I Had a Black Dog

I Had a Black Dog

Written and Illustrated by Matthew Johnstone

Had a Black Dog was my first book published in Australia in 2005. I like to think of it as a a quietly uplifting, sometimes amusing and insightful illustrated book on what it is to have depression and what can be learnt from it.

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 12^th and think ‘I’m going to change my life!’ It was more a period of osmosis. I realised that life can be intrinsically short and that I’d been doing life, not living it. This was in many thanks to the unwanted companion trotting along beside me for many years.

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, respect from others, 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 World Health Organisation has been is the most viewed video in the history of the W.H.O. Who knew?!!!

Woof Woof!!!

“With wit, insight, economy and complete understanding, this book achieves what other books take 300 pages to say” Stephen Fry

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