The Comfort Book Book Summary

The Comfort Book Book Summary Preview

Key Insights

In “The Comfort Book” by Matt Haig, he tells his story of hitting his rock bottom and feeling depressed and overcome with anxiety, all while looking completely normal and fine from the outside. Sound familiar?

This type of depression and anxiety is too common in our modern-day, busy world. Through Haig’s experience, he was able to form resilience, as well as find what he calls “life rafts,” which are tiny comforts that help him keep going even during the most challenging times. 

Although Haig believes that there is no such thing as complete recovery from this sort of depression, he has a very different life now, filled with his children, published books, and personal comforts. 

If you’re feeling sad and need some help coping, or if you want to strengthen your emotional resilience, Haig’s fourteen insightful mantras and unconventional talks around depression and anxiety will prove beneficial to your journey. 

When You’re Lost, Just Keep Walking

Sometimes life can feel like walking through the woods in the dark. You’re trying to navigate through undergrowth, trees, and bushes while not being able to see a few feet in front of you. On top of that, you’re being bitten by mosquitoes, you’re hungry, you’re tired, and your bed sounds like heaven. But how do you find your way if you have no idea where you are and where you’re going?

This forest metaphor is more common in life than you would think. Many times, we have something all planned out, but things take a turn, and we are faced with a situation we weren’t prepared for. 

The only thing to do in a situation like this is just keep putting one foot in front of the other and walking in a straight line. Eventually, you will find your way out, even if it’s not immediately.

A positive of this situation is that even though you feel lost, you’re actually gaining precious skills and knowledge. Sometimes you have to get lost to find the pathway (both in life and in the forest) that works for you. 

Don’t Believe What Your Depressed Brain Is Saying

Feeling depressed can make you feel like you're lying at the bottom of a pit, unable to get up. You can look up and see a beautiful view, but as you lie in the pit, you know you’ll never get up there. That voice that’s in your head saying, “You will never get better,” is believable in that moment, because in that moment, you feel stuck. 

This negative voice is your depressed brain, and even though it’s telling you that you’ll never recover, it’s lying, and it’s important to realize that. The truth is, you will feel better even if you can’t fathom the idea of feeling joy again.

When we feel really down, sometimes it can feel like that’s just how it will be forever. Think back to your first high school break-up or when you were a new parent and not getting any sort of regular sleep. Those moments, at the time, probably felt like an eternity. But,...

Join over 100,000 readers!

Please login to access the full text and audio summary for FREE

New users get access to two FREE summaries. Upgrade now for unlimited access.

Get Started

Save time with unlimited access to text, audio, and video summaries of the world's best-selling books.
Upgrade Now