Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) for the opportunity to read and review A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind by Emily Reynolds! This helpful and down to earth book involves diagnosis, self-care, dating, education, self-harm and suicide, family and friends, the Internet and recovery and relapse as the chapters listed in the table of contents. The introduction describes the author's personal experiences of depression and what she went through before diagnosis. This down to earth book offers realistic advice, help and ideas of how to overcome and maintain mental illness. The author shares everything to help others that are struggling and to encourage those that feel like there's no hope. The book also includes a list of resources and hotlines for help and getting questions answered; breathing and relaxation exercises as well as ideas for a mood diary. I feel that teenagers could benefit from this helpful book and I plan on purchasing it for the library. 5 stars.

Emily Reynolds latest book, A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is memoir about battles with bipolar. She has spent years trying to cope with her symptoms after being diagnosed as bipolar in her early 20s and has spent years trying to understand how to live with her diagnosis.

This memoir is about her personal story which includes advice for individuals who are managing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Living with mental illness is isolating, infuriating and painful but also very boring. She has covered variety of topics such as ho to cope with exam pressure at school or university, handling self-sabotaging and suicidal thoughts, advice for family and friends and even tips for dating.

Later in the book she has provided in detail advice and suggestions on diagnosis, treatment and maintaining one's mental health. After reading, I have found some of her suggestions are applicable in our daily lives since we all, in someway cope with mental stress and pressure a lot these days. It's not only a memoir, this book is an honest exploration in the field of mental illness.

Her writing is flawless and her experiences are engrossing.

This book is beneficial and directed towards readers who want a better understanding of what mental illness is like and how it affect a person's life. It indeed will sound eye-opening if you haven't read something on this topic before. In that case, you should read this book.

4 out of 5!

Covers a variety of mental health issues that are prevalent among many young men and women today. Offers realistic advice and tips on how to cope and manage that will be beneficial to many.