My 5 Top Books for Mental Health

I have made a list of my five top books for mental health which I would like to share with you.

I have had mental health problems for as long as I can remember and I don’t mind admitting it. Sometimes people don’t want to hear about it, but you can find your people, those who will support and listen. Just be prepared to listen in return and accept that life is not all rosy and good.

On the flip of the coin, learning about how awful life can be for you or others can help you understand that you are not alone in feeling desperate or just simply sad. It’s all completely natural.

I have tried to teach my children from a young age that there is nothing wrong with being sad or depressed and that talking helps. If they don’t feel they can talk to me then I can always direct them to someone who can listen. But most importantly you should never feel ashamed of your mental health. Whether you have good mental health or bad I have chosen my favourite books which have helped me in the past and are often my go-to books when I need help.

Of course, when depression hits you may not feel like reading about it so I always have a bunch of happy books to hand too.

I take part in the 365 days of gratitude like some of my blogging friends like Kim and Louise but I do mine privately in my journal.

So, let’s get on with my five favourite books. I hope you will enjoy them too, do let me know if you have read any of them in the comments.

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

The comfort book is one of those books that you can just dip into when you are feeling low and find a story or quote that will lift you or help you understand what you need to do. There are stories and quotes from Matt and others. Some are a few pages long, others are just a sentence. It’s not book to be read from beginning to end, but it is so helpful when you are longing for a little comfort in times of need.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

This is the true story of Matt Haig and his constant battle with mental health crisis and how he came through the other side. He has since made it a mission to help others understand that mental health is never simple or black and white.

This is a very helpful book in trying to understand how it feels to be desperate whether you are the one with the feelings or you are trying to help understand someone else.

Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coehlo

This might be a strange one to include but I think it’s an interesting look at how mental health is viewed. It begins with a young girl attempting suicide, then her affect on the patients in a mental institute. She is told she is going to die from the damage she has done to her body and re-evaluates everything about her life and what it means to live.

It can be a hard read at times and contains some sensitive subjects, but the overall premise of the story is whether life is worth living.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Following his death an elderly amusement park maintenance worker goes to heaven and is guided through his afterlife by five people.

Each of these people had a story to tell of his purpose throughout life, both good and bad. It teaches you that some things cannot be avoided, but even those that are bad you can atone for.

The thing to take away from this book is that there are some things we cannot control, we certainly cannot control other people, but we can live our lives and accept things for how they are.

The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown

I have learned a lot from Brené Brown and I love to watch her TED talks. This book taught me that you need to be authentic even if it means exposing your vulnerability.

We sacrifice so much in the name of self defence, it’s really quite sad. Being vulnerable does not mean that you are weak. It can lead to wholeheartedness. We need to accept who we are before we can learn to love others and show compassion and become fully engaged in our lives.

Please take a look at my other posts on Mental Health.

Also, I have a little shop where I sell all sorts of mindfulness items that can help with your mental health including the journal I mentioned earlier. Sign up for my newsletter for a 10% off code.