I've Never Been (Un)Happier - Book Review

"I've never been (un)happier" by Shaheen Bhatt is a tiny battery of emotions. I called it tiny because it is a small book with only 66 pages but I had to stretch it out over two days while reading it, because the subject dealt with is quite heavy. The author, Shaheen Bhatt talks about her struggles with depression and how it manifests itself in her life. It is written almost in the form of a journal, and I often felt like I was shuffling through someone's extremely personal thoughts and feelings. Shaheen is incredibly talented and words just line up so seamlessly when she writes, especially with her very well thought out analogies. Her deep understanding of what she is experiencing and living with, and her courage in seeking a lesson from this experience have both gained my eternal respect 🙏

Through this book, I have come to understand so many aspects of depression, suicide and the associated pain that I earlier couldn't fully comprehend; I've heard many a people who suffer from depression say, 'it is hard for someone on the outside to truly understand what it is like to suffer from it', I fully agree. But I have some perspective now and for that I'll always be grateful to this book. The book most definitely instills an empathy in you, and a reinforced need to protect anyone who suffers from a mental illness.

I vehemently recommend most of the books I read but this one, I'm holding on to the strings with a little unsurety because as enlightening as it is, this book is also a very painful account of someone's darkest struggles and sometimes that is not for everyone. But if you're on the road to some self-discovery with mental health or if you just want to learn and understand depression so you can help someone else who is dealing with it, this is your go-to book. It is available on Amazon for ₹16.