Reasons To Stay Alive

Many years ago, for one World Book Night 2016, the book I chose to give out was “Reasons To Stay Alive” by Matt Haig. I had already read “Humans” and was impressed by that; I had given that away the previous year.

It was my friend Paul Campbell’s (the writer of “Doctors”, “Eastenders”, “Casualty” and “Holby City”) 50th birthday, and I hadn’t a clue what to give him, so I settled for a World Book Night copy of “Reasons To Stay Alive”. I went to book tickets and was told the benefits of getting a Railcard. That saved some money and put me in a good state of mind for the train journey down to London.

I hadn’t brought anything along to read, so I started with the book I was giving as a present (I don’t usually wrap presents; I put them in nice bags, due to extreme laziness and incompetence in wrapping things).

I started reading and got very worried about giving it as a present with suicide encounters, depression and a lot more dark places and issues.

The opening heading “This Book Is Impossible” does not bode well, you might think, but as you accompany Matt on his journey, he takes you to places that are hopeful and shows how, despite his issues, he has taken on the black dogs and darknesses and feelings of crushing failures to come into a wonderful place.

As I read the book on the journey from Newcastle to London, I became happier and happier, and the page below I had to share, five essential self-helps that can work for everyone. They work for me when I get a chance to use them. I forgot to include the image (though I have found it for this republished version and included it as the main image) , so I will type them now:

How to stop time: Kiss

How to travel in time: Read

How to escape time: Music

How to feel time: Write

How to release time: Breathe

By the time I got to London, I had made a decision that I would share this with as many of my friends as I could.

One sadly missed friend (we lost him to cancer) once said after I had given him a copy that this book saved his life.

I really can see how that might be true. There are times when everything seems to go wrong for you, people are not there for you, you are in such darkness that you cannot get up, you cannot speak to anyone, you cannot think, you cannot see a way out, everything is wrong.

Little tasks become impossible, the ten messages your friend sent you are an insurmountable mountain, the day before you is an uncrossable Rubicon, and there really is no solution.

I have been there.

I truly sympathise.

Sometimes at work, I get many people clamouring for something at the same time, while something else is going wrong. I am lucky I can talk to people, we have Mental Well Being and a lovely Weekly Catch up just to destress ourselves and talk through work and personal issues and come out feeling more prepared to take things on.

“Reasons To Stay Alive” by Matt Haig is a wonderful guidebook to help you. You read things and are happy that Matt is still with us and has dealt with his monsters, and then you realise that you might be able to do the same. I keep this book very close. It is a shield and weapon in any mental health battles you may be going through. It is not a total solution, but may help you prepare to speak with friends or Mental Health organisations, such as Andy's Man Club or speak with your GP. You deserve happiness.

I don’t have a clue what music to share for this, just something a little hopeful and not in your face, so I know not everyone likes U2, but “Love Is The Sweetest Thing” says a lot to me.