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Everything Begins With Asking for Help
A mental health manual for the modern age.
An honest guide to depression and anxiety, from rock bottom to recovery, from someone who has been through it and come out the other side.
Everything Begins with Asking for Help is a frank, insightful and thought-provoking book on mental health, drawing on the author's own experience of a severe mental breakdown and sharing the recovery tools he has developed in partnership with various medical professionals and mental health experts.
Kevin shares his own story to give the book a vital human element, explaining how his fast-paced life in Berlin as a successful magazine journalist was brought to a sudden halt by a major depressive episode. In this dark time, Kevin reached out to friends for help and it was that act - asking for help - that set him on the long road to recovery.
Building on this narrative, Kevin leads the reader through the stages of asking for help, learning to listen, the physical, emotional and mental elements of recovery, and how to maintain stable mental health at home and at work. Written with warmth, honesty and compassion, this is is a valuable resource for anyone who needs help and doesn't know where to begin.
An honest guide to depression and anxiety, from rock bottom to recovery, from someone who has been through it and come out the other side.
Everything Begins with Asking for Help is a frank, insightful and thought-provoking book on mental health, drawing on the author's own experience of a severe mental breakdown and sharing the recovery tools he has developed in partnership with various medical professionals and mental health experts.
Kevin shares his own story to give the book a vital human element, explaining how his fast-paced life in Berlin as a successful magazine journalist was brought to a sudden halt by a major depressive episode. In this dark time, Kevin reached out to friends for help and it was that act - asking for help - that set him on the long road to recovery.
Building on this narrative, Kevin leads the reader through the stages of asking for help, learning to listen, the physical, emotional and mental elements of recovery, and how to maintain stable mental health at home and at work. Written with warmth, honesty and compassion, this is is a valuable resource for anyone who needs help and doesn't know where to begin.
- GenresNonfictionPsychology
208 pages, Paperback
Published September 3, 2019
14 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 15, 2020
The book, as a story, was great quality. The book, as a guide for those currently suffering/possibly on the verge of or aftermath of a breakdown, not so good. This is why: When suffering from mental illness, the simplest of tasks seem daunting. You are faced with constant overwhelm. In these times, you need simplicity. The book is extremely detailed (too detailed to be simple) and written in quite small text with tight spacing. This visual would immediately put
some off even starting. I understand that mental illness is anything but simple, but when affected, you do need to feel like you are not being jammed with too much information, and information that isn’t all over the place. The author, being a writer and editor of many years, perhaps forgets that he wants the book to be accessible to the majority of people. I’m an English graduate, and I had to look up some of the words and phrases he used. At times, it seems completely unnecessary to use these words and especially the French phrases. This is supposed to be a book on mental illness and how to overcome it, but I feel like he also tries to educate us on philosophy, languages, and other such things. It can come across as ‘showing off’ although clearly not his intention. Considering its subject, it’s all a bit ... too much. Now, on to the good things.
There is such variety in this story, that you certainly won’t be short of ideas for how to care for yourself. Although in danger of having so many choices you could shut down and not try any of them, it could work the other way and provide you with lots of ideas if your current regime isn’t working. He gives practical advice too, shares advice from professionals and friends (sometimes both) and lists phone numbers you can call for help. This is all important stuff.
The book is broken down into three parts: Rock Bottom, Recovery, and Mental Health (meaning, ‘good’ mental health and how to stay there). This helps in breaking down the information and also pulling the information together as a whole. There is a page or two of suggested readings at the back, which I love, including some of the texts he mentions in the body of the book.
In summary, the book has been branded as a ‘guide’ when really, to me, it’s an autobiography with bits of practical advice. It is too much of an information overload to help someone who is genuinely in a crisis, and not as structured as it could be. On the other hand, it is honest, mostly down-to-earth and helpful in lots of places. For those who are willing to put in the time to read this, and are not in an immediate crisis situation, there are benefits you will be sure to reap. A unique read amongst what is currently available in the genre.
some off even starting. I understand that mental illness is anything but simple, but when affected, you do need to feel like you are not being jammed with too much information, and information that isn’t all over the place. The author, being a writer and editor of many years, perhaps forgets that he wants the book to be accessible to the majority of people. I’m an English graduate, and I had to look up some of the words and phrases he used. At times, it seems completely unnecessary to use these words and especially the French phrases. This is supposed to be a book on mental illness and how to overcome it, but I feel like he also tries to educate us on philosophy, languages, and other such things. It can come across as ‘showing off’ although clearly not his intention. Considering its subject, it’s all a bit ... too much. Now, on to the good things.
There is such variety in this story, that you certainly won’t be short of ideas for how to care for yourself. Although in danger of having so many choices you could shut down and not try any of them, it could work the other way and provide you with lots of ideas if your current regime isn’t working. He gives practical advice too, shares advice from professionals and friends (sometimes both) and lists phone numbers you can call for help. This is all important stuff.
The book is broken down into three parts: Rock Bottom, Recovery, and Mental Health (meaning, ‘good’ mental health and how to stay there). This helps in breaking down the information and also pulling the information together as a whole. There is a page or two of suggested readings at the back, which I love, including some of the texts he mentions in the body of the book.
In summary, the book has been branded as a ‘guide’ when really, to me, it’s an autobiography with bits of practical advice. It is too much of an information overload to help someone who is genuinely in a crisis, and not as structured as it could be. On the other hand, it is honest, mostly down-to-earth and helpful in lots of places. For those who are willing to put in the time to read this, and are not in an immediate crisis situation, there are benefits you will be sure to reap. A unique read amongst what is currently available in the genre.
February 12, 2020
Just so raw, honest and helpful.
I have not personally hit rock bottom, but I have many loved ones who have and are still there, this book has been so golden in helping me understand people's minds better and how it's not an easy process to pick you self back up.
I am in full belief that we all experience depressive and anxious moments or episodes, so in reality need you be clinically diagnosed or not, if you pay attention you will see moments you've hit a rough patch and had to pick yourself up.
This book has just added to my knowledge and understanding of how we navigate through life, when it does hit you hard how to pick yourself up and how to just find a level of peace with being "ok", instead of always having to be on a "high".
I highly recommend this book to everyone. Some things were simply not taught to us as kids, but is our responsibility to teach ourselves with books like these.
I have not personally hit rock bottom, but I have many loved ones who have and are still there, this book has been so golden in helping me understand people's minds better and how it's not an easy process to pick you self back up.
I am in full belief that we all experience depressive and anxious moments or episodes, so in reality need you be clinically diagnosed or not, if you pay attention you will see moments you've hit a rough patch and had to pick yourself up.
This book has just added to my knowledge and understanding of how we navigate through life, when it does hit you hard how to pick yourself up and how to just find a level of peace with being "ok", instead of always having to be on a "high".
I highly recommend this book to everyone. Some things were simply not taught to us as kids, but is our responsibility to teach ourselves with books like these.
January 7, 2020
I have bought this book for a couple of people now – both for people struggling with anxiety and depression and for people who have loved ones going through it. It contains some really good tips and advice for people going through a similar thing.
June 7, 2020
Part memoir, part self help book, Kevin explains how he "recovered" (he will not like me using that word, he spends a lot of the book deconstructing labels) from a breakdown that was brought on by years of anxieties, existential questions, work pressures, alcoholism, life dramas...
His therapist who was some sort of Freudian psychoanalyst who would sit there and never offered any suggestions was rubbish & just took poor Kev's money for 10 years. He never admits that his therapy was a bad idea and I'm sure it helped him in some way when he was worrying about the meaning of life. However he did find himself lying on the pavement in Berlin contemplating suicide so it can't have done him that much good.
Despite this he managed to pull himself out of despair with a multi-disciplinary trial & error approach of: talking, exercise, ritual, writing, habit formation, sobriety, study, reading, thinking, spirituality, Tony Robins, chopping up wood, shadow boxing and anything else he could think of.
This is illustrated best by the further reading section of 44 books. Three of which are psychology books (2 of which are by Freud & 1 is on ACT therapy). The rest are categorised into: Psychology & Philosophy, Gender, Faith & Spirituality and Narrative.
In my experience most books say “do this, do that, here are 100+ CBT exercises.. enjoy” but this book is more a philosophy on how to recover by trying different things, accepting that not everything will work out and that is okay. You just need to find what works for you. Which I find to be a refreshing approach.
His therapist who was some sort of Freudian psychoanalyst who would sit there and never offered any suggestions was rubbish & just took poor Kev's money for 10 years. He never admits that his therapy was a bad idea and I'm sure it helped him in some way when he was worrying about the meaning of life. However he did find himself lying on the pavement in Berlin contemplating suicide so it can't have done him that much good.
Despite this he managed to pull himself out of despair with a multi-disciplinary trial & error approach of: talking, exercise, ritual, writing, habit formation, sobriety, study, reading, thinking, spirituality, Tony Robins, chopping up wood, shadow boxing and anything else he could think of.
This is illustrated best by the further reading section of 44 books. Three of which are psychology books (2 of which are by Freud & 1 is on ACT therapy). The rest are categorised into: Psychology & Philosophy, Gender, Faith & Spirituality and Narrative.
In my experience most books say “do this, do that, here are 100+ CBT exercises.. enjoy” but this book is more a philosophy on how to recover by trying different things, accepting that not everything will work out and that is okay. You just need to find what works for you. Which I find to be a refreshing approach.
February 29, 2020
Not an easy read like that of Matt Haig's books so I don't recommend if you are a beginner in learning about mental health. But it's an elaborate answer to almost everything that living with a mental illness like depression and anxiety encompasses. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it because there was a touch of his own story in almost every page of the book. They were real and from his own experiences and having gone through my own fair share of pain, I totally agreed with most things he shared.
His interest in further learning about psychology and philosophy and giving back to other people who are suffering is also something that I strike a chord with. Overall a good book to delve deeper into whys and hows of living with a mental illness.
His interest in further learning about psychology and philosophy and giving back to other people who are suffering is also something that I strike a chord with. Overall a good book to delve deeper into whys and hows of living with a mental illness.
August 27, 2019
A good 3 stars
Found it repeating itself and rambling a bit however still a good book about living with depression having reached out for help.
Found it repeating itself and rambling a bit however still a good book about living with depression having reached out for help.
November 30, 2020
Soovituslik lugemine kõigile, kes juba pikemalt heitlemas või on kunagi heidelnud vaimse tervisega, nii sügaval mustas augus, et päevavalgust enam väga näha pole või on sinnapoole teel. Sõbralike soovituste, praktiliste nõuannete ning siira tooniga “abiraamat” kôigi nende teiste, eneseabigurude kirjutatud 10-asja-mida-teha-et-õnnelikuks-saada tüüpi teoste kõrval. Ega tegelikult väga muud ei saagi võõra inimese mentaalse tervise heaks teha, kui et jagada oma isiklikku teekonda ja õppetunde, millest ehk on ka kellelgi teisel enda jaoks välja noppida. Ja seda autor teebki, midagi peale surumata. Mõjub kuidagi värskendavalt, olgugi et sisuliselt liiga palju uut või erakordset seal ehk polegi.
Huvitav ja ehk märgilinegi on see, et raamat sattus mulle imekombel näppu ühes Berliini poekeses.. hea leid!
Huvitav ja ehk märgilinegi on see, et raamat sattus mulle imekombel näppu ühes Berliini poekeses.. hea leid!
March 23, 2024
I lost the little faith I had in this author when he suggests that those struggling with depression should climb to the top of an office block because we should embrace the elements (air) or build a fire. It’s lucky that I found this laughable and am not actually on the brink of despair. Next to no coverage of anxiety and a tonne of coverage on alcoholism. Basically an auto-biography disguised as a self-help guide, presumably so that people actually buy it.
October 17, 2024
This seemed like more of a motivational speech than a guide to depression and anxiety. Some things written in this were a little peculiar including the fact of going onto an office block roof to get some air when you are feeling low?!
December 20, 2019
An in-depth discussion on all aspects of anxiety, depression and recovery. Thought-provoking and a valuable resource.
May 4, 2020
Best book I've read on depression and recovery. Informative and inspiring. Goes in unexpected directions.
Deserves a better cover and to be given shelf-space beyond the 'self-help' category though.
Deserves a better cover and to be given shelf-space beyond the 'self-help' category though.
September 29, 2021
Some solid nuggets of guidance, info and relatability. The narrative was hard to click with at times but all in all it’s an honest and real read.
April 12, 2022
Utterly brilliant. Well written, encouraging, honest, practical, inspiring.
January 25, 2023
Life saving book!
Like talking to a friend when needing someone who ‘gets it’ and a therapist to help you learn about yourself and your conditions.
Very underrated book!
Like talking to a friend when needing someone who ‘gets it’ and a therapist to help you learn about yourself and your conditions.
Very underrated book!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews