7 Best advice books on mental health

It’s estimated by Mind that a quarter of people in UK experience a mental health problem each year, with anxiety and depression ranking as the most common – yet these issues continue to be largely misunderstood. Turn to these inspirational books for advic

1 Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig (£12.99, Canongate)

At the age of 24, writer Matt Haig suffered a breakdown and contemplated taking his own life. In this moving memoir, he explains how he changed his thinking, the process of recovery and everything he’s learned about the beauty of life after fixating so intently on death.

2 A Beginner’s Guide To Being Mental by Natasha Devon (£12.99, Pan Macmillan)

After a decade of touring schools in the UK to raise awareness around anxiety and depression, Natasha Devon decided to collate all of the most-asked questions she received from young people about mental health, and turn them into one concise reference book. Set in a handy A-Z format, this pocket guide explains everything you’ll ever need to know about “being mental”.

3 We’re All Mad Here: The No-Nonsense Guide To Living With Social Anxiety by Claire Eastham (£12.99, Jessica Kingsley Publishers)

We’ve all felt the worry of being judged by other people – but when the feeling takes over, it can make everything from seeing friends to getting on public transport feel impossible.

Here, Claire Eastham gives a brave and funny account of what it’s like to be a 20-something living in London and working at her dream job, while secretly battling with a crippling social anxiety disorder.

4 Your Superstar Brain: Unlocking The Secrets Of The Human Mind by Dr Kaja Nordengen (£13.99, Little Brown Book Group)

Why does your brain work the way it does? That’s the big question that neuroscientist Dr Kaja Nordengen ponders in this fascinating exploration of the body’s most complex organ. From jealousy and anxiety, to memory and creativity, Nordengen uses medical science to explain – in layman’s terms – how our brains coordinate thoughts, emotions and behaviours.

5 Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon (£8.99, Headline Publishing Group)

Telegraph columnist Bryony Gordon has suffered with OCD since childhood and, as she got older, her illness manifested itself in alopecia, bulimia, drug dependency, and all manner of complex rules and rituals that inhibited her life.

In her darkly humorous memoir, she talks frankly about how a lack of conversation around mental health left her to suffer alone in shame for years.

6 How To Be Human: The Manual by Ruby Wax (£14.99, Penguin Books)

Ruby Wax has already cemented herself as one of the most relatable voices on anxiety with her first book, A Mindfulness Guide For The Frazzled. The comedian and mental health campaigner has teamed up with a monk and neuroscientist to explain exactly what makes the mind tick.

7 The Anxiety Solution by Chloe Brotheridge (£12.99, Penguin Books)

One of the worst things about anxiety is the pervasive feeling that there’s something to worry about, even if you can’t quite put your finger on what it is. Brotheridge has a clear and simple method to help readers break free from the cycle of panic and dread, by arming them with various tools and techniques.