1. This is Depression by Diane McIntosh
McIntosh is a talented psychiatrist and neuroscientist that gives great insight into what depression is and what it can do to your mind and body. She is compassionate, supportive and informative throughout. It’s not only helpful for those suffering from depression but also for friends/family of someone who is depressed. Even trained health care professionals can benefit from the knowledge in this book. There is so much useful information and advice throughout. She argues how the findings in neuroscience can aid recovery. And backs all of her claims up with scientific evidence.
2. We’ve Been Too Patient by Liz Demi Green and Kelechi Ubozoh
If you’re struggling with mental health and feelings of hopelessness often, please read this book. The authors are very positive, optimistic (and realistic) throughout and it will remind you that life has much value. Greens and Ubozohs words are so impactful and important in a society that still has a great deal of development to go in the mental health system. This book offers many different perspectives to change our views on mental health and the world around us. She covers so many different areas of mental health such as overmedication, traumas, suicidal thoughts, involuntary hospitalization and so much more.
3. This Too Shall Pass by Julia Samuel
If you’re going through any difficult time in life, Julia Samuel is definitely someone to turn to. This novel is beautifully written in a way that is very informative but also gives readers comfort and reassurance throughout. She presents a lot of different scenarios with many anonymous characters’ life stories that give a deep insight into their lives. The main message is – unfortunately, we will all experience difficult times at some time in our lives. But we must trust that we will overcome them and everything will be good in the end. And once we accept and embrace change and bad times we will set ourselves free in the knowledge that it’s only temporary and will pass.
4. Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting by Terri M. Williams
Williams has studied practically every aspect of African-American life. In this book, she explains the subject of black oppression in an incredible and honest way. Her main aim is to shine a light on mental health issues in the black community by telling her own story in the hope she can help others. She states that mental health issues are almost taboo in the black American community and how damaging this view is. Therefore, she highlights many sources available and helpful advice to overcoming problems. The book uncovers many coping mechanisms that she believes black people often adopt to deal with the oppression they face and to not feel isolated. Williams offers a supporting hand to anyone struggling and is optimistic for a brighter future.
5. Own Your Self by Kelly Brogan
Brogan discusses the mental health system in-depth and how it is failing people by making them believe false beliefs. Such as ”I am bad” or ”I am not normal”. She advocates that feelings such as anger, sadness, shame, worry are all OK and completely normal and healthy. Every human being will experience these feelings at some point and you should never feel ashamed but instead embrace them. They are real and make us who we are. She identifies that the problem lies with feeling too much negative emotion. This is when we need acceptance, reflection and transformation. She suggests many more effective ways to helping these people, where the mental health system is currently failing.