I Had a Black Dog | Matthew Johnstone

Link to the Youtube version of this wonderful Book.

I Had a Black Dog Written and Illustrated by Matthew Johnstone

The idea for the book was scribbled shortly after the tragic event of 9/11, while living in New York. I didn’t wake up on Sept 12th and think ‘I’m going to change my life!’ it was more a period of osmosis.

I realised that life is intrinsically short and that I’d been doing life, not living it due to having a significant unwanted companion trotting along beside me. 

Depression had been in and out of my life since my late 20’s and I invested huge amounts of energy in covering it up.

People warned me against creating such a book, that I would lose my job, responsibilities and even friends but I have to say that apart from marrying my wife and having my children; this was one of the best things I’d ever done with my life.

Not only did it set me free but I began to live my life authentically. The biggest lesson in all this for me was helping others is one of the greatest ways we can help ourselves.

This book has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation, The Black Dog Institute and Stephen Fry. The video of the book created for W.H.O has been viewed over 30 million times and the book is about to become a play and a school mental health program in the UK. Woof woof!!! Woof Woof!!!

I Had a Black Dog | Matthew Johnstone

I cannot remember who recommended this book to me, but it is great, a really useful tool for a person with MH to help them explain depression to friends and family.

https://matthewjohnstone.com.au/product-category/mental-health-wellbeing/