The trying-to-the-survive reading list

Because of all this ‘free time’ I have on my hands, I’ve been reading memoirs (mostly health related) in hopes that it will inspire and/or motivate me. I was lucky enough to be able to design a cute little reading nook at my place, fit with fairy lights, of course!, and it has truly brought my inner bookworm to life 🤓 or bibliophile if we are being fancy, but that reminds me too much of paedophile if you say it fast enough, so we can abbreviate it to biblio? Could work.

Here are some that have been excellent reads, and for the duration of each book, have successfully distracted me from my own life.  Found this cute quote to start us off ;

‘We lose ourselves in books, sometimes we find ourselves there too.’

Girl in the Dark – Anna Lyndsey

Can you imagine being severely allergic to light?? Didn’t even know it was a thing before reading this. Sure, migraine-sufferers/any others who have experienced light sensitivity, can relate to the whole locking yourself up in a dark room with no light –  but mostly ours are temporary, or we learn what works and what to avoid. However, Lyndsey found herself caught amidst her normal daily life – feeling a burning-like sensation on her face from the computer screen and it just worsened from there, ultimately having her house-bound with predominantly no exposure to light whatsoever. And I mean none – not even the seeping light through the corners of the door. A phenomenon unknown to the medical world, she takes us through her life of darkness. In spite of her misfortune, Lyndsey found a way to keep it as a relatively light (not literal light), and enjoyable read – it definitely put things into perspective.
*partial spoiler alert* As there was no Afterword, I have been curious to find out how she is, so took to Google to find out more and it turns out a decade later she has seen the light! A nutritionist reached out to Lyndsey after reading the book, and since implementing a low-histamine diet, she has been experiencing amazing results!

My doctor has just recommended a low-histamine diet coincidentally, have any of you had positive experiences with it?  

Furiously Happy – Jenny Lawson

 

Lawson encapsulates living with mental illnesses perfectly, & hilariously! And has almost convinced me that the only thing missing from my life right now is a taxidermied raccoon who is able to high-five me on the regular. Her abstract blog-style of writing, almost like a compilation of her thoughts with absolutely no reservations, makes you feel like you are in her wonderfully erratic mind, in the best way possible. Although its mostly a hilarious read, there are chapters that hold a lot of truth to the reality of situations, for example having bad days, but to embrace that there are also good days. And sometimes when you are consumed in this dark cloud, we forget this, in fact these past few weeks for me, I’ve struggled to see the good in anything. But those happy days do come, and when they do we should make sure we are #furiouslyhappy! 

Lawson is one of the inspirations for me to blog my way through my own mental health journey. The fact that she does not hide behind her illness, instead has used social media to somewhat embrace it and build a community through the still taboo-ed topic to many, is incredible and comforting to hundreds! She has saved lives.

The Quiet Room – Lori Schiller

For me, this was the most intense read thus far. Schiller, had a better than average upbringing, with a loving family and friends. When she began College, she started hearing the ‘Voices, at aged 23 she had her first suicide attempt following a series of hospital admissions over time. Her diagnosis was schizo-affective disorder (schizophrenia + a major mood disorder, in this case – depression) and as time progressed so did hallucinations, the Voices, and further suicide attempts. We get the accounts through Schiller,  and a few from her family & friends, as well as Doctors. It took 7 years for her to come across a ‘miracle drug’, that has enabled her to lead a fulfilled life now as per the Afterword, she works in a psychiatric rehabilitation centre, being able to relate to patients as a former patient, as is truly ‘An example of hope’.

For me, after numerous treatments for my migraines that have only gotten more intense and frequent over time – sure it is nothing in comparison to what Schiller experienced, but with her persistence and courage she went through hell and survived, so maybe there is a bit of hope out there. 

Wild – Cheryl Strayed 

For someone who can’t bring myself to camp for one night, (unless its Glamping, then I’m in!) Strayed awakens your wild side. Not the watch me paint the town red wild side, but the let’s go live in the great outdoors for 90+ days and live in the wild, wild side.  Following the death of her mother, Strayed felt herself, going astray. So much so that she changed her last name to Strayed! Battling a failing marriage and a drug addiction, she sets off to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, without training/experience/nothing else to lose, but with a strong sense of determination to find herself. And she did! Through encounters with numerous animals, extreme weather conditions and the company of  a backpack so heavy she named it ‘Monster’, this gripping novel takes the reader through a journey too.
*Side note; this is a movie featuring Reese Witherspoon! Need to watch!

This is the first list of a few more to come, I hope you enjoyed it and hopefully read a few of these books too! Maybe they will inspire you 😊 If you have any recommendations I’d love them!! Seriously. I have nothing else to do right now.

Sending love your way,

Emma B ♡