Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles

I purchased this book because I have a child with severe anxiety. The first chapter was great! The second chapter spoke about a drug causing serious weight gain, 80 lbs! I can let my daughter read this because she has a history of an eating disorder. Not helpful!!!!

This is an important book. Everyone should read it.

Absolutely amazing.

The authors bear their souls to help others dealing with personal struggles!Thirty-one authors share their experiences in dealing with mental illness within the pages of this book. Maureen Johnson discusses her anxiety and how meditation and slowing down her schedule helped and continues to help her. I like her comparison of anxiety being a stupid monster that doesn’t know anything. Robison Wells discusses mental illness treatments and the mental illnesses he lives with. Lauren Oliver relates her depression to mental stutters; we may all trip up at one time or another. Jennifer L. Armentrout talks about her suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts. Amy Reed shares her experiences with addiction and depression. Aprilynne Pike explains her compulsive behavior. Rachel M. Wilson’s dilemma of OCD and ADHD combined is shared. Dan Wells remembers his grandparents and the dementia and Alzheimer’s they dealt with. Amber Benson shares the gift of therapy and how she believes there’s no difference between having mental health problems or physical health problems; they both need help. E. K. Anderson unravels in poetic form. Sarah Fine is an author and a clinical psychologist. Kelly Fiore-Stultz speaks of addiction and family members. Ellen Hopkins shares her grandson’s story. Scott Neumyer tells all while relaying his message about personal anxiety. Crissa-Jean Chappell discusses her OCD. Francesca Lia Block shares the story of her friend with manic depression. Tara Kelly talks about her anxiety, ADHD and OCD. Kimberly McCreight is an anxious worrier and became a heavy drinker. Megan Kelley Hall has dealt with traumatic health issues her entire life, along with depression. Hannah Moskowitz discusses how mental illnesses are different for everyone. Karen Mahoney tells her story of chronic anxiety and Trichotillomania; she pulls out her eyelashes. Tom Pollock has suicidal thoughts and suffers from bulimia. Cyn Balog tells her experience with body dysmorphic disorder. Melissa Marr talks about her PTSD. Wendy Toliver talks with her sixteen-year-old son about his anxiety, depression and OCD. Cindy L. Rodriguez talks about being a Latina with depression. Candace Ganger describes her anxiety. Sara Zarr shares her experiences of worthlessness. Cynthia Hand talks about her brother’s suicide. Francisco X. Stork talks about loneliness and bipolar disorder. Jessica Burkhart shares her addiction to Xanax. This collection of honest stories will help many people understand and deal with their struggles. With much appreciation for the wisdom and bravery the authors have to share their personal experiences with their readers, I give a standing ovation and 5 stars!* I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary review consideration.

I love this book. I enjoyed all the different stories and how each one was different. The struggles that people go through are as different as, how different we look to each other. One person tall while the other person is short. One person's struggles are different for the person next to you.I found some of the stories I like more than the others, some I related to better than others but each story is important. Even though this book does cover many, many much need topics it still made me giggle with funny, witty lines. Cleave writers with power stories.I checked this out from my library.

Good to learn from but I cannot entirely relate. Hope I am more sensitive to these issues. Best wishes to all.

Oh boy. This was a great book to read and to start conversations, but it was also hard to read because of the subject matter. I love that so many authors shared their stories and I hope that this book spurs conversations among teens. I hope they see they are not alone. I hope they find themselves sharing their own stories. There isn't any judgement here, it's all very matter of fact. I love that so many of the essays talked about what worked for them and how it won't work for everyone. I love how they advice readers to get help and figure out the method that might work best for them. This book is so powerful - from the number of authors sharing their stories to the range of mental illnesses shared. It's an eye opening read.

It's amazing how open and honest these people can get. I am humbled by it. I read Jennifer Armentrout's story and I had no idea. I can't wait to read more of these. It makes me feel like I am not alone.