Review: Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon

 Mad Girl offers an erratic and haphazard view of mental illness, detailing Bryony Gordon’s own experience with depression, bulimia, alopecia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

It is a whirlwind of a novel, exploring the guilt and shame that came hand in hand with Gordon’s experience of mental health and motherhood. I read this book on recommendation from somebody who also suffers from OCD, stating it was the first time they realised somebody felt the same way they did.

Realistic accounts of mental health issues are so important in removing the stigma and shame felt by those suffering. The novel touches on taboo themes of OCD, such as thoughts related to harm and moral scrutiny. Gordon translates perfectly to paper the horror and disgust felt by intrusive thoughts and the urgency of the repetitive actions and phrases used to find relief.

One moment that struck a chord with me was when Gordon described bringing her iron with her to work. Knowing that even if she checked repeatedly, her brain would still convince her that she’d turned it on before leaving the house. This is a rather comical image, but for anybody who suffers from intrusive thoughts, it’s easy to imagine the level of distress that caused her to do it.

Gordon also discusses her experience with cognitive behavioural therapy and taking antidepressants at different points in her life. Gordon is honest about the side effects she experienced while on various medications, while praising them for getting her through some of the toughest times. Acknowledging her immense privilege, she discusses private therapies she tried and the different levels of success she encountered. There is one rather entertaining moment where she is directed to do bizarre thing in public to confront her fear of what others think of her.

This novel is an interesting look inside the mind of somebody with mental illness. It is by no means a self-help book, but if you’re looking to understand mental health issues a little better, this is a brilliant place to start.