The Impact of ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ on Mental Health

My school has an active reading club for teachers. I love institutions that encourage teachers to develop reading habits. These habits allow us to self-grow.

There was a list of books that we read, and I picked one. This book has been very popular. It has sold a million copies – Man’s search for Meaning by Viktor. E. Frankl. Why I picked this book?

I have heard a lot of positive reviews about it. The tag line caught my attention ‘The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust’. I just couldn’t miss the books. So, there I was grabbing a copy.

Adulthood brings with it multiple roles for a woman to play. Finding time to read a book juggling multiple roles was not an easy task. The book is such that once you pick the book up, you can’t put it down. And that’s exactly what happened.

This book is about the story of a holocaust survivor. He takes us through his journey with graphic details of gas chambers and the life lived in those prisons. He has included many profound statements in his book. One such statement is ‘No greater responsibility than the one towards our parents.’

The language used is lucid. The author reminds us that the weak ones are the first to be eliminated in the camps. This is like the world we live in. The weaker you are, you will be the first one to fall. Camps strip people of their identity -clothes and names. Pages 15 to 19 of the book leaves you wondering: Do we really need identities to stay alive? This is definitely a reflective question.

This book is a must read for any literature student. Pages 22 to 26 are especially important. The writing is descriptive. The reader joins the author in his grim world. The state of hopelessness, in which the men live in these camps kills sexual urge. There is only one thought and one battle – the battle is to stay alive. Abstract emotions like memories, imagination, seance, art/music and dreams keep people alive in concentration camps.

This is a must-read book for students studying History and a definite read for Theory Of knowledge (TOK) students. Volunteering is important to keep the fear of death away. Developing a sense of humor helps to limit despair. These are other interesting tools that the author talks about to deal with trauma. This book is highly recommended. It is especially relevant in current times when many deal with mental health issues. And commercial therapists do not always prove helpful.

I have shared a few key areas from the book. This book is a treasure trove. It sends us a very powerful message. In our darkest times, we should help ourselves. No one else will. In concentration camps, when people just hours from death survived by imagining a comeback, we can fight our demons. We can live joyous lives by creating a purpose to live for. A book not to be missed.