[furiousfever]

What do you guys read when you are struggling?

Growing up in a chaotic household, I always found comfort in books. Fiction, poetry, non fiction books about the brain and other cultures... Now when I'm depressed I can handle poetry and fiction, but when I'm feeling anxious or mixed I just want to read about mental illness. I guess I'm grasping for explanations for all of these confusing feelings.
Have you read anything that has been of comfort? I very much enjoyed Madness by Marya hornbacher and An Unquiet Mind by Kay redfield Jamison. These things have made me feel less odd and alone.

[smallwonderer]

Originally Posted by furiousfever

What do you guys read when you are struggling?

Growing up in a chaotic household, I always found comfort in books. Fiction, poetry, non fiction books about the brain and other cultures... Now when I'm depressed I can handle poetry and fiction, but when I'm feeling anxious or mixed I just want to read about mental illness. I guess I'm grasping for explanations for all of these confusing feelings.
Have you read anything that has been of comfort? I very much enjoyed Madness by Marya hornbacher and An Unquiet Mind by Kay redfield Jamison. These things have made me feel less odd and alone.

Before I was diagnosed, I read a lot of books about bipolar people, and then after the diagnosis, I was a little disgusted with it. For instance I lived in manhattan on 9/11 and when the towers came down I was really sad and my response was to read sylvia plath's complete diaries. Should've known something was up then - if you're doing it to feel better, good. In my case, I think I was more dwelling/bringing my mood down...

Also, when I first experienced psychosis, I thought I was living in a book. My p-dr knows this and so he often asks me if I'm reading fiction and when I say no he says "good".

I have been reading a book about CBT that I have found mostly positive.

[Aeramae]

I get caught up reading about mental illness a lot as well.

Normally I read a lot of metaphysical material. Anything with philosophy or science based.

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[BeyondtheRainbow]

When I get really bad on either end I can't follow most stuff written for adults and so I read children's books I loved. In my last hospitalization I read the LIttle House books 3 times and while I don't absorb much of what I read I now the stories well enough that at least I can stare at the pages and not have to think much.

[scatterbrained04]

I like to read fiction most of the time, but I enjoy reading about mental illness sometimes (especially when mixed). Usually memoirs. One of the books I most enjoyed reading was Kurt Cobain's journals (he was bipolar).

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I love to read, it's the one thing that keeps me sane. The worst was when I took risperdal and I couldn't focus my eyes on the text. That was a bad enough side effect to get off the drug.
When I was first diagnosed I read pretty much every memoir or non fiction self help book about bipolar. It was helpful in terms of understanding my illness but honestly it's depressing as hell so I wouldn't recommend reading those books back to back.
I mainly like literary fiction and memoirs. Anything to escape.

[Wanderlust90]

I love Marya Hornbacher! Her book Madness was brilliant! & Wasted.

Kay Jamison is incredible, loved An Unquiet Mind, it was great getting a bipolar perspective from an individual who also works in the medical field.

I do a lot of reading about mental illness. It kinda drives me madder lol but I love it. I would love to do an abnormal psychology course.

[Wanderlust90]

I love Marya Hornbacher! Her book Madness was brilliant! & Wasted.

Kay Jamison is incredible, loved An Unquiet Mind, it was great getting a bipolar perspective from an individual who also works in the medical field.

I do a lot of reading about mental illness. It kinda drives me madder lol but I love it. I would love to do an abnormal psychology course.

[gina_re]

I can barely retain any information when I'm depressed. But I love reading when stable. Currently working through The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. So far so good.

I had to go back to fiction because all I was reading were books on MI for so long, that in addition to the psychological journals I read at work, I needed a break

Loved both the Goldfinch and both of Mayra Hornbachers books. Madness was a little triggering for me, I had to put it down at some points.
Manic: A Memoir by Terri Cheney was excellent too- I really related to her.

[hahayeahtotallylol]

Yall ever feel like Matilda?