I read his first book. I really thought I’d relate to it having had very severe depression, needing hospital care etc. I found it weirdly soulless and triggering. This utter tit he is currently peddling reduces painful, complex and life changing illness and experience to some trite sound bite. It’s offensive.
Matt Haig
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His brand of mental illness awareness/treatment boils down to "Think nice thoughts and it will be okay" which is honestly just insulting. It's the middle class HR department mental health awareness type thing. Even if he had problems in the past I can't help but think from his Twitter feed he has no actual real life problems (living in a nice house with kids and his wife) and thinking of these stupid little quotes all day like it's going to save someone's life. I am sure they have made some kind of positive impact probably but most of what he writes is not going to be much comfort to someone on the breadline, struggling to make ends meet, with dependents in their life.
I completely agree. I read it too and made me feel even more alone.
It is in the same brand as “go for a run and the endorphins will get rid of your depression.”
Everyone’s talking so much sense on here right now. Try saying this to any of him though and you’ll get called a troll, disciples set upon you and blocked. What is it with him and his ilk that feel they’re above any kind of constructive criticism? It’s infuriating.
Yeah unfortunately my legs don’t work so no endorphins for me. It helps to know I’m not the only one who didn’t think he was the saviour of the nations mental health
I’ve been talking to a guy recently who I was starting to like, then he sent me several Matt Haig quotes and now I’ve got the ick big time 
I know - it is infuriating. As if anyone with depression hasn't tried to 'look on the bright side'. The trouble is when you simply can't see a bright side.
Matt Haig wants it all ways. Wants you to buy his books and find them helpful (fair enough), then when somebody says they weren't helped and it fact found the book made them worse, he basically says 'Well what did you expect? It's only a book and these are just my thoughts, I can't be expected to provide answers. Leave me alone'.
Another deeply profound irritatingly vague post. People are complicated seems to be the gist.
I *think* he is talking about Chrissy Teigen. But then again who knows.
I *think* he is talking about Chrissy Teigen. But then again who knows.
Almost like the situation can change or new information can come to light about a person that was not previously available. For example Jimmy Saville was a "hero" for children's charities, but then it turned out he was a nonce so became a villain.
He writes self help fortune cookies. How much paper do his books waste with one sentence chapters? It’s infuriating how much money he gets paid, there was a time when authors were asked their advances to give some transparency to the industry and his was embarrassingly big compared to other authors, especially women and people of colour. He was even embarrassed about it and only said 6 figures or something vague when other writers said £500 or £2000.
And 'Instagram quotes' (you know the ones, on a royalty free background image of the ocean/beach).
and yet, there will literally be hundreds of authors who deserve it more
I hope I word this ok
I really do feel like he is the media's safe option for mental health awareness. like, he's this nice mc cishet white dude who had a breakdown in ibiza and convalesced reading Camus at his parents' house - all of this is in his books
and, yes, having money and privilege does not automatically exempt you from mental illness, but people with bipolar, bpd, schizophrenia etc don't ever get this platform. people of colour, LGBTQ+ people living with mental illness don't get this platform
and, yet, here we are. just like the middle class Jack Monroe being the acceptable face of food banks cos she may or may not have been to one once, Matt's the acceptable face of mental health because society isn't ready to hear the reality while it's still easier to buy a book of soundbites
I hope I word this ok
I really do feel like he is the media's safe option for mental health awareness. like, he's this nice mc cishet white dude who had a breakdown in ibiza and convalesced reading Camus at his parents' house - all of this is in his books
and, yes, having money and privilege does not automatically exempt you from mental illness, but people with bipolar, bpd, schizophrenia etc don't ever get this platform. people of colour, LGBTQ+ people living with mental illness don't get this platform
and, yet, here we are. just like the middle class Jack Monroe being the acceptable face of food banks cos she may or may not have been to one once, Matt's the acceptable face of mental health because society isn't ready to hear the reality while it's still easier to buy a book of soundbites
He’s so smug. Thin skinned smug and entitled. No woman or POC or any of the queer community would be given as much money or publicity for the dross he puts out.
The midnight library is a faux spiritual rehash of Bedazzled.
With no jokes.
The midnight library is a faux spiritual rehash of Bedazzled.
With no jokes.
deleted within seconds the clown!
the word i've cut off is try - had to ss + edit on desktop (which i hate) cos it'd gone by the time i opened twitter on my phone
for context, he has announced he's written another children's book to be published in Octoberfor the lucrative Q4 period about "self acceptance and how to find your way in the world"
the word i've cut off is try - had to ss + edit on desktop (which i hate) cos it'd gone by the time i opened twitter on my phone
for context, he has announced he's written another children's book to be published in October
I've heard his next tome is: 'How to wipe your arse more effectively - save time, money and the environment'.
Totally agree. Someone with a debilitating health condition or a dying child or poverty ruining their life or a soul destroying relentless job that they have no choice but to work to feed their kids doesn't need to be told to 'go outside and be curious'.
Subtitle 'Navel gazing for dummies'.
now, he's correct in saying that releasing emotions is good but....
why am I imagining him going down Brighton beach to "howl" like a pebbly version of dramatic Dmitri?
why am I imagining him going down Brighton beach to "howl" like a pebbly version of dramatic Dmitri?
Oh my god I've found my people. I found Haigs writing after I was sexually assaulted and was going through hell, I ended up buying tickets to his book tour to ask a question about a passage on anxiety that I didn't really understand and wanted some clarity. He didn't have a clue what I was talking about, and he laughed at me. I pointed out the chapter and page number and then he gave me some bogus answer about loving your body and going to the beach (I asked about every day anxiety!) and made me feel humiliated. I was so desperate to know how to cope with my sexual assault anxiety and this dude told me to love my beach body. A lady behind me asked for advice re her suicidal teenage son, Matt said to "Google some resources". He acts like he is the founding father of MH but I truly don't think he gets it. I was crushed and chucked my book in the bin at the end.