Cover Image: Maybe This Will Help

Maybe This Will Help

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Member Reviews

If you enjoy infographics, memoirs, or books about mental health, this book is a lovely intersection of all three. For anyone struggling, it can be hard to talk about those struggles, much less quantify them into charts, diagrams, and graphs that communicate both a sense of humor, and the true sadness, anger, or helplessness the author may have been feeling. For anyone struggling with harsh life events or mental illness, they will find this book deeply relatable and likely very cathartic. I would definitely recommend to others.

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I can see Maybe This Will Help: How to Feel Better When Things Stay the Same by Michelle Rial being helpful for someone struggling with ill health and chronic pain. The charts, graphs, and pictures are great. #MaybeThisWillHelp #NetGalley

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Pros: This book feels incredibly timely as in 2021 we are still living through a pandemic. When I speak to friends and family, we often talk about how we feel stuck and cannot plan for the future. Personally, I’ve been suffering from a strong case of ennui. I think readers will feel very “seen” by this book. The I’m Not a Hypochondriac bingo card felt personal—I laughed at how applicable it is to my best friend and me when we try to figure out why we don’t feel well (it’s likely because of the stress of the world). Some of the truths in this book—like how we don’t have control—were difficult but freeing reminders. I loved how visual this book is—I found myself wanting to quickly read the copy so I could get to the next charts/graphs/illustrations. My favorite visual might have been the pie chart made of brie.

Cons: I found myself wanting to skip over the author’s personal experiences with chronic pain to get to the next visual that felt more universal.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the opportunity to read this book!

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Books that claim to hold the solution to chronic pain are legion. Books that understand what it’s like to have chronic pain, that give voice to your emotions and sit with you as you feel them, are very rare indeed. Michelle Rial has written a rare and lovely book that I can actually share with other chronically ill folks, without feeling as though I’m assigning them homework.

Many thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for letting me read this early — I adored it. #MaybeThisWillHelp #NetGalley

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This book just didn't resonate with me like the author's first book did. I loved Am I Overthinking This?: Over-answering life's questions in 101 charts!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The book will be released on September 21, 2021.

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Art and humor can not only be great coping strategies, but can help other more easily understand how much a condition r circumstance can affect someone's life. This slim volume packs a big emotional impact, as the graphs and illustrations of Rial's challenges with chronic pain and living her life are both funny and very affecting. Maybe a graph is a way to keep her own pain at a distance, but for me it was a way to better understand a situation and condition I don't have.

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*Note: This is a review of an Advanced Reader Copy provided through NetGalley*

"A visual pep talk of charts and essays on feeling better about not feeling better.

Michelle Rial, author of Am I Overthinking This?, brings to light her struggles with chronic pain, grief, and creative uncertainty in a way that reflects the universality of dealing with the unthinkable.

Equal parts funny and moving, this book delves into the more serious side of things, finding levity and collective experience in the invisible difficulties that so many of us face.

Through humorous charts and intimate peeks into the author's life, it explores the big things that can feel unmanageable and the everyday humor that keeps us moving forward."



Maybe this Will Help is the tiny therapy session anyone with chronic pain, grief, depression, or self doubt should add to their bookshelf. A blend of essays and illustrations, Maybe This Will Help is the lighthearted look at ourselves we all need. Rial is vulnerable in a way that connects and the illustrations are relatable and yet humorous. As a therapist, I will be purchasing a copy for my office and encouraging coworkers and clients to get their own copies as well!

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Fans of Michelle Rial’s first book, Am I Overthinking This?: Over-answering life's questions in 101 charts, will be sure to enjoy her newest book, Maybe This Will Help: How to Feel Better When Things Stay the Same. She has done a really nice job with creating a new installment of her hugely popular infographics which evoke humor and comfort in the heart of the reader.

The structure of the book is similar to her first. It cycles between really funny & creative charts, graphs, diagrams and written words that go into detail about how the author and people she cares about have struggled with the chronic pain and how this is relatable to the reader. You get the feeling you aren’t alone in your struggles and get a chuckle which is very therapeutic.

Here are some of my favorite hilarious parts:

Infographics
“Why is it always six visits?”
“Everyday is chronic pain awareness day (if you have it)”
“Referral Fatigue”
“Maybe one day I will break out of this”

Article
“Have you tried”

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I think this will be life changing for some. When you are going through your daily struggle with chronic illness and depression it can be so easy to get deeper and deeper into the hole of darkness. Sometimes all one longs for is somebody else that understands and gives insight. Maybe This Will Help was an amazing resource for me. I will be recommending this to my friends and family to help them understand what others and me go through. I loved the figures, charts, personal stories and humor.

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This was an entertaining book that also made me feel less alone in my battles with multiple chronic health conditions. The charts ranged from funny to heartwarming, and I appreciated the author opening up about what her and her family went through when her father was dying of cancer. My favorite of the charts was the one about being asked if you have tried something, with one of the answers being, "Yes, and I'm pretty sure it's a cult." Seriously people, if you ever want to find some secret cults, let the world at large know you have some rare and/or difficult to treat health condition

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I enjoyed this book and its numerous very clever and insightful illustrations. I got so many smiles out of the author's simple, punchy observations of the design AND self-help industries. There were references to grief which I could relate to after losing my own dad several years ago now. There were also a lot of references to pain management which I don't have to cope with, fortunately, but I do understand the mind management that goes along with that and the ongoing search for solutions. The words were touching and the quirky, thoughtful illustrations really made the book even more enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

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I absolutely loved this book. It’s a dream. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

The book is filled with colorful charts that revolve around chronic pain and grief. It’s enjoyable and light. The charts are punctuated with short personal commentary throughout the book.

For the first time in forever, I found a book that describes me. The chronic pain part of me relates to it. The artistic part of me does too. I adored the watercolor charts. They were all incredible, funny, relatable, and creative.

It felt like I was the one writing this book. The similarity of the experience was heartwarming. The book made me feel heard in a society that doesn’t recognize chronic pain. I felt believed. I also appreciated the reminders in the middle of the book so that I don’t tense up.

The thing that caught me off guard was the colored ice cubes. It was ingenious. INGENIOUS. It’s the perfect book for reminding everyone to take it easy and to stay hopeful.

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I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought that there was only going to be charts and graphs, but I was pleasantly surprised to find mini essays. Michelle Rial touched on a few topics primarily, grief and chronic pain. It was interesting to get her views on these two topics. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

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As a lover of charts and relatable topics, this book nails it. The story of grief on top of daily chronic pain and emotional struggles is expertly explained with charts. The charts are a great way to explain some of the pain of losing a family member, along with the daily struggles..
I'd definitely recommend this book for those who can relate to chronic pain or grief.

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Maybe This Will Help is wonderfully uplifting for anyone struggling with their health and chronic pain. The infographics are adorable, making it for a quick read (great for brain fog and limited attention spans). Overall, I think folks who deal with similar issues as the author will find a lot of solace in this book.

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I have Am I Overthinking This?, and it's my favorite book to gift anxious people like myself. Maybe This Will Help offers the same beautiful charts/graphs/pictures/words about chronic pain. I highly recommend this to anyone suffering with any type of pain, or something that's hard to diagnose, or even just having a tough time in life!

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This is a fun read for folks who have chronic pain and illness or those who want to understand that world. I found myself skimming it because I didn't really enjoy it for my own reasons. Over the years I worked hard to overcome quite a number of chronic pain and illnesses. I have been diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (now known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), Epstein Barr, chronic daily migraines, chronic neck pain and a seizure condition, among other things. At its worst in my early 30's I was so weak I didn't have the strength to stand to brush my teeth and I lived with a great deal of daily pain. I was able to overcome my pain and fatigue through a lot of healthy living changes. I can't change my blood or my brain so I will always technically have some of these, but I now live mainly pain-free, have a lot of energy and am on no medications. The book makes frequent mention of all of the things people have suggested to her and I understand that people with chronic pain and illness get tired of hearing that they should try this or that, but if I hadn't listened and tried so many times I would not have been able to the point where now at 52 I feel healthier and more energetic than decades ago. A lot of that stuff did work for me, though it took time, and I'm glad people suggested them to me. Also, I just didn't like putting my head back in that place. As hokey as it seems, things like affirmations have helped me and I didn't like focusing on so much negative even in a positive way (if that makes sense). All that said, it is a positive and supportive book and the art is really colorful and lovely.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

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I found this book to be wonderful and uplifting. . Anyone dealing with a chronic condition will find themselves within its pages. The charts and graphs/visualizations along with the vibrant colors and imagination drew me even further. Absolutely fantastic!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Chronicle Books, and Michelle Rial for an ARC in return for an honest review.

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This is a very easy to read book.

I have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and it is very important for me to keep reading to keep my mind off things. Easy to read books help.

I love books which have charts and pictures and abstract art. This one had it in spades.

It is about living in chronic pain but also about life in general. There are many things that resonated with me and as someone who has been suffering from pain from three months (hopefully it will go away soon), I can already resonate with so many things that the author mentioned.

My favourite was, of course, about chaos and how small things can lead to such big outcomes. It is important to understand that life can be meaningful with everything going wrong as well.

I would recommend this to everyone.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. It doesn't impact my opinion at all.

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Upon finishing this book I find myself full of contentment. Like everything is just ok. And that's just fine.

As someone who has chronic pains and someone who went through losing a loved one, I found a lot of comfort in this book. I felt seen, understood and relieved that someone finally managed to put into words or charts what it really feels like, all while staying very close to reality and the nuances it brings with it.

This book is like a warm hug and the best part is, when you have it, you can reach for your warm hug anytime you want. Would recommend buying this physically since you will want to look at the graphics and charts over and over again!

For me, it had the same kind of vibe as 'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse' by Charlie Mackesy. It gives you a new perspective on things you already knew. It shows how to be kinder to yourself and is great in feeling like you are actually not doing so bad in life.

Would recommend to anyone who feels lost sometimes but especially to people dealing with chronic pains and the loss of a loved one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chronicle Books and Michelle Rial for granting this opportunity to read and review this book. I absolutely loved it!

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