Today, is the Bell Let’s Talk Campaign ! For every post on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #bellletstalk they will donate 5cents to mental health initatives. For this purpose, I find it pertinent to list my favourite books having mental health issues and themes (they all have a rating of 4+ on Goodreads) 🙂
1.Norvegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Probably one of the Murakami’s best work. Using his deeply visual prose, the author succeeded in bringing a character struggling with mental illness during one of Japan’s toughest times. The layers and the depth of the character are worth the shot. Murakami will offer you the most amazing reading experience ever.
2.All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
A very unique story about two teens who met at the most unusual time. Their first encounter was quite..well I’ll let you read it.
The author brings a sparkling side to this story while discussing about depression and suicidal thoughts. Although overall, I gave it a 3 stars, I find the mental illness theme special and worth mentioning. The prose is not the best. Needless to say, I cried my heart out too.
3.The Silver Linings Playbook by Mathhew Quick
I haven’t personnally read this one but it’s on my TBR list forever and I thought I would share it to you 🙂
4.It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
I think everyone can agree that this book is a real gift. It’s funny, quirky and make you see inside Craig Gilner’s mind, a teenager suffering from clinical depression. The realities of this book will hit you in the face. Craig’s development throughout the novel is remarkable. His story made you sympathize with people suffering from depression but also really relatable to your everyday life. The school pressure, jealousy, teenage sex, etc. You might think you overreact but you just learn that in a period of your life some people can cope with it better than the others but that doesn’t make them less . It teaches that you’re not alone. You can seek help.
And my favourite quote ever from the book:
“I didn’t want to wake up. I was having a much better time asleep. And that’s really sad. It was almost like a reverse nightmare, like when you wake up from a nightmare you’re so relieved. I woke up into a nightmare.”
5. The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness by Elyn Saks
The book depicts the schizophrenic journey of Elyn Saks, professor in School Law at the prestigious University of Southern California. She gave a mindful insights into the medication effects on her disease. They don’t always help. An eye-opening memoir.
What are your favourite books about mental illness ? 😀 Share your recommendations with me !
My Dark Theories 
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