.
The way your would journal or confess the darkest thoughts, experiences and memories to your best friend is the way Matt has written this book. He is completely honest about this mental health and the struggles he faced. Somehow, he manages to communicate the hardest feelings that one can go through. His book is well balanced between the storms and battles from his mind and heart with some of the most beautiful days he got to experience.
The author’s way of describing depression impressed me because he was transparent but yet calm and personal. The entire book is a collection of his experiences when it comes to life, reflections and realisations on how the world has been dealing with this. With his stories he rises awareness of despression, but mainly that we are looking about it through a wrong lense.
How the book changed me
Reasons to stay alive is about life. And even if we have one thousand bad days, a once single very good one can compensate everything. Life is indeed worth living and there are reasons everywhere around us, we just need to be brave enough to keep looking for them.
Conclusion
Just like the rest of Matt’s book, this is another masterpiece. Written with simple words that anyonce can understand he managed to go inside your soul and make you feel your vulnerabilities. Life is better when you read Matt’s books!
