Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig

20 reviews

helhas3letters's review

dark hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

2.5

In this book, Haig outlines why he thinks humans have become stressed out and anxious by default. He largely puts it down to overwhelm and overstimulation in the age of information, and a neglect for taking good care of ourselves. Throughout the book, he reflects on different aspects of modern life, using statistics and studies, personal anecdotes, and more poetic creative writing.

Haig is a really accessible writer and easy to read. My main gripe with Notes on a Nervous Planet is that although it points out some important issues and backs them up with evidence, it doesn't provide many solutions for them. I enjoyed the chapters that came after the outlining of certain problems, which provided a numbered list of 'things you can do to X'/'changes you can make to stop Y', but I would have liked those solutions to be explored a bit more.

I also think that although Haig overall made some really good points in this book, it was very broad and I wish it was more focused. He took on a massive topic and, although he did split it into sections, each of these sections could easily be a book in and of themselves.
I recommend this as a good overview or introduction to the topic. However, if you want more in-depth discussion on, for example, the effects that social media has on our brains, or what lack of sleep does to us and why it's so important, or why the news has us in a state of panic all the time, then I'd recommend picking up a more specific book. (E.g.  Outraged by Ashley 'Dotty' Charles, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, Factfulness by Hans Rosling.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Mental illness, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Body shaming

fionnlister's review

reflective slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

carodonahue's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

mikaelaandherbooks's review

hopeful reflective slow-paced

3.0

I find Matt Haig's nonfiction work to always be really thought-provoking and reflective; however, I definitely prefer Reasons to Stay Alive over this one. I just didn't feel like this one was as impactful as RTSA.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

nostarryeyes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Addiction

nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

hannahgreep's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

3.0

Some interesting insights into anxiety and depression, but can be a bit fluffy in places. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Panic attacks/disorders

jbellomy's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcoholism and Eating disorder

Minor: Body shaming, Death, and Medical content

booksandcat's review against another edition

hopeful reflective slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

booksasportals's review against another edition

sad tense slow-paced

I literally never write reviews here but I feel passionately against this book. As somebody suffering with depression and anxiety, this made me feel SO ANXIOUS when reading. 2/3 of the book seemed to be Haig telling us all of the things that make him feel anxious and bad. I get being relatable is helpful but also I ALREADY FEEL SUCKY, DONT GIVE ME LISTS OF YOUR WORRIES COS THEY WILL MAKE ME WORRY INTENSELY. I hoped this would give way to good, complex discussions on why we worry and how to not. Nooooope. A whole lot of screw the internet, read, do yoga, it'll all be okay. This book presented itself to me as self-help, something to provide me one or both of the following: comfort, or coping mechanisms. It did the OPPOSITE of comfort me, it made me panic and feel awful. Did it give me copi g mechanisms? N o p e. I'm sick of being repeatedly told the internet is bad for me. It is if you have an unhealthy relationship with it, like anything. And honestly, of all the things in my life, I'm pretty confident I have a healthy relationship with the internet, I mainly use it to look at art or talk to friends, it makes me happy. And fair if the internet stresses you out, I do get it. And fair if yoga, and books, and even this book, help you feel better. We all have our things. But this taught me nothing new and made me feel worse, not better. It actually made me realise how positive and good my attitude is. And my attitude still aint great cos Im pretty bloody depressed mate. So thats something. Im just angry. Wouldnt recommend. Genuinely no criticism of Haig: I liked his writing style, and Im happy to see people sharing their experiences of mental health issues. But I want people to be talking about their darker times in a way that doesnt give me panic attacks (genuinely don't know if this is too much to ask or not?) and actually comforts me and gives me helpful things to do or think about or different perspectives. Nope not here, not ever. IM. SO. PISSED.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide