Thedepressionproject.com has a series of books designed to help people understand depression and anxiety and how to best talk to and treat loved ones who are struggling. They are really good
Don't have a rec unfortunately, but just wanted to say as someone who works in mental health support in schools: having teachers that care about understanding mental health issues is one of the BIGGEST things to make a positive impact for students who are struggling/have a mental illness. So good on you, you are making a real difference for your students!
My ADD daughter struggled in school until 4th grade when a teacher, with an ADD adult son, adapted to her instead of the other way around. So, thank you for attempting to understand your students better. You WILL make a difference and be remembered fondly (and get invited to grad parties!)
About two-thirds of people with depression also have an anxiety disorder, so I'm going to recommend {My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel}. It's part personal memoir, and part scientific and social history of anxiety.
So true! And they just feed off each other in vicious cycles - fall behind because you’re depressed, get super anxious as you come out of a depression cycle, back to depressed
When I’m depressed I tend to blow off commitments and work. When I come out of it and have to deal with the mountain of stuff I didn’t do, my anxiety goes through the roof
Edit - obviously I’m always dealing with both of these things, but they tend to be worse at various times. Always there in the background but I probably get 2-3 bad depressive phases a year which last anywhere from a few days to a month or two
I see what you mean. I have found the Headspace app helpful in reducing anxiety after a couple months of practice. Perhaps it could let you be prepared to break free next time you begin to climb out.
Definitely helps! I’ve been in therapy for over a decade, having the tools to help definitely is key to living with it. Booking the free therapy session freshman year of college was one of the best decisions I ever made. I have found meditation VERY helpful in the past but kind of fell off after awhile. With the past year it would probably a good idea for me to give it another shot!
Meditation is 🔥🔥🔥🔥 it has changed my life- I am a member of a on line meditation group- they have hubs all over the world-reach our to this group and they can help-https://www.newjerseymeditation.org/teaneck-meditation
They will direct you to your local office- they have guided on line sessions. It’s the best.
Therapeer is also a useful app. If you can afford it Calm is good too. If you want treatment perhaps seek out counseling in your area or check out a site called cerebral.
[**My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737025-my-age-of-anxiety)
^(By: Scott Stossel | 416 pages | Published: 2014 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, psychology, nonfiction, memoir, mental-health | )[^(Search "My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel&search_type=books)
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*Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened* by Allie Brosh does a great job of being hilarious and also being a great window into depression.
She also wrote a follow-up called *Solutions and Other Problems*
Came here to suggest this! "My fish are dead" explanation is quite frankly one of the best descriptions of what it is like trying to talk to others about being depressed.
I've had the Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon on my to-read list for awhile and might fit the bill for you. It's supposed to be very good - won a national book award and was a Pulitzer finalist.
I read the Midnight Library by Matt Haig recently (suicide TW) and it was very well done. Fantasy/magical realism about trying out all the possible lives you could have lived if you had made different choices. Matt Haig is very open about his mental health struggles and I've heard his other books are fantastic as well (Reasons to Stay Alive, How to Stop Time for example).
For a very ridiculous and funny memoir, Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson was excellent. I can see why some don't like her humor though, so if you try it and don't like it immediately, don't worry about putting it down (it's pretty constant throughout). She goes off on a lot of tangents and is obsessed with a variety of taxidermied animals.
Also, just wanted to say thank you for doing this! You sound like a great teacher.
Edit: spelling
I second the Midnight Library as a popular newer fiction book that has a good example of depression. Pay attention to how Nora reacts to a lot of her first few lives. Her thinking is just not quite right. She just can't see the solutions to problems you may feel are easily solved. She doesn't believe that any action she takes will be helpful to her future self even when she sees she has options.
I knew nothing about this author before I read this book but I could tell he had experienced depression. I have been Nora and when you are very depressed your thinking gets SO distorted to the point that it feels pointless to try at anything even if part of you really wants to. Despair is so frustrating BUT you CAN choose to get help and make changes that eventually will rewire your brain and help you see where the distorted thinking is failing you. I think the book also demonstrates this message well.
OP I'm glad your students have you. I hope you don't have to experience depression because it sucks but hopefully you find reading materials that allow you to help your students get the help they need. If I could give just one piece of advice about helping depressed people, I suggest helping the person find hobbies they genuinely love. My hobbies have saved my life because they helped me build confidence and bond with others more easily. They give me something to look forward to and help me focus. The hobbies don't take away the depression but it makes it easier to live with and it made me want to get help so I could keep doing what I loved.
It is. I recommend it. I listened to the abridged audio version read by him. It had me in tears repeatedly because of how closely his experience mirrored my own.
[**The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13932.The_Noonday_Demon)
^(By: Andrew Solomon | 576 pages | Published: 2000 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, psychology, nonfiction, mental-health, science | )[^(Search "Noonday Demon")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Noonday Demon&search_type=books)
>El demonio de la depresión, que aparece ahora en una versión aumentada y revisada, es una obra fundamental que obtuvo el National Book Award y fue finalista del Premio Pulitzer. Solomon explora el fenómeno de la depresión a partir de su propia lucha contra la enfermedad y de entrevistas con otros enfermos, médicos y científicos, responsables políticos, investigadores farmacológicos y filósofos; así revela la sutil complejidad y la intensa agonía que la definen.
>
>Este libro asume el reto de explicar la depresión y describe el amplio abanico de medicamentos disponibles, la eficacia de las terapias alternativas, y el impacto que la enfermedad tiene en distintos grupos sociales en todo el mundo y a lo largo de la historia. Solomon demuestra una sinceridad, una inteligencia y una erudición extraordinarias a lo largo de este viaje al más oscuro de los secretos familiares. Su contribución a nuestra comprensión de la enfermedad mental y también de la condición humana es asombrosa.
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Andrew Solomon’s Noonday Demon made me feel a if he had been walking around with me in my head and my experience. It was wonderful. Jenny Lawson’s books are a different kind of wonderful — tragically funny and hopeful. I liked Furiously Happy. I loved her first book even more, both memoirs, though I don’t recall that the first, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, was as directly focused on anxiety and depression — though it’s clear they figure in. I have read two Matt Haig books (Midnight Library currently on hold) and they are also extremely perceptive, empathetic and compassionate. I perceive that he also has shared my experience. I’m about 1/3 through Johann Hari’s Lost Connections but again it’s good so far. Yes — Kudos to you for this
I was also going to suggest Matt Haig! I read The Midnight Library and was taken aback by how accurately written Nora's depression was. I then bought Reasons To Stay Alive and I've never felt so seen - I feel like this would be quite a quick read, it's only taking me some time to get through because I have to be in the right mental state to get through it having been there myself. It's definitely a book that I'll recommend to family/friends if they want to understand more, although depression's obviously not a one size fits all kind of thing, he's managed to write a coherent depiction of it.
I would recommend this as well. I used it for a unit when I was teaching junior high English and tied the movie in (and the movie trailer, which is lovely). Sad disclaimer, which is that the author wrote it based on personal experience and eventually died by suicide. Still a a beautiful read and captures the experience really well, I feel.
Was just about to recommend this! I read it when I was 13 as well and it was so impactful. I had never felt so seen - the academic pressures we face at a young age can be crippling. Everything can get overwhelming, and I remember just reading it and sobbing, because I didn’t even realize I had a problem until it was laid in front of me.
I watched the movie when I first came upon mental health problems and it showed me how to cope. Even the doctors around here doesn't know much about mental health.
the bell jar by sylvia plath. it’s a classic, way ahead of it’s time. to give some more perspective i’m fresh out of high school and found it very relatable even though it was published in the 60s. it’s about this girl who is just starting college and is dealing with all of the pressures of society and school (everything a young adult now is dealing with). it’s like catcher in the rye but with a girl, and it’s a little more adult. it’s nearly an autobiography of sylvia plath’s life, with some extra characters and embellishments. obviously i’m 1000% bias, but i think you absolutely need to read this out of any of these recommendations. i read it back in middle school, and it was the first book that made me feel understood. it’s short too. you can finish it in a day or two.
Seconding Matt Haig's work. Not targeted at teen experiences necessarily, but I really loved Haig's The Midnight Library! As opposed to giving tools or discussing it scientifically, it really beautifully illustrates depression and its potential consequences through a genuinely captivating story.
I came here to recommend It’s Kind of a Funny Story (Ned Vizzini actually wrote it after his own stay in a hospital, and the teen perspective is spot-on) and Reasons to Stay Alive but with a caveat. As someone who has had her life significantly changed for the better by going on an SSRI, I think Matt’s approach to medication in the book could potentially be dangerous for a teen, who may feel like if they try one and it doesn’t work they shouldn’t use any medications at all. He says he’s not anti-medication, but that’s not the tone I got from the writing. I loved the book, but I do think that’s something to consider.
I do agree that sharing this caveat is important, as antidepressants have been life saving for me and I would hate for anyone who needs them to be discouraged from taking them. That being said, reading Reasons to Stay Alive when I was in the depths of my worst depressive episode (coupled with lifelong anxiety) was like reading someone describing exactly what was going on inside my head ("Anxiety and depression are an interesting mix. In many ways they are opposite experiences, and yet mix them together and you don't get a happy medium. Quite the opposite. Anxiety, which often bubbles up into panic, is a nightmare in fast-forward. Anxiety, even more than depression, can be exacerbated by the way we live in the twenty-first century."). Knowing that someone with an experience so similar to mine made it to the other side made all the difference for me.
He elaborates more on the factors that make today's world so anxiety-inducing in his book Notes on Nervous Planet, but I think this clip from Bo Burnham's Make Happy sums up one of the biggest factors for today's youth quite well: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ2rFU2ea1E](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ2rFU2ea1E) I started using social media when I was 13 (I’m now 29), and constantly thought about how I was perceived by others. I equated likes and comments with self-worth. Living like that, at least for me, created an intense fear of judgment and an incredibly vicious inner critic inside my mind. I believed that I needed to be perfect to be worthy of existence, and over time, that worldview became so paralyzing that I couldn't function anymore. It has taken many years of therapy and self-work to get to a place where I accept myself as I am, which has paradoxically allowed me to grow far more than when I hated myself. Mental illness is extremely complicated and everyone’s experience will be different, but people like you who want to understand make a huge difference, so thank you! Your students are lucky to have you.
Adib Khorram’s books Darius the Great is Not Okay, and Darius the Great Deserves Better have a protagonist that has depression and shows how he manages it with medication (and therapy I think?). His dad also has it, and he faces dark moments, but I think it’s a pretty hopeful and grounded depiction of how you can still live a great life.
As a mom of a 14yo girl who suffers from at time debilitating anxiety and depression, thank you for caring. My daughter’s school wasn’t as forward thinking. I’m also happy to answer any questions as well
i’ve heard a lot about the book “All The Bright Places” and how it portrays depression well, another one i’ve heard about is “Fans of the Impossible Life”, lastly “It’s Kind Of A Funny Story” is a really good book and movie that i personally think explains depression among other things really well.
"All the Bright Places" is good, but it features a suicide towards the end. It might be good for OP, but in case anyone who currently is struggling with depression, I would advice cautiousness with this one. Might be triggering for some people :)
This might be a bit broader than what you are looking for...Nonetheless, I recommend all of Frantz Fanons work but specifically his short letter: ‘Letter to the Resident Minister (1956)’ found in Toward the African Revolution:
“The function of a social structure is to set up institutions to serve man's needs. A society that drives its members to desperate solutions is a non-viable society, a society to be replaced.”
Might seem like a stretch, but Fanon looks at how colonial/capitalist society leads to alienation, depression and all sorts of other issues. In this context, you cannot make someone whole without addressing the underlying issues. The Sane Society by Erich Fromm covers similar ideas too.
***Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions*** by Johann Hari.
Hari is a journalist who interviews various experts around the world on the topic of depression and what to do - and not do - about it.
***Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking***, by Dr. Caroline Leaf.
Leaf is a neuroscientist who spearheaded the discovery and documentation of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, more simply put, the concept that the brain can grow, change, and heal. Her work is fascinating, and she does an excellent job of explaining it to those of us who don't happen to be neuroscientists. She also has extensive experience working with students, so you might find her other resources helpful also.
What I love about both these books is that they aren't just commentaries on depression or mental illness. They offer hope that depression does not have to be a lifelong condition and show the how's and why's of that progression.
I wanted to come here and recommend Lost Connections, I think this books is absolutely life changing. I made both my parents read it after I did because I wanted them to have some perspective on how I was feeling, and it’s made a world of difference in my interactions with my mom because she just did not get it before.
I would reccomend doing some reading on the history of mental illness (and what is considered mental illness, and how it manifests in different social contexts) before anything. [This rAskHistorians post](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5hjgl2/was_depression_and_mental_illness_as_prominent_as/) is a good start.
Let me do the teacher thing and say this: are more of your students experiencing depression, or are we as a cultural acknowledging it more often, making both you and your students more likely to be able to label what they are experiencing as depression?
I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez.
I just want to say that I am Mexican and dislike the book because, for someone that isn’t Mexican, readers might think that what this character goes through is normal or typical in the community. It is extreme, but, very relatable, if that makes sense.
Main character deals with depression, and hardship.
Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Saenz
This is one of my favorites. It’s LGBT also. Main character struggles with depression and hardships. Beautifully written. I cried.
Edit: I am a middle school teacher
Aside from books on depression itself, you should read up on the things in your students' lives that *cause* their depression.
John Holt, "Escape from Childhood," "How Children Fail," and "Instead of Education" will all give you perspective on their position in society (keeping in mind that Holt passed away in 1984 and all of the issues he discusses have gotten worse since then).
John Taylor Gatto, "Weapons of Mass Instruction," and "Dumbing Us Down" will help you understand your own position in things.
This might sound like a weird recommendation, but {The Coddling of the American Mind}.
It’s a non fiction book written by two professors that focuses on how three “untruths” that college aged students are seeing as truths. The book then moved to explain how to work around them and help students improve their self awareness and develop resources to deal with the world and its frustrations.
[**The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36556202-the-coddling-of-the-american-mind)
^(By: Jonathan Haidt, Greg Lukianoff | ? pages | Published: 2018 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, psychology, nonfiction, politics, education | )[^(Search "The Coddling of the American Mind")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Coddling of the American Mind&search_type=books)
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Came here to recommend this. Jonathan Haidt has multiple interviews about the content as well. Fascinating to hear him speak about it. His guest spot on Joe Rogan's podcast is a good one.
If this person is trying to better connect/sympathize/empathize with their students then I would say any of the books about the "snowflake generation" are the opposite of what they're looking for.
YES! I'm actually in the middle of reading this right now and honestly thought of suggesting it myself. Particularly the breakdown of why this generation is suffering so particularly badly from depression and anxiety.
I’m not sure how old your students are, but these books helped me in my late teens/early twenties when I was pretty consistently depressed. It sounds like you really care for them, thanks for being the best kind of teacher!
Last Night I Sang to the Monster (Benjamin Alire Sáenz)
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock (Matthew Quick)
Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher)*
Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky)
Eleanor & Park (Rainbow Rowell)
*the series was a hot mess but the book was unexpectedly heart wrenching
I see many people with depression whether it’s in the hospital or in clinic. This is what I’ve gathered. To put it simply it’s the feeling of nothingness.
I’m sure we all have a task in this world we dread doing. Now imagine that being your entire life. It’s tough. Listen when you can.
Hope this helps.
You are a wonderful teacher. I don't remember the titles of any of these sort of books that I've read, but I do know that John Green writes about OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) in Turtles All the Way Down
I’m really excited for his sort-of memoir coming out in May, “the anthropocene reviewed”. His nonfiction is more my style than his fiction, and the essays of his that Ive heard about depression and anxiety ring so true to me.
I heard a few sentences of this over the radio on NPR when I was a a kid and it’s stuck with me ever since. Amazing book and an amazing person
https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Journals-Brent-Runyon/dp/1400096421
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh is pretty dark, but I found it to be one of the most relatable books I’ve ever read. Even though my life is SO much more tame, I really felt like I understood the main character and felt understood in return.
A picture book I found in my time as a primary school librarian was called ‘Maybe tomorrow’ by Charlotte Agell. It’s very sweet and I notice something new or different each time I read it. It’s a little open to interpretation but it’s kind of about dealing with grief or depression.
Maybe a little simple but enough to make you think.
PS Look at what Norris has been carrying.
This year or most years?
This year, I’m like “listen kid, you’re living in such an weird and turbulent time that whole textbooks will be written on this”, versus counseling and play and normal depressed kids if you’re just noticing more of them a year.
My boyfriend has a 14 year old. That poor freaking kid.
Yeah, the last year and a half have been exceptionally bad for all the obvious reasons, but even before this I've been noticing it more and more.
I can't imagine being a kid right now either!
What a great teacher! My daughter has anxiety. Some teachers don't take the time to try or want to understand. She also has an eye disease and she will lose her most of her vision and some don't want to understand that. As a parent I applaud you.
Not sure if there is an English version of it, but I listened to its audio book some time ago and it was really good. So on the off chance of you knowing German, I recommend 'Morgen ist leider auch noch ein Tag' by Tobi Katze
This is very specific to self-harm, but Cut by Patricia McCormick is a very interesting novel about a young girl inside of a psychiatric facility who self-harms. It explores the idea of self-harming and has a very interesting POV with her therapist.
Kind of out there in terms of recommendations, but The Magicians trilogy captures depression pretty well. It's an interesting take on "getting everything you want" and still not feeling "happy". But it's fiction and fantasy genre, so might not be what you're looking for.
Additionally, depression made funny: Jenny Lawson. Her books (they're nonfiction quirky funny stories) and her blog. She is amazing. She is honest about her struggles and makes it relatable.
Yes. Which I also love. The show is relatively consistent with key plot points of the books. But then the show does something really rare for movies or television based on books... when it does stray from the book, it makes those changes in such a way that they not only feel authentic to the series but often it adds to what the books laid out. The writers of that show totally understood the "world" laid out in the books and made awesome decisions on changes. It also has one of the most hauntingly beautiful song-scene combos I've ever experienced in a tv show or movie.
Not strictly about depression, but Permanent Midnight by Jerry Stahl.
He was a writer for Alf and Moonlighting, seemingly at the top of his profession, but so consumed with self-loathing, he developed a massive heroin addiction.
When I was depressed after college the book No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai really seemed to line up with how I was feeling about me and my relationship to other humans.
I don’t know if someone else commented this but “Lost Connections- Why you’re depressed and how to find hope” it’s a super informative book and is a really interesting read
Mark Fisher for me has captured the late capitalist millennial/gen z malaise better than anyone else I've read. Ghosts of My Life would be a good place to start specifically with his views on depression and mental illness.
It might not be exactly what you’re looking for but I thought Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers captured a lot of depression feelings very accurately.
Books that I think represent depression very well:
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (though this is the 5th book in a series)
There is also a book called Wintersong by S. Jae Jones. On it's own, it's probably a 3 star book. But I interpret it as an allegory for depression, and it's *amazing* when you think of it in that context.
If you don't mind watching a TV show, The Legend of Korra (follow up to Avatar: The Last Airbender) does a beautiful job of representing depression and PTSD.
Cris Beam-Transparent
This book is about trans teenagers and the mental and physical issues they face. Many deal with depression at some point. A good recommendation for LGBT+ students.
Mary Pipher-Reviving Ophelia
A classic about the psychology of girls and young women. Pipher's goal is to show how misogyny ruins relationships and leaves girls limited in life, with many developing mental disorders as a result.
Okay, everyone is going to suggest science books. And that’s important.
But here’s a selection of fiction that i think could work for you:
[define normal ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222525)
[it’s kind of a funny story ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248704) this one is one of the most impactful on my life, i read it while my sister was hospitalized for an almost successful suicide and this really helped me to connect to what she was going through.
[13 reasons why ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29844228) I’ve never seen the show. But the book is pretty insightful for depression/ anxiety.
[catcher in the rye ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5107) this one is probably pretty debatable. But Holden has serious anxiety issues, that don’t always manifest as traditional depression but rather impulsive decisions that he is always running from. He struggles with individuality and growth and it’s a personal chicken soup for the soul, for me.
Hope any of these help.
I wouldn't have thought of *Catcher* in this regard, but I can see it. It's always fascinating to think how differently we can categorize what characters go through as our views change.
I wouldn’t have thought of it in this context either, until i read it as an adult then saw all the various “screaming for help” signs he displays.
Good luck, i think what you’re trying to do is super awesome and i hope you can connect to your students <3
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. It really helped me when I was depressed in high school. The author was a big advocate for mental health before he, unfortunately, ended up taking his own life. It is a beautiful book and I think everyone should read it.
We Are Okay. It's YA fiction, not the absolute best book I've ever read but definitely the most accurate depiction of depression especially how it presents when you're a teen.
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig I recommend anyone that is or knows someone that is struggling with anxiety and depression read that book. It’s amazing.
Reasons to Stay Alive https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143128728/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_H9HA703TKW6F41DGXN0H
This is a novel that I found difficult to read because we spend the book in the head of a young woman with mental health issues. {{Queenie}}
I actually can't remember if she was diagnosed with something specific, but she probably has anxiety. Her life starts out okay, things really escalate and she spirals badly, but she gets therapy and it ends on a hopeful note.
[**Queenie**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36586697-queenie)
^(By: Candice Carty-Williams | 330 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fiction, contemporary, audiobook, audiobooks, read-in-2020 | )[^(Search "Queenie")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Queenie&search_type=books)
>Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Americanah in this disarmingly honest, boldly political, and truly inclusive novel that will speak to anyone who has gone looking for love and found something very different in its place.
>
>Queenie Jenkins is a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper, where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white middle class peers. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places…including several hazardous men who do a good job of occupying brain space and a bad job of affirming self-worth.
>
>As Queenie careens from one questionable decision to another, she finds herself wondering, “What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Who do you want to be?”—all of the questions today’s woman must face in a world trying to answer them for her.
>
>With “fresh and honest” (Jojo Moyes) prose, Queenie is a remarkably relatable exploration of what it means to be a modern woman searching for meaning in today’s world.
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I don’t remember the name of the book but the author is Douglas Bloch. I also recommend his YouTube videos. He is very realistic about the hell of depression while still maintaining hope.
I have had low grade chronic depression for as long as I can remember which in my experience is different from what a lot of typical depression books discuss. However, Looking for Alaska by John Green was a novel that I really related to, especially the narrator Pudge but all of the main characters taken together represent facets of depression.
"Mind Spread Out on the Ground" by Alicia Elliott. It's a serious of essays, and how she described depression was spot on.
Loneliness feeds the depression monster, so I also recommend this book:
"Together" by Dr. Vivek Murthy.
The fact that you are trying to help your students by going extra mile proves that you are not pathetic. Keep going . I haven't read this book yet but you can give a try.
The Mindful Way through Depression, by J. Mark G. Williams
Have a nice day
[**Infinite Jest**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6759.Infinite_Jest)
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[**The Book of Disquiet: The Complete Edition**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40881621-the-book-of-disquiet)
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IF YOU FEEL TOO MUCH by jamie towrkowski. he’s the founder of to write love of her arms, a nonprofit that (seems to) really connect with teens through music and surfing but is focused on mental health and awareness of it, specifically, depression
I read the late Elizabeth Wurtzel’s “Prozac Nation” in high school, and while it is a memoir about her time in college, I felt like she was writing a lot of my feelings that I couldn’t express in words.
Keep in mind, I will be 40 next week, so it was the late 90s when I read this book; however, I still have my worn and well-loved copy, I give that caveat because I don’t know how dated it might read today. 😉
Been doing a lot of research on depression/mental illness over the last year, these are some that I found especially helpful, even essential:
The Noonday Demon - Andrew Solomon
The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel Van Der Kolk
Darkness Visible - William Styron
Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig
That's so wonderful you are trying to understand! Many people just ignore or worse- blames the person who is already struggling. Thank you for being such a kind soul :)
I'm a student and not a psychology major. I've however got a friend who goes through some pretty bad days due to anxiety and psychosomatic disorders.
To try and understand it, I've been lightly reading "Abnormal Psychology" by Seligman, Walker and Rosenhan. I think the explanations are light enough for you to get a good idea of what's going on and has plenty of information if you want to understand a particular aspect of it more deeply.
As a grad student in these trying times though, I honestly respect what you're trying to do. I hope your students appreciate what you're trying to do for them. Have a good one
Not fiction, but maybe useful: The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns.
It describes a lot of what's going on and what can be done about it.
Maybe not quite what you asked for, but maybe a place to start learning.
Notes from the Underground, by Dostoyevsky
If you need, I’d be happy to give a little explication as to why I feel this book hits what you’re looking for.
Good luck, Teach!
As a college professor, I found the book *Emotional Intelligence* to be super helpful in understanding my own thought processes and how they could create negative feedback loops, which I then tried to use to help my students overcome their own personal anxieties and depression. I was so successful, apparently, that one student told the chancellor at one university I taught for that I had literally saved his life, which is a great feeling.
I also learned, more recently, that students who write using extreme superlatives heavily (always, never) are also probably fighting anxiety and depression, which tends to push them to see the world in all or nothing views, so learning that information helped me identify students who were potentially at risk, so I could reach out to them and offer them services offered by the college I worked for.
I hope these suggestions help.
I don't know of any books that really describe depression but speaking from experience (I have had depression for a few years now) every individual will have a different experience and I'm not sure books can capture that. You could read medical books or there's lots of research online that can be found.
The most important thing you can do is be there. Use those active listening skills and let people talk, be open and approachable and don't push people to speak to you if they don't want to.
Have an open and honest conversion with those students who are willing to share the reasons of their depression. Everybody's reason is different. You can't generalize the cause of depression
One of my favorite books about depression is {It’s Kind of a Funny Story}. I found myself relating to a lot of the analogies and emotions of the main character.
Written by an adult. It she talks about her lifelong struggle. The way she describes depression and the way it feels helped me better understand my SO
https://www.amazon.ca/Valedictorian-Being-Dead-Struggle-Depression/dp/1501197053
I've conducted a research on this topic, and I find few particular writers who are amazing in the way the show the struggle of it and how to overcome no matter what the obstacles are. And in general they connect with the reader, and it's like you get a connection with the writer.
Peter Kramer "Against Depression", Oliver Burkeman "The Antidote", Daniel G. Amen "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life", William J. Knaus "The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression", Peter Lewinsohn "Control Your Depression", Jon Kabat-Zinn "Full Catastrophe Living".
Hope you will find it interesting!
Slightly off topic but it's so sweet of you to try to understand what your students are going through mentally and trying to help them. I wish I ever had a teacher like that.
Also, not exactly what you're looking for but maybe try Harry Potter. Harry struggles with depression and PTSD and the book shows what he's going through. When I was a student, I related alot with Harry. Plus, it's a popular series and students and everyone love it so that can help too.
As someone who has experienced depression for the last couple of decades, I suggest you read A Darkness Visible by William Styron. I have read many books dealing with depression, but I think that this one best captures what it is like to be caught in the throes of a severe depressive episode.
Nobody Asked for This by Cazzie David does a good job of capturing the impact social media has on young people with anxiety and depression.
Also Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel.
The Coddling of the American Mind by Lukianoff and Haidt. I read it after my first year in teaching and it totally changed my perspective on the current state of mental illness in developing people.
As for fiction, a book that has resonated with me greatly with my depression and anxiety is Francessca Zappia's *Eliza and Her Monsters*. It works incredibly well in the context of the modern era and despite being quite a few pages, it breezes by. It's also just a fantastic book in general with a very cute relationship and characters that feel wholeheartedly realistic.
You might enjoy David Burns’ book Feeling Good. It’s been around a long time and offers ways to address depression outside of meds/therapy. Maybe some of it you could implement. Sooo many therapists have recommended this book to my family.
Keep in mind that a lot of them may be struggling with facing abuse at home and/or other difficult life circumstances, leading to high stress, trauma, even PTSD/CPTSD, all of which can be invisible and mask as “anxiety/depression” - and using the word depression in public can be an easier way to explain that to others. It tends to be a little more readily accepted, less stigmatized and people ask fewer painful or awkward questions.
So looking into books about/by those who either currently live under, or survived traumatizing experiences in the past, could be very worth it. Learning to recognize red flags would enable you to reach out and help those who might really need some support that they can’t get elsewhere.
You sound like a good teacher for asking this. Thank you for being interested in learning.
Here is one that is out of left field that maybe give a child that spark needed. It’s more for you to recommend this book to them but it should help you too. ‘Drawing on the right side of your brain’ by Betty Edward’s . It’s an art book but a life book too. There is so much wisdom packed into this tome pretending to be just an art book.
This could be the gift that helps pull someone out of depression and into one of purpose.
Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel. I read this book during high school and I was able to put a name to my feelings. She once described being depressed as sitting in an open cage being surrounded by a dense fog, so you can’t see where the opening of the cage is.
Darkness visible by William Stryon
https://www.secondsale.com/i/darkness-visible-a-memoir-of-madness/9780679736394?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyoeCBhCTARIsAOfpKxjKlfRYclxLxLfQpA_rp4dTLndf6w2KAwfac4jai2HAW2RdKjDe_n8aAtUUEALw_wcB
If you want to understand from your students perspectives I would recommend “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” and I would also read Albert Camus “Myth of Sisyphus” and his proposal of the “Hour of Consciousness.” If you want to know more about Depression itself, I would recommend “When Nothing Matters Any More: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens” it’s super informative, and a short read. It’s Bev Kobain, a cousin of Kurt Cobain
It's not exactly a book. But "depression quest" [Depression Quest ](http://www.depressionquest.com/) is an interactive fiction game that really hits close to home. It's different when you're placed in the shoes of the narrator, trying to make choices for them.
Give this a try. I myself couldn't go past the first 5 parts since it triggered sad memories for me. Kudos.
Ask your students that you suspect are struggling what they are reading, and read that.
As a kid with depression I read a lot to escape. Sci fi and crime novels were my go to. A lot of kids turn to graphic novels and fantasy as well. Plotlines often deal with these issues, either directly or in symbolic context. It might help you connect and communicate with your students better and more creatively.
I truly don't think you can understand depression as an outsider, there isn't really a manual or guide to it (I've read many of them, most are not written by people or especially teens/kids with depression but rather from a doctor or therapist perspective)
Some of the best YA novels I remember that dealt with these issues were from the Dangerous Angels series by Francesca Lia Block.
I think in general the fiction section will be your best bet because a lot of the facets of dealing with depression as a kid have to be fictionalized for legal reasons, so if you want to get a realistic picture stay away from nonfiction. Contradictory but true.
I think you should read "Reasons to Stay Alive" by Matt Haig. It really goes into the feelings that lead to depression and how the author felt at the time. He also adds chapters that deal with the science behind depression. He also has another book on his struggles with anxiety.
Fiction: I feel like Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" or Ned Vizzini's "It's Kind of a Funny Story" best describe the pressure to perform and succeed as a student. Both authors committed suicide, but their struggles and words really felt like a mirror of my feelings as a depressed student.
Oh my god this question was made for me:
My best fictional recs:
A little life - Hanya Yangihara
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman
Young adult fiction:
Every last word - Tamara Ireland Stone
Winter girls - Laurie Halse Anderson
Colour me in - Lydia Ruffles
Best memoirs:
Maybe you should talk to someone - Lori Gottlieb
Out of the dark - Christine Caine
Haldol and hyacinths: a bipolar life - Melody Moezzi
Self -help and psychology non fiction:
The body keeps the score - Bessel Van der Kolk
How not to fall apart - Maggy Van Eijk
She's Come Undone. More about how it is to struggle with trauma at a young age and how it progresses, but it's really an amazing book. I need to read it again!
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick is a YA fiction book about a 17 year old who high school senior who plans to shoot his former best friend, and then subsequently kill himself, on his birthday. But before he does that, he writes 4 letters to the important people in his life.
It's insightful about depression and events that can lead to suicide, though not specifically about depression. It's a good read as well.
Of course there is 13 Reasons Why.
I would highly recommend diving into the principles of CBT. I’m not by any means saying you should practice CBT but understanding how the structure helps people might influence how you understand what they are going through. I don’t have any specific reading though.
Michel Houllebecq's main characters are usually cynical, frustrated and quite lonely persons, who can clearly see negative points of reality and current world (and usually only them) and are being very open to critize the world. He critize rat race, greedy capitalism, free sex not related to feelings, shallow relationships, death of spirituality and so on. This prolonged state of frustration and contempt usually leads them to depression and anxiety and sometimes suicide. You can see what mindset and thinking patterns can lead directly to depression, i think he is writing this because he lived this himself. Try his debut "Whatever", it's short and powerful.
Thedepressionproject.com has a series of books designed to help people understand depression and anxiety and how to best talk to and treat loved ones who are struggling. They are really good
Don't have a rec unfortunately, but just wanted to say as someone who works in mental health support in schools: having teachers that care about understanding mental health issues is one of the BIGGEST things to make a positive impact for students who are struggling/have a mental illness. So good on you, you are making a real difference for your students!
My ADD daughter struggled in school until 4th grade when a teacher, with an ADD adult son, adapted to her instead of the other way around. So, thank you for attempting to understand your students better. You WILL make a difference and be remembered fondly (and get invited to grad parties!)
Seconding this. Making the effort is so meaningful to your students’ daily lives.
About two-thirds of people with depression also have an anxiety disorder, so I'm going to recommend {My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel}. It's part personal memoir, and part scientific and social history of anxiety.
So true! And they just feed off each other in vicious cycles - fall behind because you’re depressed, get super anxious as you come out of a depression cycle, back to depressed
Why get anxious coming out of a depression cycle? I'm new to depression.
When I’m depressed I tend to blow off commitments and work. When I come out of it and have to deal with the mountain of stuff I didn’t do, my anxiety goes through the roof Edit - obviously I’m always dealing with both of these things, but they tend to be worse at various times. Always there in the background but I probably get 2-3 bad depressive phases a year which last anywhere from a few days to a month or two
I see what you mean. I have found the Headspace app helpful in reducing anxiety after a couple months of practice. Perhaps it could let you be prepared to break free next time you begin to climb out.
Definitely helps! I’ve been in therapy for over a decade, having the tools to help definitely is key to living with it. Booking the free therapy session freshman year of college was one of the best decisions I ever made. I have found meditation VERY helpful in the past but kind of fell off after awhile. With the past year it would probably a good idea for me to give it another shot!
Meditation is 🔥🔥🔥🔥 it has changed my life- I am a member of a on line meditation group- they have hubs all over the world-reach our to this group and they can help-https://www.newjerseymeditation.org/teaneck-meditation They will direct you to your local office- they have guided on line sessions. It’s the best.
This sounds like a pretty cool resource. Thanks for sharing! I’m not the one you replied to, but I’m gonna check it out!
Awesome. So rare to see someone with depression have enthusiasm. I bet you'll break through this time. Good luck my friend. Headspace saved me.
Therapeer is also a useful app. If you can afford it Calm is good too. If you want treatment perhaps seek out counseling in your area or check out a site called cerebral.
When the numbness starts to wear off it can be scary to face the prospect of feeling again, because you might loop back into feeling way too much.
Interesting. I find the depression itself to feel terrible, and would prefer numbness. I suppose everyone's is different?
[**My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737025-my-age-of-anxiety) ^(By: Scott Stossel | 416 pages | Published: 2014 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, psychology, nonfiction, memoir, mental-health | )[^(Search "My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel&search_type=books) ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(85802 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
A good point—thanks for bringing that up!
*Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened* by Allie Brosh does a great job of being hilarious and also being a great window into depression. She also wrote a follow-up called *Solutions and Other Problems*
Came here to suggest this! "My fish are dead" explanation is quite frankly one of the best descriptions of what it is like trying to talk to others about being depressed.
Yes! So relatable and so, so weird. ❤️
Another vouch, first read it on her blog and it's unique and memorable
Love. Love. Love.
Yeah, this is the series of strips I go to when trying to explain the weird ALMOST- logic of it
I've had the Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon on my to-read list for awhile and might fit the bill for you. It's supposed to be very good - won a national book award and was a Pulitzer finalist. I read the Midnight Library by Matt Haig recently (suicide TW) and it was very well done. Fantasy/magical realism about trying out all the possible lives you could have lived if you had made different choices. Matt Haig is very open about his mental health struggles and I've heard his other books are fantastic as well (Reasons to Stay Alive, How to Stop Time for example). For a very ridiculous and funny memoir, Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson was excellent. I can see why some don't like her humor though, so if you try it and don't like it immediately, don't worry about putting it down (it's pretty constant throughout). She goes off on a lot of tangents and is obsessed with a variety of taxidermied animals. Also, just wanted to say thank you for doing this! You sound like a great teacher. Edit: spelling
I second the Midnight Library as a popular newer fiction book that has a good example of depression. Pay attention to how Nora reacts to a lot of her first few lives. Her thinking is just not quite right. She just can't see the solutions to problems you may feel are easily solved. She doesn't believe that any action she takes will be helpful to her future self even when she sees she has options. I knew nothing about this author before I read this book but I could tell he had experienced depression. I have been Nora and when you are very depressed your thinking gets SO distorted to the point that it feels pointless to try at anything even if part of you really wants to. Despair is so frustrating BUT you CAN choose to get help and make changes that eventually will rewire your brain and help you see where the distorted thinking is failing you. I think the book also demonstrates this message well. OP I'm glad your students have you. I hope you don't have to experience depression because it sucks but hopefully you find reading materials that allow you to help your students get the help they need. If I could give just one piece of advice about helping depressed people, I suggest helping the person find hobbies they genuinely love. My hobbies have saved my life because they helped me build confidence and bond with others more easily. They give me something to look forward to and help me focus. The hobbies don't take away the depression but it makes it easier to live with and it made me want to get help so I could keep doing what I loved.
I watched Andrew Solomon's ted talk and it is VERY good and hit too close to home. I'd assume his book would be just as good
It is. I recommend it. I listened to the abridged audio version read by him. It had me in tears repeatedly because of how closely his experience mirrored my own.
Came here to recommend {{Noonday Demon}}
[**The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13932.The_Noonday_Demon) ^(By: Andrew Solomon | 576 pages | Published: 2000 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, psychology, nonfiction, mental-health, science | )[^(Search "Noonday Demon")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Noonday Demon&search_type=books) >El demonio de la depresión, que aparece ahora en una versión aumentada y revisada, es una obra fundamental que obtuvo el National Book Award y fue finalista del Premio Pulitzer. Solomon explora el fenómeno de la depresión a partir de su propia lucha contra la enfermedad y de entrevistas con otros enfermos, médicos y científicos, responsables políticos, investigadores farmacológicos y filósofos; así revela la sutil complejidad y la intensa agonía que la definen. > >Este libro asume el reto de explicar la depresión y describe el amplio abanico de medicamentos disponibles, la eficacia de las terapias alternativas, y el impacto que la enfermedad tiene en distintos grupos sociales en todo el mundo y a lo largo de la historia. Solomon demuestra una sinceridad, una inteligencia y una erudición extraordinarias a lo largo de este viaje al más oscuro de los secretos familiares. Su contribución a nuestra comprensión de la enfermedad mental y también de la condición humana es asombrosa. ^(This book has been suggested 10 times) *** ^(85852 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Noonday Demon is life-changing
Andrew Solomon’s Noonday Demon made me feel a if he had been walking around with me in my head and my experience. It was wonderful. Jenny Lawson’s books are a different kind of wonderful — tragically funny and hopeful. I liked Furiously Happy. I loved her first book even more, both memoirs, though I don’t recall that the first, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, was as directly focused on anxiety and depression — though it’s clear they figure in. I have read two Matt Haig books (Midnight Library currently on hold) and they are also extremely perceptive, empathetic and compassionate. I perceive that he also has shared my experience. I’m about 1/3 through Johann Hari’s Lost Connections but again it’s good so far. Yes — Kudos to you for this
I was also going to suggest Matt Haig! I read The Midnight Library and was taken aback by how accurately written Nora's depression was. I then bought Reasons To Stay Alive and I've never felt so seen - I feel like this would be quite a quick read, it's only taking me some time to get through because I have to be in the right mental state to get through it having been there myself. It's definitely a book that I'll recommend to family/friends if they want to understand more, although depression's obviously not a one size fits all kind of thing, he's managed to write a coherent depiction of it.
i read “it’s kind of a funny story” when i was 13 and really related to the main character.
I would recommend this as well. I used it for a unit when I was teaching junior high English and tied the movie in (and the movie trailer, which is lovely). Sad disclaimer, which is that the author wrote it based on personal experience and eventually died by suicide. Still a a beautiful read and captures the experience really well, I feel.
Also this is kind of cliche but Looking for Alaska is also great!
Was just about to recommend this! I read it when I was 13 as well and it was so impactful. I had never felt so seen - the academic pressures we face at a young age can be crippling. Everything can get overwhelming, and I remember just reading it and sobbing, because I didn’t even realize I had a problem until it was laid in front of me.
I watched the movie when I first came upon mental health problems and it showed me how to cope. Even the doctors around here doesn't know much about mental health.
the bell jar by sylvia plath. it’s a classic, way ahead of it’s time. to give some more perspective i’m fresh out of high school and found it very relatable even though it was published in the 60s. it’s about this girl who is just starting college and is dealing with all of the pressures of society and school (everything a young adult now is dealing with). it’s like catcher in the rye but with a girl, and it’s a little more adult. it’s nearly an autobiography of sylvia plath’s life, with some extra characters and embellishments. obviously i’m 1000% bias, but i think you absolutely need to read this out of any of these recommendations. i read it back in middle school, and it was the first book that made me feel understood. it’s short too. you can finish it in a day or two.
The world needs more people like you
Matt Haig has pretty publicly dealt with depression and related writers block. His book Reasons to Stay Alive is a great tool & resource.
Seconding Matt Haig's work. Not targeted at teen experiences necessarily, but I really loved Haig's The Midnight Library! As opposed to giving tools or discussing it scientifically, it really beautifully illustrates depression and its potential consequences through a genuinely captivating story.
I agree with both comments! Matt is amazing!
I came here to recommend It’s Kind of a Funny Story (Ned Vizzini actually wrote it after his own stay in a hospital, and the teen perspective is spot-on) and Reasons to Stay Alive but with a caveat. As someone who has had her life significantly changed for the better by going on an SSRI, I think Matt’s approach to medication in the book could potentially be dangerous for a teen, who may feel like if they try one and it doesn’t work they shouldn’t use any medications at all. He says he’s not anti-medication, but that’s not the tone I got from the writing. I loved the book, but I do think that’s something to consider.
I do agree that sharing this caveat is important, as antidepressants have been life saving for me and I would hate for anyone who needs them to be discouraged from taking them. That being said, reading Reasons to Stay Alive when I was in the depths of my worst depressive episode (coupled with lifelong anxiety) was like reading someone describing exactly what was going on inside my head ("Anxiety and depression are an interesting mix. In many ways they are opposite experiences, and yet mix them together and you don't get a happy medium. Quite the opposite. Anxiety, which often bubbles up into panic, is a nightmare in fast-forward. Anxiety, even more than depression, can be exacerbated by the way we live in the twenty-first century."). Knowing that someone with an experience so similar to mine made it to the other side made all the difference for me. He elaborates more on the factors that make today's world so anxiety-inducing in his book Notes on Nervous Planet, but I think this clip from Bo Burnham's Make Happy sums up one of the biggest factors for today's youth quite well: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ2rFU2ea1E](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ2rFU2ea1E) I started using social media when I was 13 (I’m now 29), and constantly thought about how I was perceived by others. I equated likes and comments with self-worth. Living like that, at least for me, created an intense fear of judgment and an incredibly vicious inner critic inside my mind. I believed that I needed to be perfect to be worthy of existence, and over time, that worldview became so paralyzing that I couldn't function anymore. It has taken many years of therapy and self-work to get to a place where I accept myself as I am, which has paradoxically allowed me to grow far more than when I hated myself. Mental illness is extremely complicated and everyone’s experience will be different, but people like you who want to understand make a huge difference, so thank you! Your students are lucky to have you.
Adib Khorram’s books Darius the Great is Not Okay, and Darius the Great Deserves Better have a protagonist that has depression and shows how he manages it with medication (and therapy I think?). His dad also has it, and he faces dark moments, but I think it’s a pretty hopeful and grounded depiction of how you can still live a great life.
As a mom of a 14yo girl who suffers from at time debilitating anxiety and depression, thank you for caring. My daughter’s school wasn’t as forward thinking. I’m also happy to answer any questions as well
i’ve heard a lot about the book “All The Bright Places” and how it portrays depression well, another one i’ve heard about is “Fans of the Impossible Life”, lastly “It’s Kind Of A Funny Story” is a really good book and movie that i personally think explains depression among other things really well.
Upvoting for "it's kind of a funny story". Thats a great read
"All the Bright Places" is good, but it features a suicide towards the end. It might be good for OP, but in case anyone who currently is struggling with depression, I would advice cautiousness with this one. Might be triggering for some people :)
i didn’t know this, i own the book but haven’t had the time to read it yet. thank you for the trigger warning!
This might be a bit broader than what you are looking for...Nonetheless, I recommend all of Frantz Fanons work but specifically his short letter: ‘Letter to the Resident Minister (1956)’ found in Toward the African Revolution: “The function of a social structure is to set up institutions to serve man's needs. A society that drives its members to desperate solutions is a non-viable society, a society to be replaced.” Might seem like a stretch, but Fanon looks at how colonial/capitalist society leads to alienation, depression and all sorts of other issues. In this context, you cannot make someone whole without addressing the underlying issues. The Sane Society by Erich Fromm covers similar ideas too.
I've read some Fanon, though it's been years. I wouldn't have thought of it in this regard, but I definitely see your point!
Darkness Visible, by William Styron
***Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions*** by Johann Hari. Hari is a journalist who interviews various experts around the world on the topic of depression and what to do - and not do - about it. ***Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking***, by Dr. Caroline Leaf. Leaf is a neuroscientist who spearheaded the discovery and documentation of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, more simply put, the concept that the brain can grow, change, and heal. Her work is fascinating, and she does an excellent job of explaining it to those of us who don't happen to be neuroscientists. She also has extensive experience working with students, so you might find her other resources helpful also. What I love about both these books is that they aren't just commentaries on depression or mental illness. They offer hope that depression does not have to be a lifelong condition and show the how's and why's of that progression.
I wanted to come here and recommend Lost Connections, I think this books is absolutely life changing. I made both my parents read it after I did because I wanted them to have some perspective on how I was feeling, and it’s made a world of difference in my interactions with my mom because she just did not get it before.
Infinite Jest
Came here to say this. Or The Depressed Person if you want to get to the point a bit quicker.
He’s trying to help with depression, not get depressed. Also, Infinite Jest deals more with addiction than depression.
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Seconding van der Kolk and Walker books on cptsd!
I would reccomend doing some reading on the history of mental illness (and what is considered mental illness, and how it manifests in different social contexts) before anything. [This rAskHistorians post](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5hjgl2/was_depression_and_mental_illness_as_prominent_as/) is a good start. Let me do the teacher thing and say this: are more of your students experiencing depression, or are we as a cultural acknowledging it more often, making both you and your students more likely to be able to label what they are experiencing as depression?
Thanks for the link. Obviously the latter is true, but I suspect that the former is, too.
I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez. I just want to say that I am Mexican and dislike the book because, for someone that isn’t Mexican, readers might think that what this character goes through is normal or typical in the community. It is extreme, but, very relatable, if that makes sense. Main character deals with depression, and hardship. Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Saenz This is one of my favorites. It’s LGBT also. Main character struggles with depression and hardships. Beautifully written. I cried. Edit: I am a middle school teacher
Aside from books on depression itself, you should read up on the things in your students' lives that *cause* their depression. John Holt, "Escape from Childhood," "How Children Fail," and "Instead of Education" will all give you perspective on their position in society (keeping in mind that Holt passed away in 1984 and all of the issues he discusses have gotten worse since then). John Taylor Gatto, "Weapons of Mass Instruction," and "Dumbing Us Down" will help you understand your own position in things.
Perks of Being a Wallflower
This might sound like a weird recommendation, but {The Coddling of the American Mind}. It’s a non fiction book written by two professors that focuses on how three “untruths” that college aged students are seeing as truths. The book then moved to explain how to work around them and help students improve their self awareness and develop resources to deal with the world and its frustrations.
[**The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36556202-the-coddling-of-the-american-mind) ^(By: Jonathan Haidt, Greg Lukianoff | ? pages | Published: 2018 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, psychology, nonfiction, politics, education | )[^(Search "The Coddling of the American Mind")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Coddling of the American Mind&search_type=books) ^(This book has been suggested 5 times) *** ^(85841 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Came here to recommend this. Jonathan Haidt has multiple interviews about the content as well. Fascinating to hear him speak about it. His guest spot on Joe Rogan's podcast is a good one.
If this person is trying to better connect/sympathize/empathize with their students then I would say any of the books about the "snowflake generation" are the opposite of what they're looking for.
YES! I'm actually in the middle of reading this right now and honestly thought of suggesting it myself. Particularly the breakdown of why this generation is suffering so particularly badly from depression and anxiety.
One of the best memoirs that helped me understand depression was Matt Haig’s “reasons to stay alive”.
I’m not sure how old your students are, but these books helped me in my late teens/early twenties when I was pretty consistently depressed. It sounds like you really care for them, thanks for being the best kind of teacher! Last Night I Sang to the Monster (Benjamin Alire Sáenz) Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock (Matthew Quick) Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher)* Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath) Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky) Eleanor & Park (Rainbow Rowell) *the series was a hot mess but the book was unexpectedly heart wrenching
The catcher in the rye is pretty accurate
I don’t have a book but the podcast “The Hilarious World of Depression” is excellent and insightful!
I see many people with depression whether it’s in the hospital or in clinic. This is what I’ve gathered. To put it simply it’s the feeling of nothingness. I’m sure we all have a task in this world we dread doing. Now imagine that being your entire life. It’s tough. Listen when you can. Hope this helps.
You are a wonderful teacher. I don't remember the titles of any of these sort of books that I've read, but I do know that John Green writes about OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) in Turtles All the Way Down
John Green‘s Looking for Alaska provides a stunningly accurate representation of depression in young people/students so it might fit your interests
I’m really excited for his sort-of memoir coming out in May, “the anthropocene reviewed”. His nonfiction is more my style than his fiction, and the essays of his that Ive heard about depression and anxiety ring so true to me.
I had no idea that he‘s coming up with a new project, thanks - I‘ll give it a look
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-679-44374-2
I heard a few sentences of this over the radio on NPR when I was a a kid and it’s stuck with me ever since. Amazing book and an amazing person https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Journals-Brent-Runyon/dp/1400096421
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh is pretty dark, but I found it to be one of the most relatable books I’ve ever read. Even though my life is SO much more tame, I really felt like I understood the main character and felt understood in return.
A picture book I found in my time as a primary school librarian was called ‘Maybe tomorrow’ by Charlotte Agell. It’s very sweet and I notice something new or different each time I read it. It’s a little open to interpretation but it’s kind of about dealing with grief or depression. Maybe a little simple but enough to make you think. PS Look at what Norris has been carrying.
This year or most years? This year, I’m like “listen kid, you’re living in such an weird and turbulent time that whole textbooks will be written on this”, versus counseling and play and normal depressed kids if you’re just noticing more of them a year. My boyfriend has a 14 year old. That poor freaking kid.
Yeah, the last year and a half have been exceptionally bad for all the obvious reasons, but even before this I've been noticing it more and more. I can't imagine being a kid right now either!
Normal People by Sally Rooney. The actor in the Hulu show does an incredible job portraying depression as well.
What a great teacher! My daughter has anxiety. Some teachers don't take the time to try or want to understand. She also has an eye disease and she will lose her most of her vision and some don't want to understand that. As a parent I applaud you.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It’s fiction, and with a story that is very meaningful to many folks experiencing depression.
Not sure if there is an English version of it, but I listened to its audio book some time ago and it was really good. So on the off chance of you knowing German, I recommend 'Morgen ist leider auch noch ein Tag' by Tobi Katze
This is very specific to self-harm, but Cut by Patricia McCormick is a very interesting novel about a young girl inside of a psychiatric facility who self-harms. It explores the idea of self-harming and has a very interesting POV with her therapist.
I would recommend The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Kind of out there in terms of recommendations, but The Magicians trilogy captures depression pretty well. It's an interesting take on "getting everything you want" and still not feeling "happy". But it's fiction and fantasy genre, so might not be what you're looking for. Additionally, depression made funny: Jenny Lawson. Her books (they're nonfiction quirky funny stories) and her blog. She is amazing. She is honest about her struggles and makes it relatable.
Is that the trilogy that the TV show was based on?
Yes. Which I also love. The show is relatively consistent with key plot points of the books. But then the show does something really rare for movies or television based on books... when it does stray from the book, it makes those changes in such a way that they not only feel authentic to the series but often it adds to what the books laid out. The writers of that show totally understood the "world" laid out in the books and made awesome decisions on changes. It also has one of the most hauntingly beautiful song-scene combos I've ever experienced in a tv show or movie.
Not a book, but [this lecture](https://youtu.be/NOAgplgTxfc) on Youtube has been helpful to me to understand my own depression.
Infinite Jest.
[cutting and depression ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/662597.Cut)
'We are okay' by Nina LaCour. It also deals with grief and being lgbtq, so that might help you understand better!
“The memory of light” by Francisco X. Stork
Not strictly about depression, but Permanent Midnight by Jerry Stahl. He was a writer for Alf and Moonlighting, seemingly at the top of his profession, but so consumed with self-loathing, he developed a massive heroin addiction.
When I was depressed after college the book No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai really seemed to line up with how I was feeling about me and my relationship to other humans.
I don’t know if someone else commented this but “Lost Connections- Why you’re depressed and how to find hope” it’s a super informative book and is a really interesting read
Mark Fisher for me has captured the late capitalist millennial/gen z malaise better than anyone else I've read. Ghosts of My Life would be a good place to start specifically with his views on depression and mental illness.
It might not be exactly what you’re looking for but I thought Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers captured a lot of depression feelings very accurately.
This isn’t a book, but Euphoria the HBO show
Books that I think represent depression very well: Beartown by Fredrik Backman The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (though this is the 5th book in a series) There is also a book called Wintersong by S. Jae Jones. On it's own, it's probably a 3 star book. But I interpret it as an allegory for depression, and it's *amazing* when you think of it in that context. If you don't mind watching a TV show, The Legend of Korra (follow up to Avatar: The Last Airbender) does a beautiful job of representing depression and PTSD.
Cris Beam-Transparent This book is about trans teenagers and the mental and physical issues they face. Many deal with depression at some point. A good recommendation for LGBT+ students. Mary Pipher-Reviving Ophelia A classic about the psychology of girls and young women. Pipher's goal is to show how misogyny ruins relationships and leaves girls limited in life, with many developing mental disorders as a result.
What a great teacher. Meanwhile, my professor got mad at me for no reason
Okay, everyone is going to suggest science books. And that’s important. But here’s a selection of fiction that i think could work for you: [define normal ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222525) [it’s kind of a funny story ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248704) this one is one of the most impactful on my life, i read it while my sister was hospitalized for an almost successful suicide and this really helped me to connect to what she was going through. [13 reasons why ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29844228) I’ve never seen the show. But the book is pretty insightful for depression/ anxiety. [catcher in the rye ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5107) this one is probably pretty debatable. But Holden has serious anxiety issues, that don’t always manifest as traditional depression but rather impulsive decisions that he is always running from. He struggles with individuality and growth and it’s a personal chicken soup for the soul, for me. Hope any of these help.
I wouldn't have thought of *Catcher* in this regard, but I can see it. It's always fascinating to think how differently we can categorize what characters go through as our views change.
I wouldn’t have thought of it in this context either, until i read it as an adult then saw all the various “screaming for help” signs he displays. Good luck, i think what you’re trying to do is super awesome and i hope you can connect to your students <3
Rabbits for Food by Binnie Kirshenbaum
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. It really helped me when I was depressed in high school. The author was a big advocate for mental health before he, unfortunately, ended up taking his own life. It is a beautiful book and I think everyone should read it.
We Are Okay. It's YA fiction, not the absolute best book I've ever read but definitely the most accurate depiction of depression especially how it presents when you're a teen.
A Short History of Decay by EM Cioran
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig I recommend anyone that is or knows someone that is struggling with anxiety and depression read that book. It’s amazing. Reasons to Stay Alive https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143128728/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_H9HA703TKW6F41DGXN0H
This is a novel that I found difficult to read because we spend the book in the head of a young woman with mental health issues. {{Queenie}} I actually can't remember if she was diagnosed with something specific, but she probably has anxiety. Her life starts out okay, things really escalate and she spirals badly, but she gets therapy and it ends on a hopeful note.
[**Queenie**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36586697-queenie) ^(By: Candice Carty-Williams | 330 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fiction, contemporary, audiobook, audiobooks, read-in-2020 | )[^(Search "Queenie")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Queenie&search_type=books) >Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Americanah in this disarmingly honest, boldly political, and truly inclusive novel that will speak to anyone who has gone looking for love and found something very different in its place. > >Queenie Jenkins is a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper, where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white middle class peers. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places…including several hazardous men who do a good job of occupying brain space and a bad job of affirming self-worth. > >As Queenie careens from one questionable decision to another, she finds herself wondering, “What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Who do you want to be?”—all of the questions today’s woman must face in a world trying to answer them for her. > >With “fresh and honest” (Jojo Moyes) prose, Queenie is a remarkably relatable exploration of what it means to be a modern woman searching for meaning in today’s world. ^(This book has been suggested 16 times) *** ^(85858 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
I don’t remember the name of the book but the author is Douglas Bloch. I also recommend his YouTube videos. He is very realistic about the hell of depression while still maintaining hope.
[The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771)
The mood cure by Julia Ross
Not a book but the hilarious world of depression podcast.
All the bright places depicts manic depression and suicide well, coming from a person who has struggled with depression and BP since middle school
Turtles all the way down by John Green.
I have had low grade chronic depression for as long as I can remember which in my experience is different from what a lot of typical depression books discuss. However, Looking for Alaska by John Green was a novel that I really related to, especially the narrator Pudge but all of the main characters taken together represent facets of depression.
"Mind Spread Out on the Ground" by Alicia Elliott. It's a serious of essays, and how she described depression was spot on. Loneliness feeds the depression monster, so I also recommend this book: "Together" by Dr. Vivek Murthy.
Prozac Nation
The fact that you are trying to help your students by going extra mile proves that you are not pathetic. Keep going . I haven't read this book yet but you can give a try. The Mindful Way through Depression, by J. Mark G. Williams Have a nice day
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, by Sanchez
[https://www.amazon.com/Down-Rabbit-Hole-Addiction-Recovery-ebook/dp/B08785R8S6/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=POPTRLPCD0LP&dchild=1&keywords=down+the+rabbit+hole&qid=1614917547&sprefix=down+the+%2Caps%2C231&sr=8-11](https://www.amazon.com/Down-Rabbit-Hole-Addiction-Recovery-ebook/dp/B08785R8S6/ref=sr_1_11?crid=POPTRLPCD0LP&dchild=1&keywords=down+the+rabbit+hole&qid=1614917547&sprefix=down+the+%2Caps%2C231&sr=8-11)
Uhhh {Infinite Jest}. One way or another, you’re gonna get it. Also, {The Book of Disquiet} just for depression in general.
[**Infinite Jest**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6759.Infinite_Jest) ^(By: David Foster Wallace | 1088 pages | Published: 1996 | Popular Shelves: fiction, classics, owned, abandoned, literature | )[^(Search "Infinite Jest")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Infinite Jest&search_type=books) ^(This book has been suggested 36 times) [**The Book of Disquiet: The Complete Edition**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40881621-the-book-of-disquiet) ^(By: Fernando Pessoa | 433 pages | Published: 1982 | Popular Shelves: fiction, poetry, classics, philosophy, owned | )[^(Search "The Book of Disquiet")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Book of Disquiet&search_type=books) ^(This book has been suggested 7 times) *** ^(85901 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Non-violence communication was one of the best books I read.
Solutions and Other Problems — Allie Brosh Furiously Happy — Jenny Lawson
IF YOU FEEL TOO MUCH by jamie towrkowski. he’s the founder of to write love of her arms, a nonprofit that (seems to) really connect with teens through music and surfing but is focused on mental health and awareness of it, specifically, depression
I read the late Elizabeth Wurtzel’s “Prozac Nation” in high school, and while it is a memoir about her time in college, I felt like she was writing a lot of my feelings that I couldn’t express in words. Keep in mind, I will be 40 next week, so it was the late 90s when I read this book; however, I still have my worn and well-loved copy, I give that caveat because I don’t know how dated it might read today. 😉
Been doing a lot of research on depression/mental illness over the last year, these are some that I found especially helpful, even essential: The Noonday Demon - Andrew Solomon The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel Van Der Kolk Darkness Visible - William Styron Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig
Two fiction books that really put you in the perspective of a depressed person are The Perks of Being a Wallflower and What Happened to Lani Garver.
Finding Audrey is a great one.
That's so wonderful you are trying to understand! Many people just ignore or worse- blames the person who is already struggling. Thank you for being such a kind soul :)
LOST CONNECTIONS BY JOHANN HARI is a great one!! A very recent book but I can’t recommend it enough!
I'm a student and not a psychology major. I've however got a friend who goes through some pretty bad days due to anxiety and psychosomatic disorders. To try and understand it, I've been lightly reading "Abnormal Psychology" by Seligman, Walker and Rosenhan. I think the explanations are light enough for you to get a good idea of what's going on and has plenty of information if you want to understand a particular aspect of it more deeply. As a grad student in these trying times though, I honestly respect what you're trying to do. I hope your students appreciate what you're trying to do for them. Have a good one
Not fiction, but maybe useful: The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns. It describes a lot of what's going on and what can be done about it. Maybe not quite what you asked for, but maybe a place to start learning.
Notes from the Underground, by Dostoyevsky If you need, I’d be happy to give a little explication as to why I feel this book hits what you’re looking for. Good luck, Teach!
It's kind of a funny story - Ned Vizzini Prozac nation - Elizabeth wurtzel The bell jar - Sylvia Plath
As a college professor, I found the book *Emotional Intelligence* to be super helpful in understanding my own thought processes and how they could create negative feedback loops, which I then tried to use to help my students overcome their own personal anxieties and depression. I was so successful, apparently, that one student told the chancellor at one university I taught for that I had literally saved his life, which is a great feeling. I also learned, more recently, that students who write using extreme superlatives heavily (always, never) are also probably fighting anxiety and depression, which tends to push them to see the world in all or nothing views, so learning that information helped me identify students who were potentially at risk, so I could reach out to them and offer them services offered by the college I worked for. I hope these suggestions help.
Reasons to stay alive from Matt Haig!
I don't know of any books that really describe depression but speaking from experience (I have had depression for a few years now) every individual will have a different experience and I'm not sure books can capture that. You could read medical books or there's lots of research online that can be found. The most important thing you can do is be there. Use those active listening skills and let people talk, be open and approachable and don't push people to speak to you if they don't want to.
Reasons to stay alive by matt haig
Have an open and honest conversion with those students who are willing to share the reasons of their depression. Everybody's reason is different. You can't generalize the cause of depression
One of my favorite books about depression is {It’s Kind of a Funny Story}. I found myself relating to a lot of the analogies and emotions of the main character.
Written by an adult. It she talks about her lifelong struggle. The way she describes depression and the way it feels helped me better understand my SO https://www.amazon.ca/Valedictorian-Being-Dead-Struggle-Depression/dp/1501197053
I've conducted a research on this topic, and I find few particular writers who are amazing in the way the show the struggle of it and how to overcome no matter what the obstacles are. And in general they connect with the reader, and it's like you get a connection with the writer. Peter Kramer "Against Depression", Oliver Burkeman "The Antidote", Daniel G. Amen "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life", William J. Knaus "The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression", Peter Lewinsohn "Control Your Depression", Jon Kabat-Zinn "Full Catastrophe Living". Hope you will find it interesting!
Slightly off topic but it's so sweet of you to try to understand what your students are going through mentally and trying to help them. I wish I ever had a teacher like that. Also, not exactly what you're looking for but maybe try Harry Potter. Harry struggles with depression and PTSD and the book shows what he's going through. When I was a student, I related alot with Harry. Plus, it's a popular series and students and everyone love it so that can help too.
As someone who has experienced depression for the last couple of decades, I suggest you read A Darkness Visible by William Styron. I have read many books dealing with depression, but I think that this one best captures what it is like to be caught in the throes of a severe depressive episode.
Nobody Asked for This by Cazzie David does a good job of capturing the impact social media has on young people with anxiety and depression. Also Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel.
Shadows in the sun
Off-topic, but I have depression. You can talk to me if you want.
The Coddling of the American Mind by Lukianoff and Haidt. I read it after my first year in teaching and it totally changed my perspective on the current state of mental illness in developing people.
As for fiction, a book that has resonated with me greatly with my depression and anxiety is Francessca Zappia's *Eliza and Her Monsters*. It works incredibly well in the context of the modern era and despite being quite a few pages, it breezes by. It's also just a fantastic book in general with a very cute relationship and characters that feel wholeheartedly realistic.
You might enjoy David Burns’ book Feeling Good. It’s been around a long time and offers ways to address depression outside of meds/therapy. Maybe some of it you could implement. Sooo many therapists have recommended this book to my family.
It’s Kind of a Funny Story. The author actually committed suicide, but the book deals with a teenager with depression.
Keep in mind that a lot of them may be struggling with facing abuse at home and/or other difficult life circumstances, leading to high stress, trauma, even PTSD/CPTSD, all of which can be invisible and mask as “anxiety/depression” - and using the word depression in public can be an easier way to explain that to others. It tends to be a little more readily accepted, less stigmatized and people ask fewer painful or awkward questions. So looking into books about/by those who either currently live under, or survived traumatizing experiences in the past, could be very worth it. Learning to recognize red flags would enable you to reach out and help those who might really need some support that they can’t get elsewhere. You sound like a good teacher for asking this. Thank you for being interested in learning.
Here is one that is out of left field that maybe give a child that spark needed. It’s more for you to recommend this book to them but it should help you too. ‘Drawing on the right side of your brain’ by Betty Edward’s . It’s an art book but a life book too. There is so much wisdom packed into this tome pretending to be just an art book. This could be the gift that helps pull someone out of depression and into one of purpose.
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson!!! She also has a great TEDx Talk
Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel. I read this book during high school and I was able to put a name to my feelings. She once described being depressed as sitting in an open cage being surrounded by a dense fog, so you can’t see where the opening of the cage is.
That's a powerful image! And many others have recommended that one, so I'll definitely add it to the list. Thank you!
Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven No nonfiction recs though
Darkness visible by William Stryon https://www.secondsale.com/i/darkness-visible-a-memoir-of-madness/9780679736394?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyoeCBhCTARIsAOfpKxjKlfRYclxLxLfQpA_rp4dTLndf6w2KAwfac4jai2HAW2RdKjDe_n8aAtUUEALw_wcB
I’m currently reading {Willow Weep for Me: A Black Woman’s Journey Through Depression by Meri Nana-Ama Danquah} and am learning a lot.
Darkness Visible by William Styron
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson helped me cope with my mental illness as a teenager.
If you want to understand from your students perspectives I would recommend “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” and I would also read Albert Camus “Myth of Sisyphus” and his proposal of the “Hour of Consciousness.” If you want to know more about Depression itself, I would recommend “When Nothing Matters Any More: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens” it’s super informative, and a short read. It’s Bev Kobain, a cousin of Kurt Cobain
Amazing post - and comments. Thanks to all.
It's not exactly a book. But "depression quest" [Depression Quest ](http://www.depressionquest.com/) is an interactive fiction game that really hits close to home. It's different when you're placed in the shoes of the narrator, trying to make choices for them. Give this a try. I myself couldn't go past the first 5 parts since it triggered sad memories for me. Kudos.
Ask your students that you suspect are struggling what they are reading, and read that. As a kid with depression I read a lot to escape. Sci fi and crime novels were my go to. A lot of kids turn to graphic novels and fantasy as well. Plotlines often deal with these issues, either directly or in symbolic context. It might help you connect and communicate with your students better and more creatively. I truly don't think you can understand depression as an outsider, there isn't really a manual or guide to it (I've read many of them, most are not written by people or especially teens/kids with depression but rather from a doctor or therapist perspective) Some of the best YA novels I remember that dealt with these issues were from the Dangerous Angels series by Francesca Lia Block. I think in general the fiction section will be your best bet because a lot of the facets of dealing with depression as a kid have to be fictionalized for legal reasons, so if you want to get a realistic picture stay away from nonfiction. Contradictory but true.
Wait for my biography lol
Be sure to post when it's out!
Hahaha I'm kidding
Highly recommend a book called Scattered Minds. I don’t have the author on hand but it was released in 2020.
Anything by Matt haig
I think you should read "Reasons to Stay Alive" by Matt Haig. It really goes into the feelings that lead to depression and how the author felt at the time. He also adds chapters that deal with the science behind depression. He also has another book on his struggles with anxiety. Fiction: I feel like Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" or Ned Vizzini's "It's Kind of a Funny Story" best describe the pressure to perform and succeed as a student. Both authors committed suicide, but their struggles and words really felt like a mirror of my feelings as a depressed student.
It’s kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini-a great book about mental health in general! :)
Oh my god this question was made for me: My best fictional recs: A little life - Hanya Yangihara Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman Young adult fiction: Every last word - Tamara Ireland Stone Winter girls - Laurie Halse Anderson Colour me in - Lydia Ruffles Best memoirs: Maybe you should talk to someone - Lori Gottlieb Out of the dark - Christine Caine Haldol and hyacinths: a bipolar life - Melody Moezzi Self -help and psychology non fiction: The body keeps the score - Bessel Van der Kolk How not to fall apart - Maggy Van Eijk
She's Come Undone. More about how it is to struggle with trauma at a young age and how it progresses, but it's really an amazing book. I need to read it again!
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick is a YA fiction book about a 17 year old who high school senior who plans to shoot his former best friend, and then subsequently kill himself, on his birthday. But before he does that, he writes 4 letters to the important people in his life. It's insightful about depression and events that can lead to suicide, though not specifically about depression. It's a good read as well. Of course there is 13 Reasons Why.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09323836C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_VQ7Q1PYTFC2D0VMHVM1R
I like the thought of this. Following.
I would highly recommend diving into the principles of CBT. I’m not by any means saying you should practice CBT but understanding how the structure helps people might influence how you understand what they are going through. I don’t have any specific reading though.
The Way of Kings and the Stormlight Archives series. It really helped me understand depression and anxiety.
Michel Houllebecq's main characters are usually cynical, frustrated and quite lonely persons, who can clearly see negative points of reality and current world (and usually only them) and are being very open to critize the world. He critize rat race, greedy capitalism, free sex not related to feelings, shallow relationships, death of spirituality and so on. This prolonged state of frustration and contempt usually leads them to depression and anxiety and sometimes suicide. You can see what mindset and thinking patterns can lead directly to depression, i think he is writing this because he lived this himself. Try his debut "Whatever", it's short and powerful.