book reviews
Book reviews by and for those seeking to understand the human mind for all its strengths, quirks and shortcomings.
What Rachel Hollis Gets Wrong
Let me start this with a big, fat disclaimer: I LOVE Rachel Hollis. Seriously! I have recommended my friends, family, and acquaintances to her books since I have finished them. I would not even be writing this if it wasn’t for her. She has been a HUGE inspiration to me in following my dreams, and I can’t thank her enough for that. I have read and reread her wisdom through her writing, YouTube channels, and social media platforms. I am a Rachel Hollis fan. There is just one issue I have about her message that I cannot get on board with. So just know when I am discussing what I think Rachel gets wrong, it is coming from a place of love and genuine concern. I wouldn’t even feel compelled to write this if I didn’t feel that this particular message she puts out could actually be harmful. Because the fact is, Rachel Hollis is drowning in diet culture and fatphobia.
By Kate Chessy7 years ago in Psyche
5 Must Read Mental Illness Novels
Mental illness affects more than 50 percent of people by the age of 50, and those are only the number of people who seek help. That means a lot more are affected. In our lives we'll be personally inflicted by, or know someone who suffers from, mental illness.
By Amanda Rose7 years ago in Psyche
Notes on 'Notes on a Nervous Planet'
"Be the orange at sunset that outclasses the pink of sunrise." After a few months under section, at the age of 16, I ended up (for the second time) spending a long weekend of that summer at a Christian music festival that I'd rather not have been to. My mind was still uneasy after the traumas I'd endured from inside hospital walls. I barely left the inside of my pod in the tent I was sharing with my girlfriend (of the time) and her parents.
By Andy Maudling7 years ago in Psyche
Review of Matt Haig's 'Reasons to Stay Alive'
Whilst on holiday last week I read Matt Haig’s, Reasons to Stay Alive. I had seen the front cover of this part memoir/part book floating around the internet over the past year and had seen various people praising its contents and how perfectly Matt grasped the concept of mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression. In this part book/part memoir, Matt details his lifelong battle with both.
By Molly (Molls) Giles8 years ago in Psyche
Best Books on Overcoming Anxiety to Read
Anxiety disorders can make even the simplest everyday activities seem like an impossibility. And, if you don't start taking care of your mental health, things will only get progressively worse over time. However, don't think you are alone and there is nothing you can do about it. Millions of Americans are in a similar position, and there are things you can do to overcome anxiety.
By Stan Kubler8 years ago in Psyche
How Far Would You Go for the One You Love?
*This post contains a triggering subject and should be read with caution. Contains spoilers* This book that I am about to write about was one of the hardest books I have ever read. There is something about the topic of suicide that really hits where it hurts the most. Mental health is a a very debatable and touchy subject due to the fact that people do not have a deeper understanding about what is happening inside the mind. People don’t see what the person is thinking. There is an assumption that people fighting against mental health issues are over exaggerating, bottling up, being difficult, or even making up the war that is occurring in the brain. As a person who fights depression and anxiety every day, I have the right to say I understand but truth be told I don’t understand what is happening. The worst feeling in the world is knowing that you have lost hope in yourself; knowing that you are looking for a way to escape the pain. The best feeling in the world is knowing that there is someone out there who will help you walk through the battlefield. The most disgusting feeling in the world are the people who could care less about mental health until a tragedy strikes. As soon as someone important commits suicide or harms themselves due to mental health, there are people out there who claim they care and support awareness. Those people run away from the problem when they are put in a situation where they are faced with mental health. Hypocrisy towards suicide, depression, bipolar disorder or any other form of mental health is humiliating. Don’t judge something you cannot see. One day you might regret the decision you make or you might be proud of the life you just saved.
By Hailey Peterson8 years ago in Psyche
Must Read YA Books About Mental Health
Ever notice how mental health never really gets broached in children's lit, but becomes the main theme in many adult books? There's a reason for that. Mental illnesses often surface during the teens and early 20s, which makes it a way more relatable subject for older crowds.
By Rowan Marley8 years ago in Psyche
Inspiring Books on Mental Illness
Books carry interesting pieces of realism and clarity, so much that they have helped us overcome many various obstacles as individuals. While great fiction does often show us some of the root themes and concepts of the human intellect, so few books seem to identify how to remedy certain aspects of the degraded mind. In a world full of memoirs, self-help books, and encouraging stories of all kinds, mental health has been bogged down by the more prominent concerns of entertainment — making any of its titles increasing laborious to find.
By George Herman8 years ago in Psyche
