54 Life-Changing Books That Gave People Comfort In Hard Times

"It gave me an escape from my reality and helped me realize that I'm not the only one that feels this way."

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community about the books that got them through a hard time in their lives. These novels show the true comforting power of an incredible story.

Angelica Baini / BuzzFeed

As a reminder: always consult with your doctor about your personal health and wellness. BuzzFeed posts are for informational purposes only and are no substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical advice.

1. Looking for Alaska by John Green

Penguin Random House

"This book definitely got me through hard times in my life. There is a quote that always stuck out to me: 'It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn't the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things.'" –Volleyballgal67

"The idea of continuing on through the labyrinth of life no matter how awful it gets is inspiring." –brediculousss

"My freshman year of college I lost a friend to suicide, and reading Looking for Alaska really helped me deal with it. I wasn't talking about it to anyone, and to see a character yell and express the questions I didn't know if I could even ask made me feel less alone." –alishak421060eb2

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

HarperCollins

"My mother and stepfather were alcoholics when I was growing up. Money was often short, food was there but not great. They could be verbally abusive at times. Reading Francie's story really let me see that my own choices could lead me to the light at the end of the tunnel. Her perseverance and the strength of her mother through their hard times were truly inspirational to me." –olliesteigs

"I go back to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn at least once a year. I've been reading it since I was about the same age Francie was at the beginning of the book. It's so beautifully written and it always reminds me that each hardship is temporary." –Christine Jackson, via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

3. Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel

Riverhead Books

"It's very real and raw, and at times funny. She helps paint a picture of depression that most don't often think of or see. When people think of someone who's depressed, they typically think of someone curled up in the corner, crying their eyes out. But Wurtzel goes into full detail about her rage and outbursts, about how her sadness oftentimes becoming anger that gets taken out on other people. Elizabeth Wurtzel just words things in a way that I never could, and by doing so helps validate my feelings." –bucklewithanR

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

4. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Scholastic

"I was six when my little sister died. My dad checked out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and started reading it out loud to me. My mom would come in and listen as well, and together we started bonding again. I think I may have been too young to understand the significance of it at the time, but I saw my parents crying for the first time after the funeral when my dad read the quote, 'To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.' Harry Potter is what got me through rough times then, and what I always turn to now when I'm in need of comfort." –jannu313

"When I was admitted to my third psychiatric ward for serious mental illness, I reread the series for about the tenth time. I got through all seven books in about six weeks, and it distracted me from horrible thoughts and terrible home sickness." –emilym4b62b5daa

"When my nana passed away last year, all I wanted to do was re read the Harry potter books. In fact, the night I found out she died I stayed up and read the whole of Sorcerer's Stone and, although I still felt really miserable, it bought me a lot of comfort." –amylouisev

"When I moved to Prague, I was in desperate need of something familiar from back home so I reread the Harry Potter series. One day, a particularly awful day as I recall, I sat down on the steps of a shop and began reading The Prisoner of Azkaban when I came across the "don't let the muggles get you down" line. I distinctly remember tearing up a little and then smiling because no matter how hard it was living in a foreign country, and no matter how difficult the culture shock, I wouldn't let the muggles get me down." –nataliew4d288629f

"I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety when I was 8 years old. My music teacher introduced me to Harry Potter. It was a way for me to escape all of the darkness I had inside. There were times I literally didn't want to go on, and I would dive into the wizarding world and imagine being there instead." –ashleyvictoriab

"The Harry Potter series got me through my dad's battle with leukemia and after he passed away. Reading about someone who did such great things but who had been through such hardships in his life really helped get me through everything. J.K. Rowling really is magic." –Kristen Herhold via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

5. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Simon & Schuster

"When I'm feeling sad or anxious, I take it down from the shelf and laugh my problems away. Whether it's childhood stories about sneakily eating her grandfather's entire birthday cake or her experiences with depression, it always makes me feel better and reminds me that I'm not alone in my mental health and general weirdness." –karlar8

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

6. It's Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Miramax

"It was one of the first books I read that not only addressed but took steps to de-stigmatize mental illness and all of the many nuances that go along with it. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is struggling with mental illness, or who wants to know that it truly DOES get better, or who just wants to feel understood." –alainap47dc343c0

"It taught me that it would be okay to admit that something was wrong, and there was no shame in getting help. A friend recommended it to me when she realized I wasn’t okay, and then used it as an icebreaker to ask me to seek help." –notadisneyprincess

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

7. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

Penguin Random House

"This book was a revelation when I wasn't going anywhere and spinning my wheels." –Adam Butts via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

8. The Naturals series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Miramax Books

"That book series freaking saved my life. I was in a PHP 7 week program following a suicide attempt and was really, really low. My therapist wanted me to find one thing, one goal to strive for. I found these books one afternoon and decided to read them. It's about this group of teenagers who work for the FBI and the main character is a profiler. I spent weeks researching what kind of job a profiler has and fell in love with that job. I set a goal that I was going to live for, and I told my therapist I was going to live because I was determined to be 'the best damn profiler there is.' Here we are, three years later, I'm in college pursuing a psychology degree to go into the FBI. All of this started from a book I read when I was at the lowest point in my life." –skailyr

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

9. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

Simon & Schuster

"She inspired me to do my own Year of Yes and to step outside my comfort zone and do things I'd normally say no to. This book inspired me to live before I die. Don't miss this one. It'll no shit change your life." –mandid

The way she talks about overcoming insecurity and blossoming into the person she is today by saying yes to things really resonated with me. It changed the way I think for the better! I recommend it to anyone who's feeling stuck or unsure of themselves and wanting to fix that." –meghana405d383b4

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

10. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Penguin Random House

"This book shows both sides of suicide. You can relate to Hannah because of all the hurt she experienced but also see how much it really changed Clay, and not for the better. It really just helped me realize that suicide doesn't end when it happens. It can trigger those same emotions in someone else." –knottynautical

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

11. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Penguin Random House

"It was reassuring to know that the feeling of being trapped in hopelessness when you're about to lose a loved one isn't abnormal. All the emotions the main character felt made me feel less alone. It was like I got to grieve with someone." –elenamaii

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

12. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Simon & Schuster

"Despite the hardships and grief that Anne goes through, she still sees the world as unfathomably beautiful. Despite tragedy, life is still bright and full of good things, no matter how small they may seem." –sarae406e4a348

"Anne had every reason to be depressed and view life from a negative perspective. Yet her drive to view, or imagine, the best in things really pushed me to try to change the way I view life." –Kayla Elizabeth

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

13. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

MacMillan

"While it's incredibly sad (like ugly-cry-in-your-blanket-coccoon-sad), it's also relatable and hilarious and sweet. It reminded me during a hard time that, no matter how ugly endings and goodbyes may be, it's better to have loved and lost than not at all." –a476f93879

"After my first long term relationship ended without any closure or healthy communication, this book helped me a lot. The ending being so ambiguous helped me realize that some things just end on a cliffhanger." –tiffanyh4d2a4669a

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

14. After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Speak

"This book is about an unnamed narrator who lives in New York in the 90s. Tupac’s music helps her get through the ups and downs in her life. It’s also a great read because of its coverage of LGBTQ characters of color. It’s a great bittersweet read that still remains my favorite book to this day." –Kelbell63

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

15. Twilight saga by Stephanie Meyer

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

"Back in 2010-2013, I had really bad untreated anxiety. I found out that the familiar plot and simple writing style of Breaking Dawn was soothing for me. I started carrying the book everywhere and got the audiobook on my phone and listened to it over and over again whenever I was starting to panic. Once I got on medication and was in therapy for a bit, I didn't need it anymore, but it kept me sane for a long time." –Rueflower

"The Twilight saga got me through my teen years and into adulthood. I struggled with loving myself, and loving others. I was being abused, suicidal, and needed help. Books always being my comfort zone, I read Twilight. It was more therapeutic than anything else I had available to me at the time. Fast forward to 2011, a guy from work took me to see Breaking Dawn. We had the best first date. Dinner, dancing, the movie, and we stayed awake all night just enjoying the company. We're now happily married." –Eli Cat Baker via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

16. Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres

Grand Central Publishing

"I had gone through a bad breakup and a friend had gifted me Ellen Degeneres' book Seriously...I'm Kidding, and it was the perfect thing at that time. During a period of time of what felt like endless tears, this book was the perfect relief. It just reminded me that wallowing in your sadness is not going to solve anything or make things better, so you might as well try laughing." –rose

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

17. Every Day by David Levithan

Penguin Random House

"The main character 'A' lives a different life every day. 'A' lives in someone else's life with someone else's friends and family, but is never able to forge true relationships. I related to 'A' especially during this period of my life when even though I was surrounded by people who cared about me, I felt alone. This book taught me how to see the good in myself and those around me and to live my life in the best way I can." –aschelyg

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

18. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Mariner Books

"I was in a not-so-great relationship in college and was gifted this book. I read it in a day because I could oddly relate to the grandparents’ love story. It started to stir a fear I had inside me: I wasn’t being truly loved in the relationship I was in. It helped to give me a voice in that relationship and speak up for what I deserve." –samanthar4a383b0f7

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

19. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

HarperOne

"It's so deeply profound. I read it in the middle of a depressive episode, and it gave me hope that everything in my life would be okay. It actually helped pull me out of my depression."–Amanda Guy via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

20. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

W. W. Norton & Company

"I lost my sister (my only sibling) unexpectedly in 2012. It was beyond devastating for my family. I turned to books trying to stop my mind from falling apart but nothing seemed to get through. Then I started reading 'Packing for Mars' by Mary Roach. Not only did it finally get me interested in something, but something extraordinary happened.

I was reading the book on October 14, 2012, and noticed she made mention about Felix Baumgartner's attempt to jump to Earth from space. A little intrigued, I Googled to see what happened...and found out it had been postponed and was happening THAT DAY. The day I happened to be reading about it!

My parents and I watched this breathtaking jump and it was the first time I felt that maybe I was going to be okay because of this wonderful book and small world and whatever you want to call the force behind it. I'll never forget the book, that jump, or actually feeling something wonderful again after all that pain." –jenw420b48688

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

21. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Penguin Random House

"I deal with depression and anxiety for stretches at a time, and this book really helped me understand that there are people around us that can help us focus on what we bring into the world. We can focus on the love they have for us instead of giving into the darkness that exists inside us." –samanthanicoler

"I was in a really dark place when I read this book. Reading it helped me to see the beauty in life and reminded me that life is worth living." –isabellanahai17

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

22. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Pocket Books

"This book helped when I was dealing with my sexuality and feeling so lost. I felt abandoned by my friends. This book told me it was okay to be me." –Jessica Navarro via Facebook

"I’ve read this book and have given away my copy to friends so many times that I’ve spent more on this one book than some college textbooks." –elijahhale

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

23. The Book Of Awesome by Neil Pasricha

G.P. Putnam's Sons

"The Book of Awesome reminds us to be thankful for life's little moments. With everything going on in the world, it's so soothing to have Pasricha help us remember the things that make us smile." –Ciera Velarde

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

24. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

Simon & Schuster

"During one of the hardest most depressing times of my life, this book reminded me that I'm not the only one. My life isn't the only 'shit sandwich.'" –saturn71369

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

25. Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Delacorte Press

"I've been struggling with depression for about a year now. I haven't really gotten much better until recently. I was able to immerse myself into reading books to help me think about someone else's life. Girl in Pieces was just relatable in so many ways. It showed the darkest moments that you can get to. It gave me an escape from my reality and helped me realize that I'm not the only one that feels this way and that life sucks, but you can get through now because you are stronger than you think." –ahartz6

"When I felt like I was an outcast and alone, I didn’t know who *I* was. Upon reading that book, I felt like I could implement parts of the protagonist’s journey to finding *herself* into my life. Although it was a very triggering book, it left a huge impact on my life. it’s actually one of my favorites, and when I feel empty or unsure about my life, I go back and read the book." –marseyr

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

26. Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner

Wisdom Publications

"It soothed my mind and soul in a way that nothing else could at the time. I don't think I would be here today without that book combined with yoga practice. I knew it was changing the core of my life." –Kaci Marks via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

27. If You Feel Too Much by Jamie Tworkowski

TarcherPerigee

"It's a collection of short essays, including the one that led to the founding of To Write Love On Her Arms, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting people to mental health resources. There's something relevant to just about any difficult situation, be it loneliness, loss, difficult holidays, or strained relationships." –Jonathan Hamrick via Facebook

"Jamie's insight on living with depression is so deep and raw and hopeful that it pulls me out of even my darkest places. I now wear a To Write Love On Her Arms wristband every day to remind myself to keep going, that every day is a new day, and I can make it through this." –Brightest_Firefly

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

28. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Margaret K. McElderry Books

"Very depressing, but that's kinda the point. It helps pull me out of my depression at the end." –brittneynicholew

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

29. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

Random House

"I discovered it when I was 12 and struggling with depression (though I didn't know it at the time.) She was able to put my muddled feelings into beautiful words. I have taken that book everywhere with me for the last decade and read it every time I have trouble." –Arholten

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

30. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Riverhead Books

"A Thousand Splendid Suns is an extremely heart-wrenching story full of loss and sorrow, but it's ultimately the power of love that helps the main characters Mariam and Laila survive. This story will stay with you long after you're done reading it." –Ciera Velarde

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

31. The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Riverhead Books

"I read it in my adolescence while I was suffering from an eating disorder and killing myself to reach American standards of beauty. As a larger girl, I was sure that I needed to become the male ideal to live a happy life. This book helped me learn that outer beauty isn't the end-all-be-all." –kendalll4712c9749

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

32. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Macmillan

"I had just fallen down a long and dark rabbit hole of anxiety and depression and I retreated into myself, which meant I spent a fair bit of time reading fan fiction. Reading about a character like myself, complete with feelings of inadequacy and being unable to open up to anyone made it feel like I actually had someone to understand me, even if they were fictional. To this day, I carry a copy with me always with my favorite passages dogeared and highlighted." –daftmunky

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

33. Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer

Anchor Books

"I read this book just after having an emotional breakdown. It's an incredibly sad story, but somehow, it helped me immensely in my journey back to myself." –kylajs

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

34. Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson

Berkley

"My senior year of college was awful. I'd been recently diagnosed with several mental illnesses for which I was in a lot of therapy. I felt pretty alone. And then I discovered Jenny Lawson. Jenny writes so comically and truthfully about what it was like to live with mental illness. Her books are so honest and funny and so real for those of us living with difficult brains day to day." –OMGitsaClaire

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

35. As I Lay Dying by William Faulker

Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.

"It somehow helped me with losing my mom, although I didn't read it until a couple years later, but I was still grieving deeply. It helped because you experience the grief and confusion of Addie's children through their eyes." –Emma Murray, via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

36. Love Letters To The Dead by Ava Dellaira

Square Fish

"I was going through a pretty rough time when I read this book. After reading this, I felt way more confident in myself and that I wasn't alone in anything. It mentions a lot of issues like grief, anxiety, depression, LGBT rights, sexual assault, and so many others. I connected with the characters and the stuff the author was writing on so many levels that I felt like the main character a lot of the time." –fuxxlecat

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

37. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Bantam Classics

"I hate the holidays. It's supposed to be a happy time of year but it comes with the promise of bad weather and stress. One of the few things to get me through them is my ritual of reading Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I usually start in late December and finish by the new year. And in that time I make the transformation from Scrooge to spirited do-gooder. The wit of the writing and the nostalgia of the story reminds me that the cycle of the year is about to be renewed." –paulap21

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

38. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Andrews McMeel Publishing

"Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur got me through a pretty sad breakup a few years ago. I sent it to my sister recently to help her through hers!" –Meredith Mann via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

39. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Dial Press Trade Paperback

"This honestly changed my life! It drastically changed the way I view death, and as someone who has struggled with depression and suicide for a very long time, that was huge for me." –rachelc482096605

"This book taught me that when you experience trauma, it's okay to not be okay with what happened, and that it is possible to move forward after tragedy. Three years ago, I went through something utterly horrific with my two daughters, and we struggled to try to make sense of how something so unspeakable could have happened to us. The disjointed plot line in this book helped me see that not understanding the 'why' behind disorienting tragedies has the potential to be freeing. (FYI: After everything, my daughters and I are happy, healthy, and thriving! Yay!)" –WSUGradGirl

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

40. Travelling to Infinity by Jane Hawking

Alma Books

"No matter how down I feel or how deep I am into my depression, reading about this woman and how much love she had and still has in her heart after her marriage ended and all that she sacrificed, it's just truly amazing. It always puts things into perspective in a beautiful way." –allied49e5b98a6

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

41. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

Balzer + Bray

"Even though this book can be very hard to read at times, the relationship between Aysel and Roman will compel you. When you feel like no one could possibly be hurting as much as you, My Heart And Other Black Holes shows us that you're not alone in your suffering, and you don't have to resort to extreme measures to make it stop." –Ciera Velarde

Get your copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

42. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Square Fish

"My brother died three years ago in an unexpected car accident. It is only now, because of that book that I'm starting to be like Melinda and let myself grow. I'm starting to forgive myself." –amyk405d63534

"While I didn't go through the same traumatic experience that Melinda did, I have gone through a lot, I knew exactly how Melinda felt, wanting to hide from the world and push everyone away. This book allowed me to see what I didn't see at first: people can truly be repulsive or undeniably sweet. This book allowed me to realize who I was as a person and who I wanted to have around me in my life." –savieluv01

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

43. The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier

Penguin Random House

"It's a weird little book that really makes you wonder what happens to you after you die. I read this after my father passed away and it helped remind me that for as long as I'm alive, he (in a way) will live on." –lnguyen30

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

44. The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

"A lot of things are addressed: early-life trauma, relationships, mental health ... This book just got me, like at the level of my soul. I could relate so many things that have happened to me in my life to the poetry in this book." –Unconscioussedation

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

45. The Rest Of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

HarperCollins

"It is a great read and a perfect reminder that you don't have to be the superhero of the world. Sometimes just the fact that you are able to stay afloat in your day-to-day life is enough." –ReMiDe

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

46. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Back Bay Books

"It's an amazing coming-of-age book with a lot of social issues intertwined. It helped me accept that change is a part of life, and that no matter how much something hurts, I will get through it." –Amanda Guy via Facebook

"My life was changed forever when I read Me Talk Pretty One Day while I was in high school. It taught me that the pain and humiliation that I was enduring as the weird gay kid would be useful to me one day. I learned that one day, I would be able to turn those struggles into art, just like Sedaris did." –travisd4a11dc95b

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

47. The Maze Runner series by James Dashner

Penguin Random House

"This series saved my life. I was psychologically trapped in a physically abusive relationship for over five years after graduation. Being a secondary education major, I began reading all kinds of young adult novels that I could potentially teach in my English classroom. The Maze Runner became an allegory for my personal life, and I found myself like Thomas, trapped in a maze that I created and that only I could get out of. If it had not been for the books, I would have never found my way to the truly lovely life I have today." –caseyc44c65ff90

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

48. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Speak

"I was really struggling with the death of my grandpa, and it only gets worse near the holidays. For Christmas, I got this book as a gift. It changed my life. Lennon lost her sister and has to figure out how to live life with this hole. Lennon writes little poems and memories on plastic cups, pieces of paper, and rocks, and plants them throughout her town. It really helped put all my grief into words and taught me how to live with it." –paytony2

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

49. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Tor Books

"It came out my freshman year of high school, when my depression was starting to rear its ugly head. Seeing Kaladin dealing with emotions similar to mine, seeing him there on the precipice like I was and pulling himself away really helped me. It was such a realistic portrayal of depression. Reading that really encouraged me to build a support for myself." –Bug Fly via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

50. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Vintage

"I was going through a lot at the time. It's a sad read, but ultimately cathartic. It's a great book to read about loss, strength and coming to terms with pain." –Yolie Contreras via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

51. Roomanitarian by Henry Rollins

2.13.61

"It is a collection of short essays. They're dark and real. Whenever I'm back in a major depressive cycle (I've been dealing with severe depression for most of my life), I pull that book out and it helps remind me that other people think this dark stuff, too." –LibbyMonStar

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

52. Things the Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett

Thomas Dunne Books

"Mark Oliver Everett's music had already been helping me through my (then-undiagnosed) severe depression for years. What really helped me, though, was his honesty. When everyone around me felt like it was trying to convince me things were all fine and I just needed to lighten up, his was the only voice saying 'No, it's true. Life sucks sometimes, and you won't always know why or how to deal with it. But I think you'll be okay.'" –TuesdayAgain

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

53. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

HarperCollins

"Between Christmas and April during fifth grade, I lost my Granny whom I was close to, my parents divorced, and my best friend died suddenly. I read this book over and over and over from then throughout middle school. It's a wonderful story. I still read it to this day occasionally." –Lauren Fleeman Barnett via Facebook

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

54. An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Razorbil

"An Ember In The Ashes is full of badass, strong female characters who push for their own freedom within the oppressive Empire. The main character Laia's grandparents are murdered and her brother is imprisoned, and she joins the resistance against the Empire in retaliation. It's a great book for anyone who is looking to take charge of their own life, even when everything seems hopeless." –Ciera Velarde

Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

Note: Entries have been edited for clarity and length, and not all books on this list were suggested by the community

If you ever need to talk to someone, you can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. Suicide helplines outside the US can be found here.

Follow along at BuzzFeed.com/MentalHealthWeek from Oct. 2 to Oct. 8, 2017.

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