The Lost Soul Companion: A Book of Comfort and Constructive Advice for Black Sheep, Square Pegs, Struggling Artists, and

I have had manic depression since 2002 and many times I have been suicidal. I have gone through so many so-called "self-help" books which ended up depressing me even more because they were so patronising and preachy, stuff like "smile more and the whole world smiles with you!", yeah stuff like that which makes you want to start tying the noose.

But this book is different. I first found out about it when I stumbled across the author's website and after 2 hours of going through the website, I ordered her book. What I like the most about Susan Brackney is that she has depression herself and she is very direct and forthcoming about her illness. I found myself identifying with most of what she said. I found myself smiling when she said she show more went to work with her dress over her pyjamas. So the fact that she goes through what I go through gives her huge amounts of credibility in my eyes. She doesn't preach and doesn't lecture because when she's ill herself, sermons and lectures are the last things SHE wants herself.

The part I liked a lot was the section on famous suicides such as Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath. Brackney's message there was that these people, without realising it, accomplished a lot in their lives and their suicides not only devastated their families but also deprived us of their future work. It has made me look upon suicide much more differently to the point where I probably won't consider it anymore, no matter how severe my depression gets. I'll just hang on just to annoy everyone!

But the one that got me laughing was the poem by Dorothy Parker on why it's best to live and not die :

Razors pain you; Rivers are damp; Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp; Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give; Gas smells awful; You may as well live.

I couldn't have said it better myself. show less