More about depression

Hey, guys!

If you remember one of my earlier posts, I wrote a review for The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, which is a story about a woman suffering from depression. Although Esther Greenwood wasn't wealthy in comparison to her friends, she is probably substantially wealthier than the woman in this next book.

Willow Weep for Me: A Black Woman's Journey Through Depression by Meri Nana-Ama Danquah is a memoir about a black woman suffering from depression . . . sorry, you probably could have guessed that from the title.

Anyway, I read it for my women and gender studies class last fall for our unit on women and mental illnesses. And unlike The Bell Jar, this book is a memoir, meaning that it is nonfiction and based on true events.

It is about the author, a black writer who is a single mom, and her struggles with depression and poverty. Not only does she have trouble getting up in the morning and procrastinates when it comes to keeping a job or putting pen to paper, but she also doesn't want to admit to anyone - or herself - that she is suffering from depression.

After all, what does our society teach us about depression? That it means there's something wrong with depression's sufferers. That they are weak. That they should be able to deal with their problems. That it is shameful to see a therapist or psychiatrist. That they should just suck it up.

Well, I don't think I have to tell anyone that society is wrong about this (and a lot of other topics) and that we need to start changing our attitudes.

And that's just what this memoir does.

By allowing us a window to her suffering and struggles, the author convinces her readers to question what they know about depression and poverty and those who suffer as a result.

I do not suffer from depression so I have no idea what it's like. When I read this book, however, I was given a glimpse of the author's everyday life and into her past. Even though depression is an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, it can also be triggered by traumatic events. That's why the author has had to go through therapy to talk it out.

This was the first book I read about depression, and it was a real eye-opener. I would recommend it to anyone, especially for those suffering from depression or other mental illnesses, women, and just everybody. Everybody should read this book. It's a quick read because it just keeps you reading. It's interesting and well-written.

If I'm being honest, I actually liked it better than The Bell Jar. Sorry, Sylvia Plath, but Meri Nana-Ama Danquah has such a compelling writing style. I swear it's not because the events were true in WWfM and not in TBJ. I promise I'm not picky like that.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this review. More to come.

Happy reading!!