Why Reading A Book About Depression Might Actually Help You Feel Better

Reading a book about depression might sound, well, a little dark. But if you're struggling, it can actually help you feel less alone by showing you that other people have had similar experiences, even though it might feel like you're the only one in the world who's hurting—a symptom of depression called "social isolation," says Elizabeth Cohen, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New York City.

"It can also show the reader, who might be feeling like there's no light at the end of the tunnel or even considering suicide, that people—even famous people—have lived with depression and made it through," she says.

Just because the topic might be stereotypically more grim than others doesn't mean that every read is intense, though. From laugh-out-loud funny memoirs to tear-jerking fiction, with a few more practical picks that focus on how to come out the other side, these 32 books about depression will help you better understand this mental illness: