This was initially intended to be a buddy read with https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/24783204-ali

However, I wound up completing it before he could even begin. Because that's the sort of friend I am, you know xD

Now, regarding the book, it was truly AMAZING. I absolutely adored it and the way it connected with me on numerous levels. I loved the author's eagerness to share such an experience, as if he desires to convey to everyone out there who struggles with depression that they can overcome it safely and soundly, provided they have the appropriate environment and the right amount of support and love.

Depression is such a complex and elusive instability. So few people realize they are submerged in it, and that's precisely why very few tend to deny its existence. And even fewer truly grasp its essence, which makes it even more difficult for the person in question to feel secure, considering all the incredulity they have to face.

Depression should be better explained and more widely accepted in societies because it has the potential to rob us of those who are dearest to our hearts.

The writer William Styron's memoirs about depression; which overwhelmed him at the age of sixty, and after many years of hiding; to reveal its truth, and it overwhelmed him with violence in completely different circumstances from depression; but for depression, its heights that are difficult to face with protein, or literary awards, or boosting self-confidence..

The personal, honest, and human literary writing reflects the writer's culture, while revealing many aspects of depression that haunted him with the stages of his treatment that completely failed with Styron; until he entered the hospital and finally found himself _contrary to the common perception of entering mental hospitals_ capable of recovery in a stable, pure environment for the soul, and a captivating haven for destructive fantasies and a source of peace and tranquility.

Simply proud of his writing and its reception, the role of effective encouragement on it, sincere support, all love, and the hope with its wonderful ability to overcome the unfounded and overwhelming despair that characterizes depression; especially this recurring depression that threatens to be suffered again and again and again..

But as everything in life, the more it repeats on a person; he gains experience in dealing with it and controlling it, so even if the heights of depression increase, that never prevents suppressing and overcoming it.

"If there was no end to depression, but suicide has indeed become its only cure.

But a person does not need to appear fake or pretending to affirm the truth that depression is not the end of the world."

"And so we went out, and once again we saw the stars."

It is not the best book that deals with the disease of depression. Perhaps its only merit is being a personal experience of its author. Therefore, the content was extremely simple, even predictable. And being predictable, the book lost a lot of its charm. Because I think that any depressed patient, regardless of his culture and educational level, is capable of writing what William Styron has written here, without depth or detail, just a rant about the symptoms of the disease, the view of society and medicine, treatment methods, and whether there is hope of recovery from it or not. This is what he simply talks about, and it is good, no doubt, but I expected more, frankly. Perhaps what I read before this book about the disease deprived me of the pleasure of the experience here, but that does not conflict with the fact that the book, whatever it was, is a personal story worth reading.

However, despite its simplicity and predictability, the book does offer some valuable insights. It gives a voice to those who suffer from depression and helps others to understand what they are going through. It also shows that recovery is possible, although it may be a long and difficult journey. Moreover, the author's honesty and openness about his own struggle with depression is commendable. It takes a lot of courage to share such personal and painful experiences with the world.

William Styron is a highly regarded author who has penned several literary classics, including The Confessions of Nat Turner and Sophie's Choice.

I had the opportunity to read 'Nat' shortly after its publication in 1967. However, over time, I seem to have forgotten both the details of the book and the author's remarkable writing style.

Needless to say, I was completely unaware of his descent into a profound and debilitating depression. This book vividly chronicles that harrowing journey. Initially, I was rather hesitant to read this book due to my personal experiences. My mother was bipolar, my paternal grandfather suffered from severe depression, and unfortunately, my sister took her own life as a result of her battle with depression.

Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. Styron wrote about his experience with a certain tenderness and grace. He never adopted a self-pitying attitude of 'why me' nor did he write as a martyr.

I am deeply sorry that Styron had to endure such a difficult time, but I am extremely grateful that he survived to share his story with us.

His final seven-week stay in a top-notch hospital proved to be the cure he so desperately needed. I was particularly impressed by his detailed description of his hospital stay, portraying it as a haven of peace where he could begin the process of healing.

There are numerous valuable lessons to be gleaned from this book. Depression has had a significant impact on my family, and I am truly glad that I read this extraordinary book.

Next on my reading list is to reread 'Nat', and also explore Sophie's Choice and his debut book, Lie Down in Darkness (1951).

This book definitely deserves a five-star rating.

This book is of small volume and I read it because they said it helps in improving depression. I was in a situation in my life where I thought I needed a book to take me out of this "obvious darkness". But unfortunately, it didn't help as I expected.

The author, who seems to be a very interesting person, has told the story from the beginning to the treatment of his depression and described the feelings he had during this illness. If you are not familiar with this illness and no one around you has dealt with this issue, it is necessary that you must read it. Some people think that being depressed or not is something that depends on the individual and if he wants, he can not be depressed; this is very wrong and probably by reading William Styron's memoirs of this period, you will realize that a person who is depressed really can not get out of the situation he has fallen into alone. The need of depressed people for others is vital.

However, if you are depressed yourself or have been in the past, this book can only be useful to the extent of the heartache of two friends together. The volume of this book is so small that it is really worth reading once, but don't expect it to present a way out of this stage in front of you.

Visible Darkness. The title plays on the paradox, for what darkness truly means is not to see, but you see the darkness, you don't see anything but the darkness. This is what the depression seems like from the head of its owner.

The book tells a chapter from William Styron's life with depression and suicidal tendencies and what is called "melancholia".

The book poses a profound question. The profound question is a truth; does life deserve to be lived? It is a struggle against and for the will to live, in painful and conclusive chapters, and others that pretend with a pale face.

What I appreciate most in this book is that William Styron had enough dignity and courage to give a voice to the voiceless, that he stripped the patient of the veil of shame that blocks the path to recovery, and that a depressed patient, if he reads a book like this, will know that he is not alone. In the shared suffering there is comfort. This is also a paradox. Thanks to the House of Mercy ♥️

Highly recommend

William Styron's short autobiography tells of his struggles with depression. It was his attempt to help people understand this illness and how it affects the sufferer. After he himself was afflicted, his view of the disease changed. He saw how people stigmatize those who commit suicide and label them as cowards, not realizing that there is something beyond the person's control. Depression sometimes comes in a destructive frenzy, and he himself was exposed to it in a moment of despair and decided to commit suicide. The book may not have many details, nor does it tell of moving situations that happened to him, and this may be a drawback because he does not write about his experiences because he loves this and welcomes personal invasion. He did this because when he wrote an article before, he met many people who came out into the light and began to talk about their sufferings. It was his attempt to help people, but I think he is not in a position to tell details that touch on his personal life to an excessive extent.

However, the book is good and contains essential information for people to be able to understand depression in general.

4.5 ⭐

\\n   “There is a region in the experience of pain where the certainty of alleviation often permits superhuman endurance…. In depression this faith in deliverance, in ultimate restoration, is absent.”\\n


Darkness Visible is an extremely personal and honest account of William Styron’s own battle with depression. I discovered precisely what I was seeking within the pages of this book. William Styron, as a writer, has the remarkable talent to accurately express the experience of depression, which has always been inherently difficult for its victims to communicate to their loved ones. For this very reason, and also because of the potential for a certain degree of comfort it can offer, I truly believe that this book would be a beneficial read for those suffering from depression. For non-sufferers, it might ease some of the helplessness that stems from knowing that someone close to them is in pain and there seems to be nothing they can do to assist.


\\n  ”Loss in all of its manifestations is the touchstone of depression.”\\n


I endured a form of depression during my high school years. Looking back now, I can clearly see the signs. It presented itself as a lack of confidence, low self-esteem, a lack of conviction in my choices, and bouts of self-hate and intense emotional pain. Although it was nowhere near as severe as the debilitating level that Styron describes throughout this memoir, the symptoms were present. My father passed away in 1995 when I was only 7 years old. An aunt recently recounted the days that followed. I had become withdrawn and quiet, she told me. My once hyperactive and jovial disposition had vanished, and the spark of a carefree youth had dimmed ever so slightly in my eyes. I think I subconsciously searched for replacement male role models, such as my older brother, an uncle, a teacher, and a sports coach, just to observe and learn from them. Fortunately for me, these individuals were all very positive influences. However, I don't want to give an excessive amount of credit to these people who passively and unknowingly guided me away from a path that could have potentially led to serious depression. Ultimately, it is my mother who has always provided unwavering love and support and has made me the man I am today.


When family and friends are informed that their loved one has committed suicide, they often erect a defensive wall. They argue, “He wouldn’t have done that, he seemed fine!”, “She was stronger than that.” While their intentions are good and they want to protect that person’s image, in reality, they are doing the opposite because there should be nothing to protect. The stigma associated with suicide and the negative connotations regarding the victim imply weakness. In truth, when the darkness of depression reaches its greatest depths, there is little that the individual can do without hospitalization and the unwavering support of family and friends. In a way, I feel that these arguments are more of a defense for themselves. To accept that you knew something was wrong is to accept that perhaps, just perhaps, you could have done more to help.

At one point, Styron concludes that the “efficacy of psychotherapy… at the advanced stage I was in has to be virtually nil.” My initial reaction to this was, well, if a professional is of no help, what good can an untrained friend or relative do? Alas, as I read further, William mentioned several times that the support of his wife and friends was an absolute necessity for his eventual recovery. Simply reading this took a portion of the weight of helplessness off my own shoulders.


\\n  ”Not for an instant could I let out of my sight the endlessly patient soul who had become nanny, mommy, comforter, priestess, and, most importantly, confidante – a counsellor of rock-like centrality to my existence and whose wisdom far exceeded that of Dr.Gold.”\\n


Ultimately, hospitalization was Styron’s healer. Seclusion and time were what he needed, although he acknowledges that every case is unique and what worked for him may not be the solution for others. He attributes the escalation of his illness, at least in part, to bad medical advice or poorly handled psychotherapy. While not devaluing the results that others have achieved, he concludes that his experience was not positive. His psychiatrist had him taking three times the recommended dosage of Halcion for sleep, and when William first suggested the option of being hospitalized, the doctor discouraged him due to the stigma associated with mental health. That, to a certain extent, is a sign of the times, as this book was written in 1990. Nevertheless, it is a concerning look at the potential for negligence in the field of psychotherapy.


Although some of the medical terminology and diagnoses in this book may be outdated, I truly valued the insights it provided. I highly recommend it to anyone who suffers from depression or knows someone who does. It does not hold the ever-elusive answer to what is the cure for depression, but it may help in understanding what sufferers are going through.


\\n  ”A tough job, this; calling “Chin up!” from the safety of the shore to a drowning person is tantamount to insult, but it has been shown over and over again that if the encouragement is dogged enough – and the support equally committed and passionate – the endangered one can nearly always be saved.”\\n

Depression is a disorder of mood, so mysteriously painful and elusive in the way it becomes known to the self - to the meditating intellect - as to verge close to being beyond description.

This is a soul-stirring memoir penned by William Styron, chronicling the depression he endured and how perilously close it brought him to the brink of death. I had previously read another of Styron's works, 'Sophies Choice', which I truly loathed with all my heart. Thus, it has been an extremely pleasant surprise to have derived so much more enjoyment from this one.

What I find most striking about this book, and what almost feels like a gut punch, is the stark reality and profound insight into what depression truly feels like for the body and mind. Styron writes about this phenomenally well. Depression isn't merely a matter of feeling a bit down now and then. It is a soul-destroying and potentially devastating illness that, if not recognized and treated promptly, can lead a person to take their own life.

I found it fascinating that Styron couldn't precisely pinpoint what triggered his descent into depression back in 1985. However, he speculated that the cessation of his alcohol consumption might have played a role. I suppose when one depends on something like that for an extended period, an illness like depression could potentially lurk for years, lying dormant in a sense, waiting to strike.

Styron's writing was somewhat enigmatic in parts, especially when he described the sensation of being in the grip of the illness itself: "Afternoons were still the worst, beginning at about three o'clock, when I'd feel the horror, like some poisonous fogbank, roll in upon my mind, forcing me into bed."

I was deeply moved when Styron knew his suicide was imminent. After trying various medications and seeing no other way out, it was a particular piece of music composed by Brahms that ultimately saved him and made him recall the beauty and goodness that still remained in his life. The very next day, he was admitted to the hospital.

Although certain portions of this book were challenging to read, I firmly believe it could offer valuable assistance to someone living with or suffering from depression themselves. To be completely honest, this makes for extremely captivating reading material, and I am convinced that I have gleaned a great deal from it.

"What I had began to discover is that, mysteriously and in ways that are totally remote from normal experience, the gray drizzle of horror induced by depression takes on the quality of physical pain. But it is not an immediately identifiable pain, like that of a broken limb. It may be more accurate to say that despair, owing to some evil trick played upon the sick brain by the inhabiting psyche, comes to resemble the diabolical discomfort of being imprisoned in a fiercely overheated room. And because no breeze stirs this cauldron, because there is no escape from this smothering confinement, it is entirely natural that the victim begins to think ceaselessly of oblivion."

Fragmentary Notes of a Novelist Suffering from Depression to the Point of Suicide

The most beautiful thing in this book is its description of the patient's state of depression. It becomes a guide for those around the patients to understand the suffering of their loved ones with this disease of the era. Its detailed description is amazing, especially for those who have suffered from part or all of those symptoms. You can learn about what was previously impossible to explain in detail.

Of course, the book is not specifically for patients and will not lead to the formulation of a treatment plan. It simply records the author's notes about the sufferings that led him to attempt suicide. It is a painful book and should be appreciated more.

Thanks to my friend Iman Khaled for the very excellent recommendation ❤❤. And thanks to the readers for the wonderful and quick participation ❤