Reasons to stay alive by Matt Haig

Format: Hardback
Publisher: Canongate Books
Published: 5th March 2015
Pages: 272 Pages

The Blurb
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FEEL TRULY ALIVE?

Aged 24, Matt Haig’s world caved in. He could see no way to go on living. This is the true story of how he came through crisis, triumphed over an illness that almost destroyed him and learned to live again. A moving, funny and joyous exploration of how to live better, love better and feel more alive, Reasons to Stay Alive is more than a memoir. It is a book about making the most of your time on earth. “I wrote this book because the oldest cliches remain the truest. Time heals. The bottom of the valley never provides the clearest view. The tunnel does have light at the end of it, even if we haven’t been able to see it …Words, just sometimes, really can set you free.

Rating: 4/5

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The Review
I’m definitely not the first person to review Reasons To Stay Alive, and I certainly won’t be the last. I’m quite confident in saying that this book will have a frequent spot on bookshelves everywhere.

Matt Haig details his experience with depression and anxiety in this honest and matter of fact memoir. I wouldn’t necessarily compare your own experiences with Matt’s, as we are all different, but it reassures your wandering mind that you’re not the only one, you feel enlightened.

I wish something as honest as this novel was around when I was 24. I too, like Matt, suffered from depression (it’s still there, but calmer) and I believed I was all alone and the only one suffering, when in fact having depression is quite a common thing. Although things improved for Matt, I liked how he didn’t sugar coat anything and told it exactly how it was. Depression for want of a better word is shit and there’s nothing anyone can say that will make you feel better. However, it does get improve – no one is perfect, always remember that.

Don’t be fooled by it’s negative connotations because it does actually make you feel content and comfortable. I’d suggest Reason To Stay Alive is close to being a self help manual and a book that you should have on hand for when you are feeling down and not happy with the world. It’s made me start my day with a ’10 things you’re grateful for’ talk and days feel ok. Try it, I dare you 🙂

My favourite piece of advice/quote was:

“How to stop time: kiss.
How to travel in time: read.
How to escape time: music.
How to feel time: write.
How to release time: breathe.”

5 simple sentences that mean an awful lot.

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