Three Matt Haig books you should try this Mental Health Awareness week

Life WFH has not been the joyride we imagined in our pre-pandemic days, but Haig’s novels offer great comfort

Reading during the pandemic has not been everyone’s cup of tea, but if stories are your lifeline, put Matt Haig’s on your TBR (Photo by Emily Rudolph on Unsplash)

As we mark the lockdown “anniversary”, we can’t deny that whether you’ve been working on the frontline, confined to WFH or furloughed, your mental health has probably suffered.

The latest ONS data on the social impact of Coronavirus (from February 2021) shows that personal well-being and life satisfaction are at their lowest levels since March 2020, while anxiety has peaked. So how can we survive this pandemic with our mental health intact?

Rhiannon Henson, senior policy and campaigns officer at Mind Cymru, advises that if you’re struggling with mental health, you should take time out for yourself. “Relaxation is very important,” she says, “when you’re feeling stressed, worried, or anxious.”

“Reading can be a great way to relax and boost your mental health,” Rhiannon adds. Of course, this is not a panacea; in fact, many avid readers have been finding it hard to read during the pandemic. But as the BBC reported on World Book Day, Brits are experiencing a reading boost in lockdown.

Escapist genres such as romance and fantasy are the obvious choice for shaking off real world anxieties. But titles explicitly dealing with anxiety and depression can be just as cathartic.

As with many social issues, mental health challenges are best portrayed by an “own voices” author who has personal experience. Enter Matt Haig, the “the accidental mental health guru”.

The mental health “agenda”

In an interview with the Cambridge Independent, the Reasons to Stay Alive author admits that his “agony uncle” status has been overwhelming at times, but people’s stories of mental health recovery have made him feel less alone with his experiences.

Since his debut novel, inspired by his battle with suicidal depression, Haig has written a number of bestsellers, but he confesses that his own mental health can still be wobbly.

“The books I’m writing are things I feel that I need to read,” he divulges, “rather than things I feel I have got totally fixed.”

The power of reading

Talking to Happiful, Haig praises the power of using metaphors as a way of articulating depression and anxiety, and admits that stories have played a huge role in his life. If you’re stuck in a bad place, he says, stories can break you out.

“My favourite kinds of stories are those with one foot rooted in the real world, and one rooted in fantasy,” the author claims. That much is obvious from his writing.

The Midnight Library & dealing with regrets

Haig shares with Cambridge Independent that The Midnight Library reflects his discoveries about finding acceptance and happiness in an imperfect life.

With social media and comparison culture, the author observes, and there is always a reason to feel bad about yourself. “Regret is the big theme of the book,” he explains. “I wanted to correct the ‘grass is greener’ effect and give the reader a feeling of acceptance of the life they are in.”

This message seems to have resonated with readers.

Sapphira, 28, for instance, notes that despite the heavy subject matter, the book has helped her mental health, “[It] made me feel grateful for my life as it is instead of constantly searching for more.” As someone who suffers from depression and often wishes she’d done things differently, Saph found reassurance in the story that while we can't change things we regret, we can enjoy the present.

Meanwhile Chelsea, 26, shares that reading The Midnight Library at the height of the pandemic was incredibly moving, and changed her perspective on life. She shares: “I realised that even though the world was on fire, I’d choose this version of my life over anything else.”

“[The book] inspired me to value the things I have,” Chelsea muses, “instead of wondering about what ifs.”

The Humans & despair at our species

Despite not being a sci-fi fan, Chelsea admits that The Humans offers a fresh perspective on big life questions such as a human’s purpose. “When you’re depressed or anxious, it's easy to see the entire human race, including yourself, as a write off,” Chelsea ponders. “But this book helped me see that we’re not that bad after all.”

Saph wasn’t expecting to find clever insights on humanity in the book either. But the heart-warming, humorous tale opened her eyes to how weird and wonderful we are as a species. “It has helped me find some hope for humanity,” she shares, “and [become] more optimistic.”

Zoe, 29, read The Humans a few years ago, but unlike most other books, this one stuck with her. “It reminds you that humans are all imperfect and weird,” she says, “but also great and wonderful in their own unique way."

How to Stop Time & finding meaning in life

How to Stop Time is another gem from Haig which has received an outpouring of positive reviews. Here’s what Goodreads users say:

The book made Nat K ponder the feeling of being alienated and unable to share your “true” self. In the hero’s case the cause is immortality, but the theme resonates with many readers who have felt similarly due to mental health struggles.

Whispering Stories, meanwhile, says: “This is a powerful novel about life, and living.” In her review, she shares that the book prompted her to reflect on her own life and the choices she’s made.

For Cheri, the answer to the titular question is simple - time goes by, bringing change with it; we must live in the here and now, instead of revisiting the past and remaining stuck there.

Whether you’re a long-time Matt Haig fan or new to his work, if you’re having a tough time during the pandemic, give these books a go. They may not change your life, but they’ll provide some much-needed escapism.