On Reads: Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
by Gelo Salanga
“… once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. when you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm is all about” - MATT HAIG
Released in 2015 as a memoir of the author's major depressive disorder episodes in his 20's, Matt Haig's Reasons to Stay Alive has become an important literature to understanding and putting into words the complexities and nuances that envelope people suffering from anxiety disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder, and other related mental health issues.
At 24, Matt Haig endured a gruelling confusion at what has soon he became to realized as a major depression. Living back a party lifestyle in Ibiza during the late 90's with his girlfriend Andrea, he at one fateful night has fallen into his first bouts of anxiety attacks and demotivating mixed emotions. On the onset, it has became prevalent that what was happening on that night will be carried over several months and at truth, years. The couple went on to try different ways to help Haig cope up with his battle: medical assistance, personal endeavors, therapy etc. until it has been decided to go back to the UK for Haig to re-trace his personal struggles, triumphs, and to re-connect with family, loved ones, and his own childhood to fully understand what he has been going through and where it is leading.
Written as personal musings and realizations at the backdrop of a person's self-internalizing battle on depression, Haig has allowed readers to not only sympathize but rather evaluate one's own experience at loss, failure, success, and or existential purpose. Do not mistake this book as medical resource nor as a self-help book, rather, take this as an honest approach to immersing oneself to the ups and downs of someone's jaunt over a fight on mental illness. The book does not asked to be pitied but to shed hope to those who might be suffering the same battle as the author or for those who might know someone who is undergoing such.
The perils on the discourse of today's complex modern society on mental health and balanced lifestyles has opened a good avenue for people to now share, speak up, ask for help, and to help. As Haig puts it,:
"…life is waiting for you. you might be stuck here for a while, but the world isn’t going anywhere. Hang on in if you can. Life is always worth it.”
If you or someone you know might be suffering from any mental health issue, please know that there is help available:
PHILIPPINES
DOH/NGF Hope Line: +633 804-4673 or 0917-5584673
Crisis Line Philippines: +632 893 7606 or +632 893 7603
Living Free Foundation: +63917 322 7807
UNITED KINGDOM
HopeLine UK: 0800 068 41 41, 07786209697
UNITED STATES
National Suicide Prevention line: 1-800-273-8255