5 Books You Need to Read If You're Struggling with Depression

 

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When you’re struggling with depression, the last thing you probably feel like doing is cracking open a book and diving headfirst into another fictional world. Reading about the struggles of other people -- even if those struggles are very different from your own -- can feel like a waste of time when your own life feels so insufferable. However, reading can be an incredible tool for combating depression. Not only can reading provide you with a welcome distraction from your own problems, but it can also give you new insights into how you think and feel about yourself, the world around you, and other people in your life. Whether it’s non-fiction books or novels that are designed to help people with mental illness, here are five books that may help if you’re currently struggling with depression.

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms Men and Women

Published in 2012, Daring Greatly is an exploration of the concept of “vulnerability” -- what it is, why it matters, and how it can help people live more fulfilled and compassionate lives. Daring Greatly is a non-fiction book that was written by Dr. Brene Brown -- a research professor who studies the effects of vulnerability and shame on people’s lives. Daring Greatly is a must-read if you are currently struggling with depression. In fact, it could be one of the best books for understanding vulnerability and how it connects to depression. Daring Greatly explores the relationship between vulnerability and shame and how they both keep people from experiencing true happiness and success in their lives. It also delves into how shame and vulnerability are related to mental illness, especially depression.

Man’s Search for Meaning

Published in 1946, Man’s Search for Meaning is a non-fiction book that was written by Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychologist who survived the Holocaust and who used his traumatic experiences as a jumping-off point for exploring how humans can find meaning and purpose in hard times. Man’s Search for Meaning explores what happens to a person’s psyche and sense of self when they are suddenly plunged into a state of trauma and suffering -- and what they can do to “survive” these traumatic experiences. Man’s Search for Meaning is a must-read if you’re currently struggling with depression. It’s a book that will help you understand how trauma and depression are related, and how you can use your current struggles to gain insight into what it means to be human.

I'll Always Remember You: A Novel about Loving Someone with Depression

Published in 2019, I’ll Always Remember You is a YA novel written by Emily Gale (a British author who has also written fiction and non-fiction books about eating disorders and self-harm). I’ll Always Remember You is a fictional book that explores what it’s like to be in a relationship with someone who suffers from depression. I’ll Always Remember You could be a helpful read if you’re currently struggling with depression and in a romantic relationship with someone who also suffers from depression. That’s because, in addition to exploring the unique challenges of being in a relationship with a depressed person, this book also offers insight into what it feels like to experience depression from the inside.

The Road Less Travelled

Published in 1978, The Road Less Travelled is a non-fiction book that was written by Dr. M. Scott Peck, a self-help author, therapist, and theologian. The Road Less Travelled is a book that explores the idea of “self-actualization” -- which means becoming your best self, living in accordance with your values, and being comfortable with who you are as a person. The Road Less Travelled is a must-read if you are struggling with depression because it will help you take a good, long look at the way you think and feel about yourself. This book will help you examine the thoughts and feelings that may be contributing to your depression, and it will help you redirect those thoughts and feelings into a more positive direction.

Conclusion

Reading can be a powerful weapon against depression. Depression and loneliness are two of the only human experiences where silence can actually make you feel lonelier. Reading can help us understand our own suffering in a new way, and it can also help us empathize with others in a powerful way.