Notes on a Nervous Planet: Matt Haig

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An honest and human guide to coping with the modern world . . . Notes on a Nervous Planet is generous, sensible and timely. Reading it will probably be good for your mental health. Especially if you leave your smartphone in another room . . . Thought-provoking” ( Guardian) Time – especially the feeling of not having enough of it – is one of the major stressors of modern life. With life-expectancy doubling over the past century, and time-saving technology at our disposal, we should have more of it than ever. The problem is that we also have more of everything else. Specifically, we have more work. Readers who have experienced anxiety without a tangible cause will find comfort in Haig’s words and vulnerability. Haig articulates much of what isn’t working for humans in today’s world while refraining from being too cynical.”— Salon i feel that pretty much sums up your argument about stepping away from the internet and marketing campaigns when they make you unhappy. because, duh. Matt shares and offers advice on how to deal and cope with anxiety and depression especially on the ‘nervous’ planet and age we are in. I love his tips and advice offered. I think there is something for everyone in this book. As I mentioned in my previous review of his book, there is something uplifting knowing that he is referring to his own personal experience and journey. Like many others, I feel I can relate to him. He reminds us to live and enjoy the moment. To create our own bubble of peace and happiness away from technology and the other things the ‘modern’ world drags us down with. His words makes you look at everything in a slightly different manner. He understands. Reading his words is as though he has walked around the avenues of my mind, collected my thoughts and feelings and presented them right in front of me. So you can imagine how good it feels to have someone else writing your feelings down and have someone you can relate with. Someone truly incredible who has a deep understanding and honestly shares it to help others.

still number four.) i’m sorry, you went to a homeless shelter where people who lost everything and fought addiction and managed to build something meaningful for themselves while still technically homeless, and used that as inspiration porn for your whole online detox argument?? privilege, meet class intersections. Particularly fun and illustrative was the observation that in the 16th century only around 40 books per year were published in England ( fictional book club: what are we reading this year Cedric? Everything!) and how the number of internet users has gone from 16 million in 1995 (0,4% of the world population) to more than 3 billion people (51% of the world population) in June 2017. The world is changing ever faster. Matt Haig has such a way with worlds and he is so good at being able to explain the reasons people might feel anxiety and depression in the world we are living in today. This read couldn’t come at a more perfect time for me because the world is unimaginably horrific these days and I really needed this. I enjoyed this one even more than Reasons to Stay Alive, and I just really love his writing so much.The best non-fiction from the author and arguably my most favourite book of the new year, this one is life-changing.

Such an excess of choice is present in almost every aspect of modern life. From books to face creams to cereal brands, there is simply too much to choose from. There’s also way too much information. Through the internet, we can access a huge amount of data on everything, from recipes to personal opinions to historical events. This combination of excess and access leaves us with cluttered lives and cluttered brains. We are totally overstimulated, but constantly feel like we’re missing out. No wonder we often feel overwhelmed, anxious and depressed. It has been praised for its insights into the modern world and how it affects our mental health. Notes on a Nervous Planet offers readers an honest and personal look at the author’s own battle with anxiety, as well as how he has coped with it. The book provides valuable information and insight for anyone struggling with mental health issues, or who wants to learn more about how to manage their anxiety. i mean, we could talk endlessly about the Bad Effects of social media and we’d probably have a good conversation with a lot of mutual agreement. i’m not sure if that would make us part of an online echo chamber or not. How can I stop my mind being overloaded, when the world is overloaded?” Author Matt Haig reads from his new book Notes on a Nervous Planet. Notes on a Nervous Planetis a fascinating look at the link between anxiety and the world we live in . . . [Haig is] one of our warmest, wittiest and wisest writers. Mail on Sunday

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But I stopped feeling worse. I plateaued. And after a few days, things began to calm. The familiar path of recovery arrived sooner rather than later. And abstaining from stimulants – not just alcohol and caffeine, but these other things – was part of the process. I began, in short, to feel free again.

It sometimes feels as if we have temporarily solved the problem of scarcity and replaced it with the problem of excess. Reasons to Stay Alive is wonderful. I read it in one sitting. Touching, funny, thought-provoking, with a huge heart. It should be read by anyone who has suffered, or known someone who has suffered (i.e. everyone). SJ WatsonNotes on a Nervous Planet is a fascinating look at the link between anxiety and the world we live in … [Haig is] one of our warmest, wittiest and wisest writers” As discussed in the book, everyone has different opinions on books and I loved Reasons to Stay Alive but this I found really boring.