Down Days

by Craig Hallam

This isn't a self-help book. But I hope it will support you anyway. Beginning as a therapeutic exercise that was never supposed to be read by anyone else, the Down Days blog attracted readers from across the globe with its blunt, honest and poignant description of what it's really like to live as a creative with depression and anxiety. Down Days tells it like it is; breakdowns, anxiety loops, awkward social situations, out-of-touch doctors and perceptive counsellors; what it feels like to lose everything, including yourself, and how it changes you. But this book also proves that you can make it through, and that you aren't alone. Filled with pop culture references and dark humour, Down Days is an essential read whether you live with mental health issues or love someone who does.

168 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2019

About the author

Craig Hallam is an international best-selling author from Doncaster, UK. His work spans all aspects of Speculative Fiction and Mental Health non-fiction, and poetry.
Since his debut in the British Fantasy Society journal, his tales have nestled between the pages of magazines and anthologies the world over. His novels and short stories have filled the imaginations of geeks, niche and alternative readers with their character-driven style and unusual plots.

Craig has recently chronicled his experiences of living with depression and anxiety in the international best-seller, Down Days. Topping the Amazon charts in the UK and US at the start of COVID, the book has since been a finalist for the Independent Author Network’s Book of the Year Awards and read the world over.
His latest novel, Make Believe, is the first book in an exciting new series called The Hexford Witches, based entirely in the Yorkshire Dales.

Craig’s next project is a literary Gothic series based in contemporary Yorkshire. The first book will highlight the ghosts of the area’s industrial past and the families who were left broken by the closure of the local mines. While one man grieves for the loss of his wife and is hunted by recurring visions of a large black dog hunting him, his granddaughter is also preyed upon by the boys and men of an honourless society.

Find Craig’s books and social media at: Linktr.ee/craighallamauthor

Reviews

[Mark Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could have easily been a hard read. A dark and 'depressing' read. It could indeed have all too easily been a case of starring into the void and letting it stare back at you, certainly for anyone who had brushes with the old 'black dog' themselves. Reading about depression is after all not something you expect to be a barrel of laughs, and in fairness, it isn't, not a whole barrel at any rate. If it was then it would be less than it is and poorer for it. But what there is humour, considered, well placed, mindful humour that helps you along as you read, and offers as much of an insight into Craig as anything else contained within these pages. As well as offering out the most important of maxims in my view, that being 'just because someone doesn't seem depressed, doesn't mean they arn't.' And also it is the humour in which we find the humanity, as is so often the case.

Another of my favourite authors is Jon Ronson, he of 'The Men Who Stare At Goats', 'The Psychopath Test' and others. There is a similar level of humour applied to a serious subject at play here. Though Mr Ronson has never dealt with a subject quite as close to home or quite as personal as Craig does in Down Days. But it is that humour and the warmth of Craig himself, that carries you through this journey. It is also where I found echos of my own experience, through being able to relate to the bits that made me smile, the little references to pop culture and geeky things, offer a shared experience beyond the Black Dog itself. They offer perspective, they also counter point the dreadful nature of depression, and inspire a little hope.

In the end it becomes and uplifting story. For all Craig's own Dark Days are far from behind him, it say that no matter how dark the day, there is always a light. Even if that light is a reference to a 1960's TV show, or a shared sense of empathy, of humanity, of knowing that while there are Dark Days, there are also good ones.

This is a brave book, a book I could never have written and I am thankful that Craig did. it offers a perspective on my own struggles, and gave me more than a smile or two along the way.

Bravo, Mr Hallam.

Bravo...

[Debbie Ioanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book and suddenly felt like I was reading about my own life. What Craig has achieved in this book is bringing together all like-minded people, ‘Those Like Us’, to tell us it is ok to have those down days and that you’re not alone.

I started reading this on one of my own ‘down days’ and before I knew it, I was 40% in. The voices in my mind were cheering like something out of a gospel church, shouting ‘Amen’ and ‘Preach’ with every page turn (or swipe if you’re e-readering like me).

One of my favourite sections, which had me chuckling out loud, was when Craig talked about what triggers his emotions; ‘adverts, movies, finding I’d used the last sponge for the washing up.’ My laugh wasn’t to mock, but because YES! I GET IT!

This isn’t a self help book, so if you have depression, don’t read it expecting a cure. What is does is shows you that you can cope, or find your own ways to cope, as long as you can accept that those days will hit you out of the blue, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It will also give an insight to those who have never been through it so they can begin to understand and hopefully end the stigma that comes with the whole ‘I have depression’ thing where the majority of people think ‘yeah, right, if you say so… jobsworth’. (Admit it… we’ve all had that thought at some point haven’t we?)

In reading this book I feel like I know Craig a whole lot more and the next time I see him at an event, I will give him a huge hug! (Sorry Craig, you’re getting a hug whether you like it or not – granted this pandemic is over of course).

Fantastic book that EVERYONE needs to read asap.

[Gareth Clegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great insight into living with depression and anxiety

Craig presents a very honest account of his journey through life while managing his depression and anxiety or down days. As he says from the start, this isn’t a self help book, just one persons account of day to day life with depression and how he has learnt to live his life and manage.
I found it insightful and saw a lot of parallels in my joys of managing with mental health issues and it was helpful reading about things someone else is coping with that resonate with your own experiences.

Thanks Craig for this wonderful insight into your experiences and the truth of daily life which I recommend to all fellow sufferers or people just interested in understanding how mental health issues really impact peoples lives.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this book for an honest review on behalf of Inspired Quill.

Part memoir, part journal, Hallam takes the heavy topic of depression and turns it into a light read in his book Down Days. A far cry from a self-help book, Hallam describes his personal account with depression by using humor and pop culture references, making it accessible to readers. As someone who has also struggled with mental health issues, I thought the author's voice and style were very engaging and I was able to relate to some of the author's experiences. Talking about depression to those who have never experienced it can be very difficult but Hallam does so flawlessly in a way that is very straight forward and realistic.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading if you have ever felt emotions,

This is a wonderfully honest book. You will read it thinking it is the most bespoke book ever, Down Days speaks to anyone who has ever experienced depression and how invisible it can be and also reveals insights to those who wish to understand.
One warning though, don't expect to put it down until you get to the end. This is one of those (just one more chapter) books.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

With my work with children, this book is exactly what I need to read. It offers so much in support of depression and mental illnesses that I do not wonder how this author was able to pick up a following quickly. It is true that it is not a self-help book but it sure does help!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting and inspiring read which may even help you cope and use some of the tools which they have used. Being down, depressed or even was can sometimes mean you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. This may help

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[PJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book! Someone finally gets it and wrote about their own depression and anxiety so the rest of us don't have to feel so alone!! Thank you, Craig, for being so honest and telling it like it is. What a relief! Good for those who have depression & anxiety as well as those who love someone who has those things.

[Gregory Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this insight into depression. The author had some nice comedic moments too.
It was interesting because it highlighted numerous moments I’ve had before and sometimes how tough it was.
Also interesting was the authors explanation and wishes when he got into bouts and I never knew that you could tell when it was coming on.
It also really helped me as I have experiences with people very close to me with this and it is hard to comprehend, so it is good to gain more knowledge and understanding if we can identify what is best to do.