Amy is a twenty something living your average life. But she has a bit of a secret. Holding her back from life is crushing mental illness. Her job, her friends and her day to day joy is dampened by her internal struggles. We see her battling with her anxieties and fears to get out of bed, to interact with other people and to be out and about. The story is a snippet of her life that takes us from her day to day life in a cubicle with her friendly colleagues to a trip that takes them from London to Australia. There are days where the mental illness overtakes her and days where she is able to forge forward. Her friends are both annoyed by her behaviors, concerned by what’s driving them and supportive in getting her help.
Amy was hard to read at times, especially if you’ve had these feelings yourself. Her friends are both frustrating and really uplifting. I wish at any point she had just told them a little of what was going on with her. I know that many with these issues do not reach out and do not feel like those around them will understand, but I always advocate for that, it’s certainly helped in my life.
If you are a person who has lived with mental illness or had a bout of depression, you will definitely see yourself in Amy. If you have a person in your life who struggles with these issues, read this to help build your empathy or learn how to be an ally. The writing needs a bit of polish but I think it’s worth overlooking that to get the message.
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
What do you do when the winter blues start creeping in for you?
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