Book Review

In having more transparency with those around me regarding mental health, and discovering so many people that I know suffer from or know someone who suffers from mental health issues, I have endeavored to uncover helpful resources in finding a better understanding of what people are experiencing. While, I cannot totally empathize with sufferers of mental health, I can empathize with the loved ones who try and take care of or support those who do suffer. It can be a hard journey, full of triumphs and pitfalls. I think a great first step for those who are newly experiencing, have suffered from chronic illness before, or are a supporter of, is literature. While, the internet is obviously a wonderful place to start, the amount of information out there can be overwhelming. And sometimes, it can get easy to “get lost” as you click from one site to the next. So with that in mind, here are some books that I have recently read that I have found tremendously helpful and one that I did not.

Anxiety and PanicDisorder by Jennifer Lombardo

            This book was soooo enlightening and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is new to the world of anxiety and panic. This was a bit of a textbook type of book, but only a little over 100 pages, so not really a tough read. The book discussed the various types of anxiety and panic disorders and how they vary from each other. It also goes a little bit into the various treatment for the different types of disorder as well. There was a nice part in there with some helpful tips if you are a caretaker of family member/friend of someone who suffers from these mental health issues.  In the very back of the book, there was also some helpful websites and organizations as well as hotline for those who would like to further their research or who may need help.

I felt that this book really broke down the various anxiety disorders that exist in a way that was clear and concise without going into too much overwhelming detail. If you were someone who was looking to find out more about these particular mental health issues this is a really great start. I felt like after reading this, I really wanted to delve more into the literature that existed.

Given that this book is such a quick read, I would recommend it to anybody, even those who do not suffer or know someone who does, as we should all be enlightened as to what others go through.

On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety by Andrea Petersen

            I really enjoy books that are a mix of personal experiences and well-researched information. In this book Andrea Petersen recounts from the beginning where she felt her anxiety really started. She discusses how the disorder manifested itself in her childhood and evolved throughout her growth into adulthood.  She details how she endured certain aspects of the disorder and overcame others. Throughout the telling of her experience, Andrea really goes into the varying studies to what I feel like, “support” what she was experience; studies that really delved into the why behavior using biochemical experiments on those who suffer from the same thing. What was really helpful was that Andrea discussed both the supporting clinical trials, but also the trials that did not prove any point. This was refreshing because not all clinical trials lead to a desire result or any real result at all, and they often contradict each other, especially when it comes to mental health trials. The author did not try to push her agenda, using only literature that supported what she wanted to support. While that may muddy the waters for those who would like a clear understanding of what’s happening within the brain, or understand certain behaviors, I think it just further emphasizes how personal mental health is.

            This book really help me to better see through the eyes of someone who is suffering from mental health, to see where they struggle the most and how even seemingly simple tasks can be monumental hurdles. I also really appreciated that she acknowledged the amount of privilege that she was luck enough to have regarding the treatment of her anxiety. One of my favorite and most relatable sentiments from Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon was that depression can affect any one from any socio-economic status and have the same crippling effect, but the treatment for depression very much depends on the suffers socio-economic status, and I felt that Andrea mirrored this sentiment. Not everyone is so lucky to be able to afford the same level of treatment, or have a supportive family that is willing to help. Her statistics were informative and I appreciated her own analysis on everything she used. I would highly recommend this book, it is not a short read, but I didn’t have any trouble speeding through since it was so good.

Monkey Mind by DanielB. Smith

            This was my least favorite of the three that I read. Perhaps it is just the emotional place that I am currently in, but I just didn’t find his approach all the helpful or engaging. The author was witty and charming and had a fun flair for describing what he was experiencing but it just wasn’t as engaging as it could have been. He conducted research to support what he was going through, but did very little overall analysis of what he presented. This was a fairly quick read, but it took me the longest to get through.

            I did not find this book particularly helpful, but I know that it has received good reviews and others have found it relatable. If you have time, I would say give it a go, otherwise, there are better books out there.

And with that I sign off, let me know what book you are reading, especially if you have found them helpful. I intend to take a break from my mental health research and read some fiction for a bit.

MC

P.S. I got all of these books through my public library. Don't ever feel like you have to purchase a book, you can always visit you friendly, neighborhood Library and they will help you find that you need.