Your Brain Needs a Hug: Life, Love, Mental Health, and Sandwiches

by Rae Earl

Imbued with a sense of humor, understanding, and hope, Your Brain Needs a Hug is a judgment-free guide for living well with your mind.

My Mad Fat Diary author Rae Earl offers her personalized advice on the A to Zs of mental health, social media, family and friendship. When she was a teenager, Rae dealt with OCD, anxiety, and an eating disorder, but she survived, and she thrived.

Your Brain Needs a Hug is filled with her friendly advice, coping strategies and laugh-out-loud moments to get you through the difficult days. Witty, honest, and enlightening, this is the perfect read for feeling happier and healthier and learning to navigate life without feeling overwhelmed or isolated.

An Imprint Book

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Mental Health, Psychology, Humor, Mental Illness, Health

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2019

About the author

I come from Stamford in Lincolnshire. It’s where a lot of TV and films are shot because it hasn’t changed much in 500 years. My childhood was like most people’s – a mixture of lovely and very odd. Lovely because I spent a lot of time with good friends, music and tadpoles. Odd because I spent a lot of time worrying about everything – like war, murderers and poisonous mushrooms (don’t ask). I was a bit weird. Like we all are.

After school I went to Hull University to study English Literature – which I LOVED. At that point the government actually still gave you money to study – so I GOT PAID to READ BOOKS for 3 years. I then worked in radio for 15 years. Firstly as the person who makes the adverts (all those annoying jingles that stay in your head for DAYS – that’s me!) Secondly as a breakfast presenter. I got to interview lots of famous boy bands and once nearly broke Cheryl Cole’s chair on stage. We don’t talk about that. I got in trouble. I’ve always written things but most of them were actually slightly rubbish. Or they were about people and I never wanted them to see it. I don’t think I was any good at writing till I was 35 and that was after a lot of practice.
I have a shed in my back garden I go to. It’s full of brilliant things – like a mini stable and horses, loads of stationery and a giant old railway station clock (slight ‘Dr.Who’ vibe). My first book ‘My Mad, Fat Diary’ was published a few years ago. Hattie is my third. My second is potentially the best book ever written since Shakespeare – but I can’t make it work so at the moment it’s just a bit rubbish. I haven’t given up hope though.

Reviews

[Pamela N. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but in the end I must be fair and honest. The overall impression I have is that Rae Earl is quite enthusiastic about the psychological assistance she's received and benefitted from, although the time of resentment authority figures is omnipresent. Its clear she's not a teenager, so it confused me as to why she thought she was qualified to write a book on brain health for this group.
She's capitalized on her shortcomings and found a way to make an income writing poorly edited, often incoherent material.
I got the impression that the author wants YOU to feel better through juxtaposing yourself next to her.
After sharing some passages with credentialed, authorized, licensed people the consensus is that this book could possibly cause harm, except it is so blatantly obvious how messed up the author is. ("Messed up" is not my opinion, but the author's, who states this very often in case one cannot deduce this independently.) The only credential was one line identifying a doctor who then was relegated to "Dr. R." (Dr. Radha) No background was given for this person, except to say "years of experience." This could be Doctor of Divinity for all I know.
It was incredibly problematic for the genuine "experts" to define criteria of different diagnoses found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by people in the field of psychology, and yet, the author glibly describes a narrow window of psychological problems, uses false analogies, and oversimplifies incredibly complex problems.
The author has no psychological background except her own therapies. She attempts to hijack future criticisms of this book by saying negative feedback for writing the book is what she's afraid of, then acknowledges this may be seen as manipulating [it is], and then, oh, what the heck, so it is, so what.
I also find it interesting that the first personal acknowledgement occurs on page 11, and the one for Dr. R is on page 21. The first one is glowing and the second seem obligatory.
Her promise of brain caring is not met. The majority of what is not personal declarations is material anyone can Google.
The reason people who offer advice to others are required to have licenses is to provide social damage control. Some people who give advice without licenses are: fortune tellers and mediums, relatives and friends, charlatans. Good intentions do not make skills.
There are some concrete problems with this book that positivity, good intentions, or confidence cannot override. There is misinformation, skewed information, and disordered thoughts, and often, incoherence. Also, there's extensive OVERUSE OF CAPITALIZATION, and EXCLAMATIONS!!! The tone of the book is not youthful, but immature. It is postmodernism in the extreme. For the time and money the reader is better off with nearly any other book.

[Silly Goose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your Brain Needs a Hug: ★★★★.5
*Part 2 of Taylor Swift Readathon: Fearless*

Out of context but, why do non-fiction books always have titles that are like nine paragraphs long?

So first of all, this book is loads of fun. Cute little puppy illustrations and some of the greatest analogies I have ever heard. A lot of the book itself is stating the obvious, but it's all stuff I needed to hear and all-in-all I'm glad I read it. I even read the parts that don't apply to me and I feel a whole lot more educated on some super important topics.

Usually when people talk about mental health and illnesses and whatnot, I find it's all very "treat them like fragile puppies" and "never ever treat someone with a mental illness as if they're actually human" which I'll bet ticks a lot of people off. However Rae Earl says it like it is and she GETS IT.

Finally, I would like to quote the best advice I read from this book that many people need to hear:
"If someone has different political views, don't let it stop you from being friends."

IMAGINE SOCIETY IF EVERYONE HEARD THAT. IMAGINE.

[Melissa Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Your Brain Needs a Hug: Life, Love, Mental Health, and Sandwiches," by Rae Earl, first published in 2019, showed up on my local library's "New YA" shelf, so on a whim I grabbed it and checked it out.

This book is delightful! Part memoir, part nonfiction, part self-help guide, this book is a loving, humorous handbook on modern mental health, primarily written for teenage girls, but even as an adult, I found this book informative and useful. The text is pithy, succinct, and frequently made me smile. Reading this book definitely made me feel happy; the text is certainly the mental equivalent of receiving a hug.

Ms. Earl is not a medical professional, a point she makes quite clear in the opening pages, and she states that this book is not meant to replace or surpass professional medical treatment. "Your Brain Needs a Hug" is intended to be an accessible, humorous handbook for mental health information, and it performs that job very well. There are chapters on phobias, anxiety, OCD, psychosis, self-harm, depression, eating disorders, and many more.

Five stars. A great read for its intended audience (young adults) as well as any adult who is interested in basic mental health information written in a very accessible format. Highly recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway).

So when I added this book to my "currently reading" shelf, something interesting happened. It said I was also "currently reading" another one of Rae Earl's books titled It's All In Your Head. Upon clicking on that title, I found the same reviews and description for Your Brain Needs a Hug. It would appear that It's All In Your Head was published in 2017 but then publishers? Earl herself? thought some rebranding was in order and so Your Brain Needs a Hug is supposed to be more suitable for teens.

Overall, I thought this was a fun, cute little nonfiction read about mental health for teenagers. That being said, it's probably not the best/most serious resource out there for someone who is truly struggling on a day to day basis. (I do appreciate that Earl listed additional resources in the back of her book).

The only thing that ever irked me about the writing/style of the book was that there were times when Earl would repeat herself. Word for word, line for line, in numerous chapters. There was also a focus/push for people to "seek professional help", which was also a little daunting because it started to seem like the underlying message to every problem. Some teens have a difficult time speaking to adults/are afraid of the stigma of professional help/flat out cannot afford it. So I think providing more resources on maybe taking steps to seeking professional help would have been useful.

[Kaity ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I continue on my personal and emotional journey to understand myself better, I am grateful to come across gems such as these. I related so much to Rae Earl’s story and I really like how the information was presented. Straight forward, engaging, and both serious yet light hearted. This book was like having a conversation with an incredibly understanding and non-judgmental friend and then having a nice hug afterward to let you know it’s going to be okay. I even got to share information with my parents that I related to in this book. Even though this book is more so geared toward teens, the information is incredible valuable. I found this a very enlightening read. ❤️

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never felt so seen by a book. Exactly my type of humor and had so many emotions and experiences that I fully identified with while reading. I would absolutely recommend to anyone attempting to understand their own mental health or that of a loved one. While I don't know that there was many solutions offered, just knowing that someone else out there has felt the same way and was able to express it in words was so therapeutic for me. Currently buying my own copy of this book so I can re-read whenever needed and share with friends.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author touched on waaay too many topics, so the advice just felt very general and vague. Maybe if she had chosen just a few mental illnesses to focus on writing about as opposed to trying to tackle nearly ALL of them it would've been better? I was also left wondering why the author was credible...I do not mean for that to sound as mean as it does, but like...she's not even a doctor. So...why do I care? I know this is Teen Non-Fiction, but I would have wanted and expected more from this even when I was in the age group of the target audience. Eh.

[Dax · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and informative read that I highly recommend for all teens and adults alike. While much of it is cartered to teens Rae has this brilliant way of honing in on important subjects and offering solid nonjudgmental advice that never comes across as condescending.

[Samantha Lehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reminded me of Dear Dumb Diary (in a bad way, unfortunately)

I decided to read this book because I kept seeing the same man on different days in different parts of the city reading it, and I really hope he enjoyed it

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read filled with relatable, quippy anecdotes taken from Earl's own firsthand experiences and the experiences of those close to her. I really appreciated that it doesn't pretend to be the only book one needs to understand how to handle mental health in all its instability.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I applaud the author's honesty about her own issues, and I appreciate the fact that she really stresses that mental illness is not something to be ashamed of. She gives a short overview of symptoms, and of different coping techniques. She also stresses talking to someone and getting help. This is obviously important, but I think a teen reading this might actually get sick of hearing it on every other page. It is one of those things that is difficult, because most kids have already heard that they should talk to someone-- they have been told this over and over. But if they are not ready. or don't have a safe person, the constant reminders in the book may begin to seem off-putting, or just one more thing nagging them. It's such a fine line when trying to convince someone to reach out for help.

I thought the comic-like drawings and repetition made the book veer young. I taught middle school for years, and this seems like a resource that kids that age could use. Older teens may not get as much out of this book.

The best part of the book was when she described a bad relationship, and listed the things that controlling partners do, and how they make you feel. So many young people get stuck in these situations because they haven't learned to recognize the warning signs of a bad relationship, and it is something that anyone new to dating should be taught.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Your Brain Needs a Hug by Rae Earl, 273 pages. NON-FICTION. Imprint (Macmillan), 2019. $13.

Language: R (25 swears, 0 “f” + British swears); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Earl is open, vulnerable, and candid as she talks about her experiences with anxiety, eating disorders, therapy, and more. While she does not have any degrees in psychology, Earl has felt helpless, belittled, and worthless. You are not alone, and you are strong enough to overcome whatever you are dealing with.

I enjoyed reading a non-clinical and very real view of mental health and other issues we all struggle with. Earl’s book is easy to read because she writes conversationally, as if she’s in the room with you and not simply talking at an imagined audience. Overall, there is some good advice here as well as things to think about (my favorite chapter is the one on self-esteem), but this is not a guide for everyone because they are based on Earl’s personal experiences. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, mentions of sex and molesting, nudity on a page of illustration, and a discussion of masturbation. The violence rating is for mentions of violent outbursts, self harm, and abuse.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Angeline Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Immature, oversimplified, and insipid insights on a serious range of topics.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover and title will probably make readers smile, and the contents offer plenty of helpful advice about how to deal with mental health. Drawing on her own experiences with OCD, anxiety, and even an eating disorder, the author shares some of her ups and downs and how she keeps herself centered. Her messages are encouraging and downright empowering and offer hope for many readers who find themselves unable to cope with life's challenges. From proper eating to breathing exercises and guidance in making the right choices, Rae Earl serves up heaping helpings of mental health first aid in this book's pages. There isn't a single one of us out here who can't benefit from reading this book. She even offers advice about how to be less connected and dependent on social media, how to say no, and ways to stave off the need for perfectionism. Perhaps most importantly, the author reminds readers that expecting a relationship to save you or make you better is unrealistic. There are also illustrations included in the book that will amuse and inform readers. I felt better about myself just from reading the book and savoring the author's distinctive writing voice. After all, as she points out, it isn't necessary that anyone try to live their life to please others. The ultimate idea here is to be comfortable in one's own skin, whether one is an introvert or an extrovert. Life always presents challenges. They're simply unavoidable. This book offers useful ideas for facing those challenges and emerging safe and sound and ready for the next ones.

[The Garden of Eden✨]

I’m not rating this but I’ll give my thoughts 💭

1) This was enjoyable enough ig. I’ve picked it up & put it down so many times bc I hadn’t been in the right headspace to hear certain things at the time. Now, reading it ab two years later, it’s just kinda there. It exists, yk.

2) I appreciate how much Rae Earl stresses to the audience that neither she, nor this book, are a mental health professional/substitute for a mental health professional. She makes it very clear that this is strictly her writing about her experiences and what she’s learned from her life. She tells the audience many MANY times to seek professional help.

3) This book is best suited for teenagers, it’s definitely fitting in the YA self-help genre. Bc a ww wrote this, there’s not anything particularly helpful for those of us who aren’t yt or cis, so just be aware of that. It’s a good entry point into learning more ab mental health, but it’s not at all meant to be academic.

4) I need more authors to make playlists for their stories/projects. Rae’s “Dr. Pop” playlist was all over the place, but it had HITS!!

Overall, this had some solid reminders & mantras for me to apply while taking care of myself as we get into the new semester, but that’s ab all I got from it. I’m sure some ppl will get much, much more out of this book than I did, so I would recommend it to certain ppl.

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Language: R (25 swears, 0 “f” + British swears); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
Earl is open, vulnerable, and candid as she talks about her experiences with anxiety, eating disorders, therapy, and more. While she does not have any degrees in psychology, Earl has felt helpless, belittled, and worthless. You are not alone, and you are strong enough to overcome whatever you are dealing with.
I enjoyed reading a non-clinical and very real view of mental health and other issues we all struggle with. Earl’s book is easy to read because she writes conversationally, as if she’s in the room with you and not simply talking at an imagined audience. Overall, there is some good advice here as well as things to think about (my favorite chapter is the one on self-esteem), but this is not a guide for everyone because they are based on Earl’s personal experiences. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, mentions of sex and molesting, nudity on a page of illustration, and a discussion of masturbation. The violence rating is for mentions of violent outbursts, self harm, and abuse.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/

[Gemini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this book is really amusing, I really got a kick out of it. There was so many facets of this book that make you think. Even though this book was tagged as for teens, it is still useful for adults & also makes it easier to get through. I actually found it pretty useful. Sometimes you don't always realize what is going on until you actually have some thought process around it to get through some layers. She discusses her issues & how she managed to get over the hurdles she struggled with. Of course life is never easy, but you usually have to make the best of it somehow. What works for certain people won't work for everyone but still good to know there are options in being able to come up solutions to help guide you. It's nice to see the honesty she portrays in the book so it makes it that much more real & finding a connection. You are not by yourself in your struggles/hardships. You may be able to gain some insight into yourself too, to me that's a bonus. It has all these illustrations that are pretty funny & on point. It's nice to see the humor she brings to the book too which makes it that more fun to read.

[Kimberly Ollison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rae Earl's "Your Brain Needs a Hug" is more than just a book; it’s making the world a better place… at least for some who needs to know they aren’t alone in this illness. This book serves as a beacon of understanding and support, particularly for those who struggle and need to feel understood. With chapters on OCD, Psychosis, Depression, and Anxiety, the book addresses these serious topics with the depth they require and the empathy sufferers need. It's written in a way that anyone, regardless of their background in mental health, can understand and find solace in.
The illustrations are great too.
The structure and titles of the chapters are particularly impactful, with one title quoting a phrase my loved one uses often. Moved by the book's power, I've purchased four copies—one for my dear one to use and highlight in and others to gift. I think it could even be a tool for self advocacy.

Thank you, Rae Earl, for this golden resource. I highly recommend "Your Brain Needs a Hug" to anyone involved in mental health—professionally or personally—as it is sure to enlighten, comfort, and aid.

Available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aJmEVI

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as an ARC from the North Texas Teen Book Festival from the publisher. I have/had no idea who Rae Earl is so it took a little while to penetrate that she's a famous author with a British following.

The writing can only be described as madcap. I love the advice, having gone through similar problems myself, but I cannot use it with my 6th grade class. *sigh* The writing is solid and comforting. I think one of the problems of growing up is the intense loneliness one feels because "no one else could possibly understand." She does and she lets the reader know.

I'm going to drop this off at a Little Free Library because maybe some teen who needs it will find it and it will help them. I wish I could use it in class.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be “YA”, but as a 32 year old adult female I can shout from the mountain tops how much this book has helped me. She goes into great length that she’s not a medical professional, she’s simply sharing her experience. Well, I found it extremely helpful in realizing holy shit I do the exact same things. Catastrophic thinking anyone? Anxiety is such an overused term, but I genuinely didn’t understand what it truly was. Her experience with anxiety AND OCD was such a crystal clear a ha moment, that yes I do struggle daily with these issues. Having that lightbulb moment, I now am ABLE to identify and work on minimizing these detrimental burdens. I can happily say that I’ve tried some of her strategies and have come out on the other side. Thank you so much for writing this book, and for anyone dealing with anxiety and OCD, this is must read. Even if you’re a grown ass adult.

[Maddie]

Rae Earl takes you through your brain and the mental health concerns that might pop up for someone. She goes through anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, OCD, psychosis, self-harm, depression, social media, self-esteem, drugs/alcohol, parents and friendship. She explains things in a no-nonsense way well still delivering a plethora of information. The tips and tricks are things you can actually do to help your mental health.

I love this book, I wish it was around when I was a teen I know I could have used a lot of the advice and information in here. I appreciate at the end the inclusion of websites and books that can further assist the reader. A great book for high schoolers and older who are struggling with their mental health.

[Keisha Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Says it's for teenagers (which I am not) but seems more written for the 10-15 max age group. It does touch on several different mental health illnesses and common struggles for younger teens, but I think the overly cutesty trying to be funny writing would have come off as patronizing when I was a teen.

Strangely it doesn't cover school difficulties at all. Another thing missing is what to do when you have no friends at all- many suggestions for dealing with the mental illnesses was to involve your support system.

It also seemed a bit reckless to essentially tell a struggling child to get advice and support from another struggling child.

An okay intro to some uncomfortable topics, but better to read this one before issues arise, rather than during.

[Kabrina Mata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone struggling with their mental health. It touches on a lot of different mental illnesses/ situations, and gives great tips on how to navigate through them so that you can get on the right path to be the best you. I related to a lot in this book, and the information in it was very valuable.. definitely motivated me and encouraged me to try some things I’ve never tried before- to better myself/ “give my brain a hug” 🥹
Might not be for everyone, but personally I enjoyed it & would recommend it. There were some sections I skipped/ skimmed through only because they don’t pertain to me and wouldn’t really be of any help, but most of the book/ the sections that did pertain to me, helped for sure.

[Kei]

I'm not rating this book since it's mostly about the author's experience with mental health issues and how they think it's best to challenge them. This was also a gift, I am someone who suffers with Depression, Anxiety and Panic attacks, so I really appreciated the gesture and some of the advice in this. However, as this is targeted for a much younger audience, there were some parts that really didn't work or applied to me and the stage I am in life. Also, this author heavily relies on the health system and as someone who comes from a country with a dire healthcare system, it is difficult to say that someone young and without the help of a stable familial support could actually get the help they need.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

**goodreads giveaway recipient**

While this may not be especially deep and medical and researched, it covers many mental health topics and subtopics. And it is great! Written for teenagers/young-adults in a silly/serious and self-deprecating/self-confident mash-up, I think it will be helpful to a lot of people. Sometimes when you’re in the midst of the darkest times, you need to hear that someone else has been there and survived. And constant reminders that you are loved and important don’t hurt either!

Thank you for my copy! Love this!

[Karen Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consider this work for teenagers and young adults. It provides tips and suggestions for all types of anxiety issues and for typical mental struggles but in very positive, upbeat ways. A fun cartoon is added to each section. I think this is a helpful guide for anyone of any age struggling with mental difficulties. It acknowledges the difficulties, but it also provides suggestions and solutions. The overall message is tomorrow is another day. Let's see what happens. Just keep going. Don't give up.
It handles complex real issues without minimizing them.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be absolutely useful to teens, especially anxious teens. I can see how adults reading it would think it's too simplistic and in need of actual science and a credentialed author, but a lot of teens have never bothered to read a self-help book and this is an excellent introduction to the concept that brains need maintenance and it's okay to ask for help. I'll definitely be recommending this one.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written for young adults, "Your Brain Needs A Hug" is applicable to adults, too. Rae Earl has a good sense of humor. The writing reflects that. This is a gentle, funny, smart explanation of mental health issues, eating disorders and addiction that touches on social media, self-esteem, friendship, sex, drugs, and more. It's a guide, as well, to steer people to help, both self-help and professional, for those problems. I loved it and learned a few thing, too.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted a book to counter the one that I just read from the clinical perspective and this was great. It looked at the brain from a different angle and it did give some real insight from someone who has had some struggles with how her brain worked. It was enlightening to see inside another brain as they went through their own stuff. It also was written very conversationally so that it was an easy quick read.

[Elana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a sufferer of generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and social anxiety, I found this book very helpful and useful. This book is packed with helpful tips and laugh-out-loud humor. This also touches on subjects like relationships, sex, friendships, parents, and social media.