Books to Read When you are Depressed that will Make you Feel Better

Filed in Articles by on June 14, 2022

– Books to Read When you are Depressed –

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are hard experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations.  This article will enlighten you on that. Let’s get started.

Books to Read When you are Depressed that will Make you Feel Better

Books to Read When you are Depressed

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable.

Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Anxiety isn’t any fun for a depressed person, perhaps the sole thing worse than the well-intentioned friends and family who implore you to only “get over it” or advise you to “keep your head up”.

There is this incontrovertible fact that there are approximately 3,102 crappy books out there promising to wave a touch wand and sprinkle fairy dust in your ass, and everything will instantly be better.

More Information

With experience, the simplest books on handling anxiety and depression are the simplest because they’re honest about things. There is this thing that sucks, and you’re not getting to magically make it get away.

Deal with it, engage it, wrestle with it a bit and become stronger in the face. Every day is an increase in the number of people struggling primarily with anxiety and depression.

Many of them are trying to find an answer or a bit of wisdom or advice. There are a lot of books that have been published and read about anxiety and depression over the years, and these are some of the best ones I’ve come across.

They’re way more qualified than I am to help you through whatever suckage you’re experiencing. And in this manner, when nothing works and therefore the world remains a steaming pile of dogshit, you’ll blame them and not me.

READ ALSO!!!

Categories of Books That Help You Out of Depression

Books to Read When you are Depressed that will Make you Feel Better

Books to Read When you are Depressed; Books about mental health come in three flavours Namely:

1. Greater Understanding/Research:

These are books that specify what the newest research suggests that’s happening in your life/brain and what the foremost effective treatments could also be.

Building your understanding and knowledge about your problem can often be enough in order that you’ll look out of it from there.

2. Feeling Less Alone:

These books inspire hope. Usually, the author has suffered from an equivalent problem as you, except that their situation was orders of magnitude worse than yours.

This has the double-whammy effect of a) reassuring you’re not the sole one to travel through shit like this, and that there’s hope, if this person made it, so are you able to. “Feeling Less Alone” books are the foremost emotionally powerful (and well-written) of the three flavours.

3. Exercises/Actions:

Some people love this book so much. And I know several exercises are often highly effective. And if the exercises are well-done (usually constructed by a therapist/psychiatrist with plenty of experience) you’ll get excellent results from these books.

Why anxiety and depression are together? Well, because they often occur together. In fact, they occur so often together that folks will mistake one for the opposite.

Exclusive Books to Read When you are Depressed

The following Books have been tested and recommended to help people depression. If you read them with an open mind and readiness, you will see results.

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling-Books to Read When you are Depressed

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling- Books to Read When you are Depressed

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“The Harry Potter series is my go-to whenever I am feeling sad, lonely, or going through something. The last time I binge-read those books, I was going through a really nasty breakup.

The writing is so good and the characters are written so well that they make you feel less lonely. Couple that with the fact that whatever I am going through is not worse than being hunted by and having to fight the evilest wizard of all time, which helps me gain perspective.”

2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Books to Read When you are Depressed

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“Growing up, I had little friends and always felt like an outsider. The Perks of Being a Wallflower helped me because it was about this kid who was super alone but found a group that accepted him.

It gave me hope that eventually, I would come across people who I’d become friends with.”

3. Living a Feminist Life by Sara Ahmed

Living a Feminist Life by Sara Ahmed

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“Reading this book was so therapeutic for me. It made me feel like I’m not alone. It also gave me more confidence in academics, helped me figure out what I wanted in a relationship, and made me realize it’s not OK to be told I’m sensitive when I point out privilege or structures of oppression.”

4. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows;

“I can rely on David Sedaris books to make me smile and laugh. (Me Talk Pretty One Day is my favourite.) His humour is personal and vulnerable. The way he writes about his life, even the sad or humiliating, is deeply, touchingly funny.”

5. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“These books made a time in my life, when my ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) [made me feel] like no one else experienced the same things, a bit more bearable by showing me a group of kids who also have ADHD and dyslexia as heroes who can save the world.”

RECOMMENDED

6. The Women Widowed to Themselves by Lora Mathis

The Women Widowed to Themselves by Lora Mathis

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“This book of poetry is raw and brave. The author boldly shares their own story and the challenges that come with being feminine. It’s very relatable, and it’s a beautiful reminder that I’m never alone.”

7. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“I had just graduated college and wasn’t handling the transition well. Springsteen is really open about his struggles with mental illness and it definitely made me feel less alone in my own struggles. His story is pretty incredible too.”

8. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows;

“I read Americanah shortly after graduating, starting my first job, and moving to New York City. I felt torn between the person I had been and the person I was now becoming a tension Adichie beautifully encapsulates in Americanah.

Though the book is nearly 500 pages long, I finished it in a week, which should only serve as a testament to how incredible it was.”

9. The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“When I was in high school, I had severe depression. All three Lord of the Rings books were not only a great distraction from that struggle, but I also identified strongly with Frodo’s journey.

He leaves this idyllic home and sets out on a difficult and dark journey to rid himself of the ring, an object which makes him feel not like himself and weighs on him constantly.

Even when he’s surrounded by others, he feels isolated. This reminded me of how depression made me feel like I was alone and carrying this incredible burden I couldn’t share with anyone.

I ended up getting a Lord of the Rings tattoo, and it always reminds me of that lesson; what happened in the past does not define us, and no matter how dark things may seem, we’re never truly alone.

10. Wild by Cheryl Strayed- Books to Read When you are Depressed

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows:

“I was going through a tough time emotionally and physically, and Strayed’s story really made me feel like I could get through it and became such an inspiration to me.”

11. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

“This book was a real life-changer for me. I was experiencing a vast change in my life, having to start all over. This book gave me so many answers to questions I didn’t even know that I had, and also gave me the guidance I needed at the beginning of a fresh start. Any time I was feeling down, I would grab my book and be instantly comforted by the inspiring words.”

12. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur- Books to Read When you are Depressed

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“In this book, Kaur talks about the dark parts of life no one wants to address, as well as the beautiful parts in her poetry.

Having depression and anxiety throughout high school left me feeling helpless and alone until her stories made me realize I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

Her work got me through the roughest patch of my life and I still repeat some of her ideas to myself to this day to keep me going.”

13. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero-Books to Read When you are Depressed

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Books to Read When you are Depressed: A summary of this book goes as follows:

“I used to constantly feel less than like I was never good enough. I’ve never loved reading, but when I picked this book up, I couldn’t put it down.

Sincero uses a personal story that is relatable and brings coping methods to life. After reading this book, I stopped myself-hate and got my life in check.

I started working out and eating right. This book inspired me to stop putting up with other people’s hate and stop worrying about the things I can’t change. It definitely changed my life.”

14. Hunger by Roxane Gay-Books to Read When you are Depressed

Hunger by Roxane Gay

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows:

“I just finished Hunger by Roxane Gay and it’s truly incredible. Few books have left me with chills as deep as this one.

It’s just so raw and so, so real in a way that both makes it really relatable for anyone who has been made to hate their body (basically everyone) and reminds me just how different my experiences in the world are because of my different privilege.

She also gets unbelievably honest about the different traumas she experienced in her life, and although my own is different, it was really refreshing and validating to hear from someone who is actively working on their shit and to see just how deep those scars are are are gone.

It’s not exactly easy to come to terms with the fact that you may never really ‘get over something that shaped you in such monumental ways, but I really appreciated hearing someone else’s story that so honestly detailed the path to slowly, persistently making some sort of peace with it.”

RELATED ARTICLES

15. On Love by Alain de Botton-Books to Read When you are Depressed

On Love by Alain de Botton

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows:

“This book was marvellously written; it told a curious story of a guy who fell in love with a girl he met at random and continued to capture all the peculiarities of love:

how we become blind to things when we are in love, but how it doesn’t always work out, and why that is not only OK but holds a certain bit of magic within it.

It helped me move on and understand why my first great love didn’t wind up how I thought it would. It’s a great read for anyone in a relationship or getting over one.”

16. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton-Books to Read When you are Depressed

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton- Books to Read When you are Depressed

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows;

“This book helped me feel again—whether it was happy about the banter between characters, sadness at the ending, or suspense at the riveting plot, this book captivated me and made me want to talk to people.

I didn’t feel alone while reading this novel; these characters became my friends and my brothers.”

17. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green- Books to Read When you are Depressed

Books to Read When you are Depressed; A summary of this book goes as follows;

“This book recently came out, and I loved it! The main character, Aza, has severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I have frequent OCD tendencies. It’s very difficult sometimes, but this book helped me to open my mind and let me know I’m not alone.”

18. It’s Kind of Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

It's Kind of Funny Story by Ned Vizzini- Books to Read When you are Depressed

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“When I feel especially depressed, I like to let myself reread It’s Kind of Funny Story. Sometimes it’s nice to remember other people have gone through depression and that even the toughest cases can make it through, which helps me remember I can make it through as well.”

19. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

Books to Read When you are Depressed

A summary of this book goes as follows;

“I read this book for the first time in high school and come back to it every once in a while, especially when I’m feeling lost or down.

It’s a beautiful historical fiction book about love and loss (and love again) set during the gold rush in the 1800s. The young woman protagonist is so strong and gutsy and inspiring—it always makes me feel hopeful.”

Being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities.

If you find this article interesting and helpful, comment and share it with friends on different social platforms.

CSN Team.

Comments are closed.

Hey Hi

Don't miss this opportunity

Enter Your Details