It did help me. Some people have said it was a life changing book. It is pretty famous I hear.

The first half is about his experiences in the concentration camps and how he made it when so many others gave up and died or committed suicide. He said they could tell when someone had lost the will to live and would say...."oh look at Frank, he is next." And sure enough two days later Frank was dead. So he has a lot of credibility in that how in the world did he endure all that death and suffering and horrible conditions and come out intact.

The second half of the book is about his theory of logotherapy. This where I didn't agree a lot. It was mainly about finding meaning and purpose as a form of therapy which does make sense. But a lot of his clinical cases he talks about were just to far fetched and simplistic for me.

The part that helped me the most was where he talked about how sometimes suffering cannot be avoided. He says that if it can be avoided and treated then it should be, but there are cases when suffering just cannot be avoided. Well I related to suffering that just cannot be avoided. I have very treatment resistant chronic long term depression. When I am deep in one nothing brings me out. And nothing has ever prevented me from having them. They run their course and run their cycles. So I know what it means to have unavoidable suffering.

Now this is where people think I am crazy. He says that even in those cases we must find meaning in our suffering, that there is meaning and purpose to our suffering. Finding meaning and purpose in my depression? What are you crazy? But it resonated with me. Maybe it is only feeding your dogs. Some people in here say that if it wasn't for their pet they would not be here. Or brushing you teeth. Simple things. Or maybe the one person who you can help because of your experience. Or having dignity and bravery while facing your suffering. I saw this in my Grandfather. He got pancreatic cancer which is not a good one to get. He decided no chemo, no radiation, none of that crap. Well everyone was freaking out especially my Grandma. You have to fight you have to whatever you can...etc. My Grandma was having masses said, praying to all the saints and whatever she could think of. Or course that was natural for her, she didn't want to lose him after fifty some years. He died with contentment, acceptance, dignity, and bravery. He was a very happy content man, no mental illness, he had no reason to want to die he had a great life to leave. He made his decision though and he was content with it. I understood this totally and totally respected it. I hope I have such dignity and contentment.

Our society doesn't honor death and suffering. If there is a problem fix it. You have to be happy all the time, if not fix it, just think positive thoughts, happiness is a choice. They will hook you up to every tube and machine and keep you alive for ever even when your dead. What a bunch of ****.

Now positive thinking, and choosing happiness are powerful things and have there place but sometimes you have to honor your suffering especially when there is no choice but suffering. Buddhist philosophy talks a lot about suffering......and the Buddha said, "it is my job do go joyfully into suffering." It is a paradox. Some people will say that by surrendering to your suffering you will find joy. A paradox. When I finally surrendered to my alcoholism and addiction I found sobriety. A paradox.

So yeah that part helped me. I recommend it. I still feel like if I was in the concentration camps with him I would have been one of the ones who committed suicide or lost the will to live.