A Man for All Reasons

'Reasons to Stay Alive' by Matt Haig (Canongate, 2016)

I first heard of Matt Haig as an author, then kept hearing praise for his mental health memoir 'Reasons to Stay Alive' online, before seeing the book listed on a Reading Well campaign leaflet that I picked up at the library. With so many passionate voices praising this book, I decided it was time to take a closer look.

Part memoir and part self-help, 'Reasons to Stay Alive' is the story of Matt Haig's life with depression and anxiety.  He describes his illness from a personal perspective, starting with a crippling breakdown he had in his mid-twenties, his ongoing recovery and what helps him keep his mind healthy in everyday life.  Above all, he aims to encourage people to understand mental health in the same way as physical health, and to reinforce that there are many, many reasons to stay alive.

People read for many reasons - For pleasure, for information, for escape (particularly at the moment), for reassurance and to share experiences.  'Reasons to Stay Alive' is a book that offers many of these things in a supportive and accessible way.

Although each person's experience of mental health is different, Haig's simple, bite-sized writing style makes it easy to connect with his experiences, and it's heartbreaking to realise what he and those who love him have been through.  'Reasons to Stay Alive' is a short but moving book which I think readers can relate to whether they've suffered from mental ill-health or not.

Overall, 'Reasons to Stay Alive' is a timely reminder that 'mental health' isn't just a topical phrase, it actually refers to a kind of wellbeing that all of us need to consider, especially at the current time.  After all, this situation is making many of us anxious, and social distancing makes it even more difficult to tell a person's state of mind.  Let's hope that reading books like this will help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, increase compassion for sufferers and encourage more open conversations about how we're really feeling.

Now, what next...?

'Reasons to Stay Alive' by Matt Haig is published by Canongate. This post is based on the 2015 paperback edition.