Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up

Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up by Evanna Lynch

7 reviews

silver_lining_in_a_book's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

'It will get easier’ is probably the most offensive thing you can say to someone in the grip of pain. You are borrowing from a future that isn’t promised, a future that depends entirely on their endurance of the pain. You are taking for granted a well of strength within them that they may not possess, fast-forwarding through the ugly bits that you don’t want to watch but they must live through, nonetheless. ‘It will get easier’ is not a helpful thing to say to someone for whom only the present moment can exist, so vivid, so intense that it’s not possible to imagine a moment beyond it. The future doesn’t matter to someone enduring an unimaginable pain, so let’s not entertain that childish fantasy. All that matters is the pain that is consuming you in this moment, that you grit your teeth and try to survive it. You invalidate the pain and the damage it inflicts when you hasten to skip past it to a brighter tomorrow. Sometimes things are just unremittingly shit and the only respectful thing to do is to stand next to the person going through it and scream along with them.

Words cannot express how seen Evanna managed to make me feel through the retelling of her own hardships, but I know that had I read this book even a year earlier, it would not have been beneficial for my mental health at the time. Although, Evanna takes great care to be sensitive in regards to the topics she discusses, this is to its core an honest and raw depiction of mental health disorders and the process of growing up. Evanna can at times be painfully cruel to herself and she appears to feel little shame in portraying the way she acted during the toughest times in her life, which - while making this book very valuable and unique - at times makes this book very difficult to read.

Overall, I love the courage the author has shown in writing this book and, at least for me, this is a very very valuable memoir.

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alexiasophii's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.75

"We’re afraid that if we show these ugly, unpalatable parts of ourselves, it will be too much for others; that nobody will love and accept us, and we’ll be left alone with only the worst parts of ourselves for company."

"And I decide, now, in this moment, that I want it; I want this body. I want to inhabit her, enjoy her, care for her, and defend her in this world. And I no longer want to be yet another voice telling her she’s disgusting or embarrassing or inadequate or too much. I want to be one of those arresting voices of love and compassion, to offer her a space where she can go to restore, to feel safe, to grow."

WOW.
This book is profound, gut-wrenching, and transformative. Evanna's warning at the beginning of the book is true, the book focused about 80 or 90% of it on the eating disorder aspects. It is very graphic what Evanna went through. A good part of the book, and that I enjoyed, is that Evanna does not mention weights or calories or any of those things. As she says, eating disorders feed on the "achievements" and on measuring against other people. Learning how much other people weigh, especially at the lowest point of their battle, is not empathic, it is competitive. And it is not helpful to anyone. I particularly enjoyed how Evanna explains her journey and shows that healing is not linear, but a series of battles and fights, up and downs, wins and losses.

This book is definitely not good for people who struggle with eating disorders, especially anorexia or bulimia. Be careful of Evanna's first Author's Note, she is being very sincere and direct in her warnings.

Overall, I loved this book. I truly did. And I think it sparked something transformative in me and I will come back to it several times in the future.

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puckeverlasting's review against another edition

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4.5

This was an insightful and enjoyable listen. Evanna's voice is charming and a pleasure to listen to, and the narrative and language used flowed well. She didn't attempt to sugar coat nor did she sensationalize. This is a must read for anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder. Excellent overall, and a beautifully done memoir.

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