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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Raw, personal and to the point. Also extremely accessible, it really felt like I was sitting down with Mr Haig in a cafe or a park whilst he was recounting his experiences with anxiety and offering advice and wisdom to me at the same time. I wish I could've had something like this to read when I was dealing with my first experience with anxiety, I'm sure it would've helped a lot.
Cherished reading this book, it’s a book I will go back and read again sometime... lots of little gems to revisit
reflective
Since this book was published we have lived through a pandemic, countless global atrocities, and new social media platforms that have reshaped how attached we are to our phones; yet this was still just as relatable and should be read more than ever.
"We might have to, sometimes, be brave enough to switch the screens off in order to switch ourselves back on. To disconnect in order to reconnect."
The overall message of disconnecting really spoke to me and since reading some of Haig's thoughts I've tried to make more changes to my overall phone/internet usage. However, the book became extremely repetitive towards the end and some of the ideology I didn't vibe with.
Nevertheless, this is a quick non-fiction book that offers a lot to reflect upon in our current world of extreme excess and readily available information.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcoholism
“When anger trawls the internet, Looking for a hook; It’s time to disconnect, And go and read a book.”
Notes on a Nervous Planet is an eminently quotable book written by an anxious human for anxious humans. That being said, reading it increased my own anxiety levels and I couldn't sit still while listening. Haig looks at both the internal and external factors that have lead to so many of us dealing with mental health issues and examines them with compassion and wit. Are we too hard on ourselves? Yes, probably. Is there just a lot going on at all times leading the default to be overstimulation? Yes, definitely. Are large chunks of society set up to actively encourage dissatisfaction or anger to keep us clicking on headlines and buying the next new thing? Yes.
I don't know that I learned anything new reading this, but Haig has an excellent way with words and sometimes its just validating to hear someone else saying its ok to be overwhelmed.
Notes on a Nervous Planet is an eminently quotable book written by an anxious human for anxious humans. That being said, reading it increased my own anxiety levels and I couldn't sit still while listening. Haig looks at both the internal and external factors that have lead to so many of us dealing with mental health issues and examines them with compassion and wit. Are we too hard on ourselves? Yes, probably. Is there just a lot going on at all times leading the default to be overstimulation? Yes, definitely. Are large chunks of society set up to actively encourage dissatisfaction or anger to keep us clicking on headlines and buying the next new thing? Yes.
I don't know that I learned anything new reading this, but Haig has an excellent way with words and sometimes its just validating to hear someone else saying its ok to be overwhelmed.
"How do we stay human in a digital landscape?" The world and technology are messing with our minds, causing us stress and anxiety. Matt Haig, who has experienced anxiety and panic attacks over the years, began to search for a link between the way he felt and the world around him.
This is a great book which made me think a lot on how the world is affecting us, giving me ideas on how to stay sane in a world where we are more connected than ever, yet in which we feel so alone. Matt's book does remind us though that "Life is beautiful".
This is a great book which made me think a lot on how the world is affecting us, giving me ideas on how to stay sane in a world where we are more connected than ever, yet in which we feel so alone. Matt's book does remind us though that "Life is beautiful".
Moest wat wennen aan de directe schrijfwijze, maar las al gauw hele mooie, goede en fijne dingen die voor mij op het juiste moment kwamen. Aanrader voor eenieder die zich wel eens overwhelmed voelt van alles wat de huidige wereld te bieden en te vragen heeft.
A truly timely and important book that everyone living on this nervous planet should read. Matt's honest and personal experiences shine through on every page and his writing is like a cup of tea and a warm blanket making you feel that no matter how crazy the world can get everything is going to be ok. I loved this book and have no hesitation recommending it to absolutely everyone, no one will finish this book without learning at least one important lesson or taking away one piece of advice that will make life just that little bit better. Thanks Matt!
In questo libro Haig ci parla dei suoi problemi dovuti ad attacchi di panico, ansia e depressione, ma lo fa focalizzando l'attenzione su quanto influisca sul nostro benessere mentale il mondo circostante, e quanto l'evoluzione tecnologica pesi su tutto questo.
Un testo che sprona a riflettere, a fare determinate analisi su come si vive e su ciò che si prova.
E che offre qualche spunto riguardo a cosa si può fare per stare meglio.
Da leggere e, nei momenti di necessità, rileggere con ancora più attenzione.
Un testo che sprona a riflettere, a fare determinate analisi su come si vive e su ciò che si prova.
E che offre qualche spunto riguardo a cosa si può fare per stare meglio.
Da leggere e, nei momenti di necessità, rileggere con ancora più attenzione.
Self-help books generally make me cringe. Either they are new agey rip-offs, or written from an academic perspective that helps you understand the big picture, but do nothing to actually help. What I call n=1 approaches are useless in politics, for example, but for personal issues they work. Someone else's personal experience of depression will never be the same as yours, but reading about the process can help you understand yours. Most importantly, sometimes it is just important to know there are people out there struggling with similar issues.
Matt Haig is a very sympathetic guide to situations where the walls seem close in. This book is perhaps a tad less personal than Reasons to Stay Alive, but written with honesty. The panic-inducing urgency of the modern world is very well discussed here. There are the fashionable do and don't lists, citations from serious research, and personal anecdotes that weave together a story that is pleasure to listen to (Note: I love author-read audiobooks).
The only negative thing to say is that, although only middle-class people read self-help books in the first place, some of the advice here is so blindly middle class that it is a bit of a downer from otherwise such a thoughtful author. For example, not all people can just ditch their job because it isn't fulfilling. Middle class problems are as real as 'not-first-world-problems', but when you give practical advice, some sensitivity to the diversity of positions people find themselves in (based on class, race, sexuality, etc.) would have been nice to hear.
But overall, if you think you would benefit from reading (or listening to) a self-help book on the 'modern condition', there's hardly a better place to start.
Matt Haig is a very sympathetic guide to situations where the walls seem close in. This book is perhaps a tad less personal than Reasons to Stay Alive, but written with honesty. The panic-inducing urgency of the modern world is very well discussed here. There are the fashionable do and don't lists, citations from serious research, and personal anecdotes that weave together a story that is pleasure to listen to (Note: I love author-read audiobooks).
The only negative thing to say is that, although only middle-class people read self-help books in the first place, some of the advice here is so blindly middle class that it is a bit of a downer from otherwise such a thoughtful author. For example, not all people can just ditch their job because it isn't fulfilling. Middle class problems are as real as 'not-first-world-problems', but when you give practical advice, some sensitivity to the diversity of positions people find themselves in (based on class, race, sexuality, etc.) would have been nice to hear.
But overall, if you think you would benefit from reading (or listening to) a self-help book on the 'modern condition', there's hardly a better place to start.
This book would really help someone during an anxiety spell.