Not Alone: Stories Of Living With Depression

by Alise Wright, Ray Carroll, Joy Wilson

Depression is a very real experience for many people. The causes can be varied. Abuse. Chemical imbalances. Divorce. Rejection. There is no one reason that a person might suffer depression. However, one common theme is that it can leave the person feeling isolated and alone. Because of the stigma that is often associated with depression, people often remain silent about it, never knowing that the person next to them is going through the same thing or has experienced it in the past. Instead, they hide away, believing that no one understands, believing that no one cares.

In this book, the authors break the silence, boldly sharing their stories of depression. Whether sharing how they first discovered that what they were feeling was depression, telling how they sought help for their depression or giving words of hope that depression can be managed, the authors all tackle the lie that you must suffer in solitude. With courage and honesty, these stories give a glimpse into the depressed existence. While you will not find a cure for depression in these pages, you will find a sense of community. You will find words of hope. You will find that you are Not Alone.

Endorsements
"Stories are powerful. They humanize us, wreak havoc on our prejudices, and bind us together like societal glue. The personal essays in Not Alone do all these things. For those of us outside depression, they help us recognize bits of ourselves in an unfamiliar landscape. For those already intimate with depression, these stories can be a lifeline to community, an extended hand in the darkness. They show us no one is alone, and that point is worth celebrating.” — Jason Boyett, author of O Me of Little Faith and the Pocket Guide series

“When our journeys take us down dark and unfamiliar paths, we don’t need leaders with all the answers; we need friends with open arms. Not Alone brings together the voices of many such friends in essays that are alive with wisdom, honesty, humor, and grace. What makes this book so powerful is the diversity of the stories shared within it. No two journeys through depression are exactly the same, and yet no one needs to travel alone. What a joy it is to see such an impressive assemblage of smart, talented, and creative writers speaking words of hope into the world!” — Rachel Held Evans, popular blogger and author of Evolving in Monkey Town

"A book like this transcends a memoir. These essays make up a quasi-support group, where the reader can share in the experiences of multiple sufferers. Highly recommended for those who want to understand the 'human' element of depression.” — Rob Dobrenski, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and author of Crazy: Notes on and off the Couch

Genres: Psychology

231 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2011

Reviews

[Laura]

I'm one of the contributors to this collection, so I don't think I can really write an unbiased review. But thanks to everyone who has read this book and recommended it to others.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

In order for you to enjoy this book, you will need to put down your red pen. That was hard to do- but I tried to get beyond that in order to see the beauty of 20+ people sharing their stories of depression, and how they have all coped with it at different phases and in different ways. The purpose of the book was to help readers feel not alone with an illness that still carries a stigma, and it achieved its purpose. How cool is that?

[Bailey Olfert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book may be useful for someone who does not have depression and wants a glimpse into what it can be like. As a person who is depressed, on the whole I did not find it helpful. There were perhaps three sentences in the book that resounded in me, but honestly I don't feel any less alone.