According to a recent survey, more than 90% of patients with chronic mental illness live with their families. Managing day-to-day activities and the behavioral changes of the patients can be extremely stressful for a caregiver. It increases manifold if the patient is a loved one. Seeing them turn into someone unrecognizable is heartbreaking.
“If you want to have enough to give to others, you will need to take care of yourself first. A tree that refuses water and sunlight for itself can’t bear fruit for others.” – Emily Maroutian
The mental and physiological well-being of a caregiver is extremely important. Books have a two-fold therapeutic effect on caregivers. They not only help cope with stress but also help provide an insight into the experiences of others dealing with a similar situation.
This quarter, I recommended must-read mental health memoirs and personal narratives and shared a spotlight on Committed: A Memoir of Madness in the Family by Paolina Milana. As a final part of the #CauseAChatter mini-series on Mental Health Talks, I share book recommendations for family caregivers. Insightful narratives that provide family caregivers comfort and help them feel included.
An important content warning – the books can be triggering.
Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto
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“Love is never enough. Madness is enough. It is complete, sufficient unto itself. You can only stand outside it as a woman might stand outside a prison in which her lover is locked up. From time to time, a well-loved face will peer out and love floods back. A scrap of cloth flutters and it becomes a sign and a code and a message and all that you want it to be. Then it vanishes and you are outside the dark tower again.”
Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto is one of the most popular books on mental health by an Indian author. It is a semi-biographical debut novel about Em, the author’s mother, who struggles with mania and suicidal tendencies. And about the Big Hoom, the author’s father, who struggles to keep this family together.
What sets it apart is that the author does not stereotype the illness. It is as much about the effect of the mental illness on the family as it is about his mother’s struggles. A difficult read but definitely worth it. The book is available on Kindle Unlimited. Do pick it up if you haven’t already.
A Book of Light: When a Loved One Has a Different Mind
by Jerry Pinto (Editor)
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Jerry Pinto’s debut novel, Em and the Big Hoom, touched thousands of readers. Many shared their similar experiences and agreed to share them with the world. Thirteen of these sometimes harrowing but always empowering stories were compiled in A Book of Light: When a Loved One Has a Different Mind.
A collection of first-hand accounts about families, love, grief, loss, anger, and most importantly, the fragility yet the strength of the human mind. Stories that focus on caregivers and the impact on families. A hidden gem, one that stays with you long after you finish reading it. Highly recommended.
Sepia Leaves by Amandeep Sandhu
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With growing awareness around mental health, more and more people are able to empathize with and understand the plight of caregivers. But it was not so back in the 1970s, in a small town of Rourkela, Orissa.
Sepia Leaves by Amandeep Sandhu is a semi-fictionalized account of a young boy, Appu, who struggles to deal with his mother’s schizophrenia and its aftermath on a dysfunctional family. A child who does not understand the illness and has to grow up too soon. A book that is also a stark account of the socio-political history of the country at the time. This one too is available on Kindle Unlimited.
I would love to know your recommendations of books by Indian authors on mental health? Do share about them in the comments below.
Mental Health & India – Essential Reads for Family Caregivers #CauseAChatter #MentalHealthTalks #BookChatter @blogchatter #BohoPonderings Share on X
This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a very small percentage of the sale at no cost to you.
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June 17, 2021 @ 7:51 pm
I have book marked your post.. Would love to read all of them. Thanks for such wonderful recommandations of book.
June 18, 2021 @ 11:27 pm
Thank you Swati. I am so glad to read that. 🙂
June 17, 2021 @ 7:51 pm
I have book marked your post.. Would love to read all of them. Thanks for such wonderful recommandations of book.
June 18, 2021 @ 9:02 am
Yeah, first make yourself happy, then only you can help others to be happy and relaxed. This book might talk about a real issue in our country. I can’t wait to know more about the book. Let me buy this from Amazon.
June 18, 2021 @ 9:05 am
Yeah, first make yourself happy, then only you can help others to be happy and relaxed. These books might talk about a real issue in our country. I can’t wait to know more about the books. Let me read them all.
June 18, 2021 @ 11:29 pm
Exactly Shreemayee. It is not selfish for caretakers to put themselves first. I hope you like the books as much as I did. 🙂
June 18, 2021 @ 7:43 pm
Such a brilliant read and the books you have recommended are on my wishlist for a long. The post and the topic are very apt considering today’s scenario. Loved the way you briefed it.
June 18, 2021 @ 11:29 pm
Thank you so much for your kind words, Pamela 🙂
June 18, 2021 @ 9:14 pm
That’s such a nice topic. Totally agree that a caregiver must take very care for self.
June 18, 2021 @ 11:30 pm
Thank you Smita. 🙂
June 20, 2021 @ 10:37 pm
Wonderful recommendations of books and such an apt topic you have chosen for Causeachatter. Going to check these books.
June 18, 2021 @ 11:30 pm
I can’t even begin to imagine the kind of strength one needs to have or develop to deal with these situations. When it comes to family it’s hard and harder when mental health issues arise
June 18, 2021 @ 11:57 pm
This collection is a gem for all of us. I loved the book’s title, Sepia Leaves. Your review and the bookish talks evoked a lot of interest in me to pick these books soon. Where most of the people feel shy in talking about mental health issues,these authors write for us and brought their voice loud. Kudos. Thanks for sharing.
June 19, 2021 @ 4:51 pm
I am yet to read any of these books. Thanks for a suggesting good ones, going to order them soon
June 19, 2021 @ 5:42 pm
Mental health is still very much unexplored in India. It is still a taboo to openly talk about ones struggles in taking care of a loved one with a mental disorder. I am glad you wrote about these books.
June 19, 2021 @ 5:53 pm
This topic has to be addressed as much as Mental health itself. I am sorry I didn’t go deep into it as I am still not strong enough. But am sure ur recommendation is very good
June 19, 2021 @ 6:23 pm
Thank for recommending such wonderful books on mental health. Have bookmarked this post.
June 20, 2021 @ 2:42 am
Lovely review. I have seen firsthand what it is to care for someone with mental issues. The caregiver too needs to de-stress regularly in order not to collapse.
June 20, 2021 @ 10:01 am
Boiling point of us… Really a good reading… It’s very interesting and important to read this blog for anybody.
June 20, 2021 @ 12:50 pm
This is a very important topic and the books you have chosen look like must-reads. I am going to pick them up soon.
June 20, 2021 @ 1:17 pm
While the complete attention is always on the recovering patient almost no one gives a thought to caregivers. Glad you thought of them, these reads should help.
June 20, 2021 @ 1:28 pm
Very apt post, Ritu. We also need to talk about the caregivers, this aspect is hardly even thought about. I am surely going to put When a Loved .ne Has a Different Mind by Jerry Pinto in my TBR.
June 20, 2021 @ 1:42 pm
This is aist of some incredible books…thanks for the reviews….the last one is very intriguing…
June 20, 2021 @ 4:00 pm
A brilliant account of the books written for the mental health of the caregivers of chronic mental patients. It becomes intolerable to witness the near one suffer from mental illness but self-care is equally important.
June 20, 2021 @ 7:26 pm
A wonderful list of books on Mental health definitely deserves a wider reach, Noted all, will surely pick at least one very soon.
June 20, 2021 @ 7:54 pm
So thought-provoking…..Loved to read thru and had me thinking and recollecting how often we forget those who matter and need our thoughts the most!!
June 20, 2021 @ 8:44 pm
I did not know there were so many great books for mental health. It’s great that you are spreading awareness. Books help alot when one is in delimma and wants to understand with self help.
June 20, 2021 @ 10:32 pm
One cannot understand person feelings but one can always try to understand what goes through it and these recommendations for the caregivers is the light in the tunnel, so that caregivers choose the right set of words to comfort them. I would choose ‘ A Book of Light’ to start with to understand more about it.
June 21, 2021 @ 1:38 pm
I always mark your post and your recommendations. I have not had the opportunity to read indian authors’s book on mental health. I will sure check out these books.
June 21, 2021 @ 8:16 pm
All these books look wonderful, I would read them all. I have bookmarked it!
June 23, 2021 @ 5:52 am
Thank you. I think I will pick up Sepia Leaves right away. I’ve been thinking of reading Amandeep Sandhu for a while.