Doom and Bloom: The Case for Creativity in a World Hooked on Panic

by Campbell Walker

Doom and Bloom is a self-help book that distils powerful insights into actionable steps to help you turn the sh*t you’ve faced in life into fertiliser for personal growth.

Doom is the feeling when everything seems hopeless and hard, and you want to give up. Bloom, on the other hand, is a state of effortless creativity, where solutions surprise you as they flow into reality. Bloom is our highest and most natural state of being, but how do we reach it when the world feels so dark and heavy? In Doom and Bloom bestselling author and YouTube sensation Campbell Walker (aka Struthless) offers us a roadmap. 

​Blending modern research with ancient philosophy, Campbell's witty sense of humour, searing intelligence and intense vulnerability will make you laugh, cry and pull you from the depths of darkness. 

Creativity is like a garden – you have to start from the ground and work your way up. In Doom and Bloom Campbell teaches us how getting down in the dirt can lead to a blossoming life. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Development, Writing, Business, Mental Health, Art

175 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2025

Reviews

[Janene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy of Doom and Bloom yesterday morning—and I’ve already finished it. But I know this is not the last time I’ll open its pages. This is a book that will live on my desk, ready to be dipped into again and again, especially when I need to rediscover my Bloom.

At its core, Doom and Bloom is a powerful guide to transforming the hardest parts of life into creative and personal growth. Campbell Walker, with his signature wit, raw honesty, and deep intelligence, takes readers on a journey from the weight of Doom—that hopeless, heavy state we all know too well—into Bloom, a space of ease, clarity, and creative flow.

The beginning caught me off guard—emotional, unexpected, and deeply human. But keep going. Every page builds towards something bigger. It all comes together into a profound, meaningful, and inspiring piece of work that will challenge how you think not only about creativity but about life itself.

This isn’t just a book for creatives—it’s for anyone who’s ever struggled, questioned their path, or wondered how to turn life’s mess into something meaningful. Thought-provoking, honest, impactful, and powerful, Doom and Bloom is a must-read.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, a book doesn’t just speak to you - it gently untangles something inside you. 'Doom and Bloom' was exactly that for me. Tender, raw, and deeply human, it’s the most profound and quietly powerful book I’ve read in a long time.

There’s a kind of magic in how Walker pairs vulnerability with dry wit, gently guiding you through the murkier corners of the mind while somehow leaving you lighter. For me, it didn’t just resonate - it shifted something. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t need to be perfect or performative. It simply needs space.

This book reignited my desire to create, to blog/write, to finally start that YouTube channel and, most meaningfully, to draw again. Drawing has always been part of me, but somewhere along the way, I lost touch with it. Doom and Bloom reminded me that expression is worth pursuing, even quietly, even just for myself.

I can already tell this is a book I’ll return to, not just to re-read, but to re-feel. To me, that’s the mark of something truly special.

As a side note, if you haven't yet stumbled across the sheer gold that is 'Struthless' (Campbell's YouTube channel), you're missing out and you owe it to yourself to binge watch everything he's ever made.

[Kate Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

ANOTHER BOOK THAT FEELS LIKE A HUG

I love Cams illustrations and metaphors. Cam is also a great writer. It's whimsical, its comforting and it provides achievable steps that I wanna try. The beginning and ending talks about suicide in a way that will stay with me. Trust Cam to make a metaphor about life and death with the cheese and crackers of a le snack, genius, nostalgic and hard hitting. I think the lay out of the book is genius and I love that it is about the cyclical nature of life. I'm sick of feeling in progression lines.

Reading this will make you feel less alone.

TAKEAWAYS:

- I loved the historical anecdotes (especially the Italian renaissance, hi Shitaly! lol) like how we see the renaissance as this amazing time of innovation but we completely glaze over how it felt to people (big doom, the end is near, panic vibes)
- I loved this visualisation exercise - cam asks us- remember the freedom you felt when you first learnt how to ride a bike. and that made me think oooh I wanna draw that.
-' When we talk about attention theft, were talking about life theft. when we talk about the attention economy, were talking about the life economy, and all the internet noise competing for your attention is competing for your life" - SPOOKY BUT SHOULD I PUT THIS AS PHONE BACKGROUND.
- on BROADCAST PTSD " a person watching a screen is less likely to e,ploy a coping mechanism, than an eyewitness of the traumatic event" - WOAH, changed my perspective, when I think to myself how can I be so saddened, I'm not actually living it or there, but WAIT!!

- The HANDLE THE CANDLE breathing exercise - I have ADHD and breathing exercises feel impossible to me. I like the idea of this exercise because its a physical visual, where you breath in and out slowly at the flame being careful not to blow it out. OMG its kinda like body doubling with fire??

-On opinions: "The 2nd hand smoke were choking on isn't just information overload. Its opinion overload. you likely ingested so many opinions in the past few years, and you felt like you had to somehow synthesize all of them, spit out your own opinion, and pray to god that no one yelled at your for being wrong". - remember that not all opinions are created equal eg, some people have more information, time, and resources. "most of us have good intentions. Most people want a better world but after reading so many opinions on the best way to build it, most peoples heads explode."

-The idea of the bare minimum list and the killing it list (for best and worst self)
- I love the different worms for the cognitive compost bin (I've put this in my obsidian)
-"Half finished projects, half pursued hobbies and half baked ideas become souvenirs of shame" - relatable
- The airborne vs bee borne curiosity visual was helpful and its nice to be reminded that for all the productivity hacks nothing is as important as curiosity.

CHAPTERS (jog your memory)

DOOM
- Gardening in hell (your mission)
- Fuel (yourself)
- Oxygen (your attention)
- Heat (your context)

GROUNDWORK
- Foundations (set your standards)
- Landscaping (engineer your environment)
-Cognitive compost (make your mindset)
- Water (filter your feed)
- Seeds vs weeds (choose your changes)

BLOOM
- Spring (curiosity)
-Summer (focus)
- Autumn (catharsis)
- Winter (rest)

[huhharry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely relevant to my life right now.

It’s great to hear, and put succinctly, the steps I need to take towards helping ease myself away from a pessimistic mindset. And also to be reminded again, with examples(!) the importance of rest. Hopefully going to avoid not only burnout now, but also falling into pessimism during this period of rest

Will also re-listen to chapters 11 and 12 soon, when I’m ready to start pushing forward on new projects! Going to try and make choices rather than be stuck always waiting for the perfect moment to begin :)

[Seasy Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

going into my all time favourite nonfiction books, it came at the perfect time in my life (doom)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for this book! One of my favorite YouTubers and an excellent artist

[Ian Cornelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, a creative hobby (or passion, hopefully) is something that every single person should have. It can be anything and you don’t even need to be good at it. The purpose of creativity does not always need to be to turn the results into a career, or sell it, or promote it. Creative endeavors exist solely for the individual to explore and express themselves, letting their mind wander safely and joyfully, through delightful experimentation and artistic experiments. Since quitting social media earlier this year (…except for Goodreads? Shit.), my headspace has undergone a renovation. I cleaned up the basement and added a few new windows. And from those changes sprouted a newfound appreciation for what’s around me and especially within me. My capacity to create has expanded and I find myself looking differently at so many things. Before even reading this book, I was already transitioning from Doom to Bloom, so you can imagine my excitement when this process was explained so beautifully.
Once more, Walker provides an incredible metaphor in this book. Supplemented with iconic drawings and relatable stories, the reader is taken on a digestible journey from overwhelmed panic to cathartic release. Starting from the bottom and working his way up, each step is helpful and distinct in their delivery and lessons. Taken on their own, they’re great, but organized in the way they are here gives an awesome blueprint for anyone stuck, constantly anxious, feeling like they need a change but they don’t know what. It takes time and effort, but those changes can be made. And if the outcome is something you created, then I’d like to see it.

[Mender · Rating 4 out of 5]

100% pair with Struthless' youtube channel, so you can mentally narrate it in his voice. Which is charming, idiosyncratic, and above all, kind. You fully believe that he believes in you, because he believes that no fuck-up is irreparable, and perfect isn't actually worth shooting for anyway. It's just as interesting to be unique and quirky.

Doom and Bloom starts from the perspective that most of us are stressed and close to burn-out, and that the step in creativity before "Make the Thing" is to get yourself from anxious-all-the-time, to feeling like you have enough security that it's ok to use your time to be creative. Which means starting by working on your foundations.

And then not getting stuck on that, but making sure you push through and actually plant the seeds you want to grow.

It's a friendly book with nice illustrations, and I liked it. Now I just need to follow-through on the step where I re-allocate my time a bit better. Sigh.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as self-help books go, this wasn't for me. It's a bit wordy and I'm more of the practical rather than the metaphorical type. Cam likes to use extended analogies and processes with many steps which lend themselves to elaborate diagrams. That's not really how my mind works but I think it could for other types of creatives.

I'm giving this book a high rating still because it itself is a work of art - the illustrations, the stories, the deep honesty and vulnerability. Also I was delighted and surprised to see an interaction with Sean Bonnette be featured in the book as an impactful anecdote - as an AJJ fan myself who's been to many shows, I've had very similar interactions :D

[Majenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best self-help book I’ve ever read!!!! Most books of this genre I find myself forcing my way through and wishing I just listened to a podcast about it… but this book!!!! Entertaining the whole way through, beautiful art and a BILLION tips and insights that are ALL. SO. GOOD. I want to reread it immediately. I want everyone to read this book. I want us all to be better and so does the author. Thank you :)

[Linds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shook loose all the pebbles I needed shooketh. More than once, I cried cathartic tears. The journey gets dark at times, and unexpectedly, so buckle up, but aren't we creatives drawn to darkness? Thanks to Cam for writing this (big fan of your YouTube!) and for sharing Tinman's story. Time to go out and do some shit.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really marvelous book. Campbell Walker has a way of saying things in an inventive or silly way that makes them actually stick in my brain. The bare minimum vs killing it to-do list idea blew my mind.

[hannah boniface · Rating 4 out of 5]

"in the words of albert camus, 'come to terms with death, thereafter anything is possible' and in the words of le snak, 'you can't have one without le other"

gifted by jake for my 25th!
i've loved struthless' content for years and years now and not to be parasocial, but his content makes me feel that i might be able to actually make something of my creative pursuits. doom and bloom is a book i think i'll come back to as well, it has so many good nuggets of creative information and it's so funny. it's a very unintimidating self help book which is something i love - i laughed out loud so much and this is one of the reasons why i really enjoyed it. you can be talking about really sad shit, but it's often disarmed with a joke which is the kiwi/australian dry humour coming through. cam isn't setting out to prove himself smarter than you but rather telling you what worked for him, so to pull us doomers up from the depths. i think it was also very validating reading a book about how fucked the internet is and how hard it is to avoid all the bad shit. internet slop has been prevalent for ages but it feels worse than ever and i'm as unhappy as ever with the state of ai, tik tok, beauty standards and the internet. so it's really nice to read some nuanced thoughts that i'm not the only one that fucking hates what the internet has become, and how much of my attention is up for sale.

"in a world where switching off is borderline antiestablishment, to pause is to say your attention is not for sale. in these moments your life isn't commodified, fought for, or fracked. it's all yours."

some parts of this book touched me to my soul and i felt really seen in moments about putting roadblocks in front of yourself because it's easier than doing hard things. if you're a creative person, i recommend engaging with struthless' content on youtube, it's so motivating to see someone putting in a whole lot of effort just because he loves it. our minds are all we have, so best to cultivate that shit now.

"doom is just a shape in the shadows, and shadows don't survive the spotlight. stare at it, interrogate it, poke it, prod it, and put it under big bright lights and watch doom vanish. and when it does, take a deep breath, and watch yourself Bloom."

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of Struthless so I’m probably biased. Someone who isn’t might find him a little irritating: this book relies heavily on metaphors and when you take them all together they can be clunky. The end felt a little strange, I got a bit lost among the clown poets, and the attempt to get me habituated into being fine with failure.

Anyway, in his videos, Cam often says to take what works and leave what doesn’t. What worked was the Dogman sculptor telling him to do one thing, rather than dabbling in everything. I’ve long looked at people with singular talents with deep envy: their life is just ballet. Only the violin. Simply basketball. Paintings in oils, nothing else. I paint a wide spectrum of disparate things; write horror stories and work in the public service.

So when Dogman tells a young Cam to - if he wants a career rather than a hobby - focus on one thing: for the sake of branding, cohesion, mastery and storytelling - this made so much sense.

I think the sticker price of the book was worth it for the tough-love talk of the elder statesman artist to neophyte Cam.

I’d been meaning to buy this book for some time and picked up a copy after Cam’s ‘drowning in debt’ video and GoFundMe came out. His community of fans came out to love and support him (including me). There were a couple of videos made to kick him while he’s down, to say - why is a guy who tries to give us so much advice such a fuck up?

So it’s time for me to tell a story: I’ve struggled with maths most of my life. My mum, however, doesn’t. It feels like she’s pre-loaded with calculator.exe and I’m missing the right chip. I remember her running me through how to solve a problem and being puzzled by my continued lack of understanding of something of which her grasp was natural.

In short, it’s easier to learn from someone who has struggled too.

[Yana Pu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've just put it down, without making it to chapter 3.

I love Cam's YouTube videos, and will continue to support him, but I caught myself thinking I'm really making all this effort to push through this book, just because I like the author's content and really not enjoying what I'm reading.

I whole-heartedly disagree that the opposite of creativity is the life-ending act. Essentially the whole thing is based on this statement, which could be result of Cam's experiences and world view. Which is not necessarily the whole truth.

This is easily backed by watching children play, or thinking about our childhood - we are the most creative when we're young and free, making things all the time for pure fun without thinking ever if it's genius or horrible. We're curious and playing around. And we (maybe with some sad exceptions) don't even fully grasp the concept of death or suicide in our childhood. It could not possibly be the opposite of creativity.

The opposite of creativity is inaction. The apathy. The lack of any energy to make stuff. The lack of will. When we're only taking (consuming) without giving (creating).

So while I was reading, I noticed that this book had the opposite effect on my creativity. It shrank my wings and taught me that as long as I'm pursuing this flow state, there's this monster on the opposite side of it. In reality, surrounded by creatives my whole life, being one myself - I've never even seen this monster's relation to creativity before. It may obviously be very real, but it's not to be expected.

This is the only reason I'm publishing this review, and it hurts to say such words about the author I care about, but If you, the reader, is going through this book, and the similar worldview is part of your reality, please, know that there are so many other options.

Your creativity does not depend on your darkness.

[Elettra Arazatah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine you’re old and grey, chilling on your deathbed, when a genie appears and grants you a wish. Before you die, the genie lets you relive one day of your life. For some reason you picked this very day: the one you’re living right now. Look around and try to figure out why.

Way to turn Nietzsche's demon on his head, and deliver amor fati into our hands, restored to their creative gifts.

What if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you:
‘This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more;
and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you,
all in the same succession and sequence — even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself.
The eternal hourglass of existence is turned over again and again — and you with it, speck of dust!’
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus?
Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him:
‘You are a god, and never have I heard anything more divine.’ The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs

Doom and Bloom is the kind of book that gets under your skin and plants gentle roots there.

[Emily Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no memory of why I raced out to buy this book, however, I am very glad I did! It took me a while to find the right moment to sit and absorb the book, but this is only a reflection of my life and its chaos. Having read through the glorious chapters and laughed at many illustrations, I am very glad for whatever curious inspiration sent me out to the bookstore that day :) Much of the wisdom in this book revolves around the benefits of curiosity and I am glad to anecdotally have proved this.

The metaphor of blooming and growing a garden from your life was timely for me, I’m spending more and more time among my garden and can visualise my life and events more clearly now as a result of this metaphor. I especially loved the seasonal metaphor that closes the book, as well as Tinman’s manifesto and the line in the book “what would we do if all we could do was fail?” That was freeing to consider.

I plan on rereading this again in a few weeks to remind myself of key bits of wisdom. Hopefully I’ll be able to say I kept thinking about the book, composting some of the tidbits and be ready to get planting seeds in my composted soils.

[Sergey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much needed light touch on serious and messy subjects.

I'm currently in the "Internet evolved while my life devolved and I'm only truly noticing years later" phase.

With that, I grabbed 3 reads this month - Doom and Bloom, Filterworld and Dopamine Nation, as they caught my attention in the sea of noise, and I must say, this book is the sweet part of the cocktail, and they mix great!

The author really takes a 'good talk with a good friend in a relaxed setting' approach and I'm all for it. The humor related to heavy topics mixes well the intuitive and simple yet effective ideas for living a more conscious lifestyle and getting out of a creative rut, with fun illustrations as well.

Overall, I'm left with some solid ideas, notes, and I really got emotional towards the end of the book here, and I thank the Tinman for that manifesto :)

Definitely check this one out if you feel like the noise is too much too handle these days.

[Holly Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit, I preferred your head is a houseboat. BUT, I still loved this. (my uncoherent and unconnected thoughts below)

This clearly meant a lot to Campbell and a lot of time and love went into this and it is so deeply personal, however it can still apply to so many people.

This isn't the type of book I would typically pick up but unfortunately I would buy literally anything Struthless would sell (rip bank ballance if he ever decides to release clothes again).

I think there is some really fantastic tips on staying positive and keeping the motivation to live and create in this book. And it is explained in such a easy and accessible way which is what I also loved about YHIAH.


I do wish there were some more of the illustrations, but I imagine they are so much work I understand why they are dialed back in this one but I love his artsytle so much its a shame there wasn't more.

[Granny Swithins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being generous here, it was more of a 3.5 for me. I love Campbell's YouTube channel, and felt that I wanted this book to have more of a flavour of his existing content. It's still a good read, particularly if the idea of creativity as a survival tool is new to you, or you're starting out on your creative journey. However, I've found a lot of Cam's videos and journalling techniques to be really useful, perhaps more useful than the ones he gives in the book. I'm guessing he maybe felt the need to create entirely new content for the book but I'd advocate that he really didn't need to, his fans would have been accepting of a few re-runs of particular favourites. It's a tricky balance, it can feel like a rip-off if a creator's book consists entirely of pre-existing content, but fans are generally also happy to hear a few of the greatest hits mixed in with the new stuff.

[Gus · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is hard to see the bloom from the doom, but Walker gives us a first hand account of what it means (and how) to break the cycle.

I like to think of myself as an accomplished and competent man. I like to think I am happy.
However, despite this self proclaimed happiness, I came to an odd conclusion.
I can be happier.

I have been on a difficult ten year self improvement journey and I'm all but on the other side. But reading this book made me realise that despite how level I think I am right now, I can still go up.

The author speaks from a space of experience, but does not preach from a high horse. He keeps an entertaining and engaging pace and structures the book beautifully. I recommend this book no matter where you are on your journey to improvement, and even if you're not on one.

[Ian Abbott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered Cam through YouTube, as I’m sure most of his readers did. I love his videos and he’s been truly inspirational for my own creative journey this year. I was happy to pick up his book to support his work, and while it wasn’t a flawless read, I did enjoy it. It touches on many of the same themes as his videos, and even many of the same content/stories entirely. A few parts felt a little superfluous if you’re well familiar with his videos, but the book at least brings a unique framing to his message. Not all the passages resonated, and the metaphors were occasionally strained, but he’s a talented, expressive, and funny artist, and it’s always enjoyable to spend time with his work in any form.

[Zee Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I know I’ll come back to a few more times in my life, squashed full of so many little parts that I hope to unravel at a later date. I think what struck me most about this book was that it captures this moment in time pretty perfectly, the world we’re living in and what it’s like to stop and question that world. It’s comforting to know that some of the things I feel are felt by others. Cam, this book is brilliant and I hope that I can add another to your collection of works that are growing on my bookshelf (when you’re good and ready, no pressure!)

(No spoilers here, dw) but the ending… wow. I did tear up and I know I’ll flick to the back pages whenever I need a nudge. Brilliant stuff. Healing words. Thank you for this.

[Jackie Warburton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous. Loved his first book and this was even better. Campbell’s writing voice is the same as his speaking voice, so if you’ve ever watched one of his YouTube videos you’ll be familiar with his turn of phrase. This book was heartfelt and so practical and so engaging!

The book is basically a how-to on getting out of a rut and getting it done. The whole book is full of gorgeous metaphors and the chapters and sections are all set out under these headings. It’s interweaved with stories from his own life that make the message meaningful.

Filled with colourful illustrations it’s a pleasure for your eyes as you turn the pages. There are ‘action pages’ throughout with prompts for you to take a break and write down your own introspections.

A wholly uplifting read.

[Dessi Toncheva (DT) · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐️ This is exactly what I (and I suspect so many of us) needed! A book focusing, simply, practically, and in a fun, deep and engaging way in one of the biggest issues of our time: drowning in information, negativity, social media and how we can still foster our creativity and zest for life.

Through an effective mix of a well-though out metaphorical framework, touching vulnerable personal stories, anecdotes, examples, adapt metaphors, illustrations, literature and history, and specific exercises this book tackles its matter in such a fun, gentle and effective way.

As a therapist, and a creative human, I cannot recommend this enough!!!

[Deorwynn Winteroak · Rating 5 out of 5]

The advice given here isn't new, but instead it's presented in a way that is unique and very topical. I've seen some reviewers here that say they couldn't get past the first couple of chapters because it's stuff you've heard before. sometimes you have to hear something a certain way or from a certain person to make sense. and if you can't get past the first couple of chapters you miss the most impactful (for me personally) parts of the book. This is a great book and full of beautiful and drawn art. ❤️

[Taryn Moreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the YouTuber Struthless, and this book encapsulates what I love about him so much. It’s a book that acknowledges and gets into how dark life can get while opting for the best possible outcome anyway.

I definitely need to reread and take my time with each part of this book because it’s full of excellent actionable advice to help you thrive creatively and in general even when everything feels like a dumpster fire.

A must-read for any creative struggling to create because life or the world sucks.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another life-changing masterpiece from Struthless 👏 Cam is seriously one of the smartest and most creative people on the internet right now. Everything he makes resonates with me so deeply (like the Corridor Theory in the Spring chapter and Something Over Nothing in the Summer chapter, which had me by the fucking throat, fighting for my life 🙈) and I absolutely adore his approach to art and life. I know I'll be revisiting both of his books over and over again!

[Darren Lipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is powerful and raw, comical yet full of serious advice for approaching the world we live in and not just surviving it, but thriving in it. The exercises are simple to follow, yet deeply illuminating. The anecdotes are personal and poignant, each of them full of humor as well as being deeply touching. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

[Michael Walley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creatives struggling with inner demons will find this book deeply inspirational. Using his own experiences, the author explores the challenges to creativity and offers paths to overcome them. Life presents challenges without easy answers, yet understanding them is key to moving on; this book helps you do just that.