There was a time when conversations around mental health were rare. Mental health was a taboo topic. Things are slowly changing, however. With social media, there is more awareness, more conversations, and more stories around mental well-being. Stories have a way of worming their way into our hearts, and what better way to learn about mental health than to read a book or two? 

Reading has many benefits and can positively impact our brain and mental health. A 2013 research measured the effect of reading a book on the brain through MRI scans. The study found that brain connections increased over the period participants read the book and afterward. This increase was most notable in the somatosensory cortex part of the brain, responsible for responding to physical sensations.

Another research observed the effect of reading literary fiction on improving the ‘theory of mind.’ This study concluded that people who read stories that explore the characters’ inner lives better understand others’ beliefs and emotions.  

But that’s not all. Reading can also reduce stress and blood pressure. A study explored the effects of yoga, humor, and reading on stress. It concluded that 30 minutes of reading lowered heart rate, blood pressure, and psychological distress in the participants. 

So if reading is good for you, reading books on mental health could be even better? Reading mental health books can broaden your perspective and teach you techniques to better manage your emotions. 

Classics in mental health literature include:

• Save Me the Waltz by Zelda Fitzgerald
• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
• The Waves by Virginia Woolf
• All The Things We Never Knew by Sheila Hamilton
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb
• 72 Hours Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell

And what about Indian authors? MyndStories dug deep to find out some of the best books by Indian authors on mental health. 

Em and The Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto

Em and The Big Hoom is a story of how the narrator deals with his dysfunctional parents. Em, the mother, has bipolar disorder, which leads her to have ‘high moments’ filled with happiness and ‘low moments’ where she is crude and feels suicidal. Big Hoom, the father, is a quiet and loving man who does everything to keep their family together.    

Em and The Big Hoom comments on the state of mental health in India. Jerry Pinto tells the story in conversations filled with recollections and witty anecdotes as the narrator and his sister talk to their mother, who is in a psychiatric hospital. The book is a heart-wrenching tale of a mother who has a mental illness and the children who loved her unconditionally. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that this might be one of the best pieces of contemporary Indian literature I’ve read recently,” wrote a reader.

Sepia Leaves by Amandeep Sandhu

Sepia Leaves, a semi-autobiography by Amandeep Sandhu, narrates the journey of Appu as he learns to accept his father’s emotional absence and his mother’s schizophrenia. At a young age, Appu had to become a parent to his parents, which left him lonely and mentally exhausted. 

The book explores the long-term impact of parentification on a child and the emotional baggage Appu carried for a long time. “I wrote the story because at that time, in the year 2000, I did not know how to deal with my baggage. I wrote Sepia Leaves to find hope,” wrote Sandhu. A reader described the book as ‘an act of kindness.’

MyndStories spoke to Amandeep Sandhu on the MyndStories Podcast, and you can find our interview with him here. 

How To Travel Light: My Memories of Madness and Melancholia by Shreevatsa Nevatia

Shreevatsa Nevatia, a journalist-editor, wrote about his life after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his book How To Travel Light. Nevatia unapologetically delved into his life story to explain what it is like to have bipolar disorder with episodes of insomnia and mania. He talks about his trauma and how he persevered through it. The struggle he faced while looking for a mental health support system is relatable and the true face of how India still lacks the proper mental health facilities and support. 

“I found so much solace in the book,” wrote Prakriti, who has also lived with bipolar disorder.

Anxiety: Overcome It and Live Without Fear by Sonali Gupta

“As a young (mental health) professional myself, I would encourage anyone wanting to understand anxiety, or their mental health, to pick up this book,” wrote Sukanya in her review of the book.

Written by Sonali Gupta, a clinical psychologist, the book explores anxiety as a mental disorder in India. Sonali wrote this book to help people identify and understand how anxiety feels. She discussed the circumstances which can be triggering in different social situations and the strategies to deal with them. Anxiety is an informative and insightful book that explores the mental health condition in India and ways to accept and confront your fears. 

A Book of Light: When a Loved One Has a Different Mind by Jerry Pinto

Living with a mental disorder is difficult. Living with a person who has a mental illness is also difficult. Caring for a person with a mental health condition can be emotionally exhausting. A Book of Light throws light on the life of caregivers as they face despair, grief, burden, and sometimes, frustration. It is a compilation of 13 true stories about caregivers for people living with mental illness. The book contains accounts of people living with bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, autism, and other mental and developmental disorders. 

I’ve Never Been (Un)Happier by Shaheen Bhatt

“You can’t spend your life feeling bad about feeling bad.” 

I’ve Never Been (Un)Happier is Shaheen Bhatt’s journey of living with depression for more than 17 years. She wrote this memoir with the hope of providing solace to people going through the same and letting the world know the value of sharing their stories. Each page in the book contains different phases of her life and how her anxiety grew with her. Shaheen Bhatt acknowledges her privilege and how it doesn’t make her pain any less real in this honest and heartfelt account of her life. 

Real Stories of Dealing with Depression: Mindscape Series by Amrita Tripathi and Arpita Anand

Real Stories of Dealing with Depression is a collection of 10 first-person narratives of people living with depression. The book has four parts: living with depression, understanding therapy, motherhood and depression, and self-care for caregivers. It seeks to explain depression, a term often used casually in conversations. Amrita and Arpita have tried to answer the various questions surrounding depression, such as knowing if you are depressed, when, and how to seek help. They have dedicated a whole section to the importance of therapy and how to choose the right therapist. The book provides much-needed insight into depression in the Indian context. A reader described the book as ‘simple, unfiltered, and honest.’

The books listed above are insightful, educational, and accurate accounts of people who have not only lived with mental illnesses but also with the stigma surrounding them. Indian society still has a long way to go. However, if we take responsibility and educate ourselves, we can cover this way together and quickly. In the words of Vikram Patel, “mental health is too important to be left to the professionals alone, and mental health is everyone’s business.”