Review by Erin Wilson

Meet Arshaan, a teenage boy attending high school in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has his circle of friends, a budding romantic interest, his family, and his cat, Tiger. With his older siblings having moved out with established successful careers, his father especially expects him to follow in their footsteps. “Their accomplishments have set such a high bar that Dad’s expectations always loom over me,” Arshaan explains, describing the intense pressure he feels to succeed in life, despite currently struggling.

We are invited to empathize with Arshaan as we witness his anxiety unfold step by step. Through various rituals like repeated hand washing, which help Arshaan cope with stress and anxiety, we come to understand his inner turmoil. He has learned to manage his challenges mostly on his own, concealing his coping mechanisms from his parents. As his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) intensifies, he reluctantly speaks with the school counselor, who recommends therapy. “‘Therapy?’ I felt my heart sink. Therapy was for people who weren’t right in the head,” he reflects, highlighting the prevailing stigma around mental health and seeking support in Bangladeshi society.

While Arshaan and his mother seek the therapy and tools he needs, they keep this endeavor hidden from his father, who epitomizes the dark taboo surrounding mental health. Through therapy, Arshaan gradually learns how to manage his OCD. Reflecting on his progress, he remarks, “That sounded like a relief. I was happy to learn there were therapy methods for that. I guess they have them for everything.”

Fortunately, this book concludes on a positive note, but you’ll need to read it to discover how it ends. My Life is a Mess makes a significant contribution to Bangladeshi literature. Lamia Islam courageously tackles the taboo of mental health by candidly portraying Arshaan’s experience with OCD. Through her lucid writing, Lamia emphasizes the message that mental health issues are normal and should not carry stigma. The uplifting conclusion sends a hopeful message to those grappling with mental health challenges, those supporting loved ones, and those seeking to raise awareness and find support.

“My Life is a Mess” is a reassuring read for anyone, and counselors, librarians, teachers, as well as professionals working with parents and children, will find it invaluable in breaking down stigmas surrounding mental health.

Lamia’s passion for mental health care is so strong that she writes about Aarshan’s visits to the Psychological Health & Wellness Centre (PHWC) clinic which is in fact a real clinic in Dhaka. Her editor, Chenoa Chowdhury, has sent a list of vetted mental health clinics with details for anyone seeking help. 

List of mental health contacts in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Languages used Bangla: 

Monder Bondhu, https://monerbondhu.com/courses

Sajida Foundation, https://www.sjida.org/sajidas-approach/fostering-equity/mental-health

Languages used English and Bangla:

Psychological Health & Wellness Centre Bangladesh https://phwcbd.org/

We Evolve https://wevolvebd.org/about

Mind Sheba https://mindsheba.com

Title Information: My Life is a Mess

Author: Lamia Islam

Editor: Chenoa Chowdhury

ISBN: 9780997566727

Publisher: Independently published

Language: English

Date: 2023

Author Bio: Lamia Islam is an author and mental health advocate. Her personal experience with mental health has motivated her to break the stigma of mental health and seek healthy holistics practices. She has written eight books that relate to mental health issues. 

Website: https://lamiaislam.com/

Reviewer Bio:

Erin Wilson currently works as a Teacher Librarian at International School Dhaka, Bangladesh and has worked internationally for 10 years in the following countries; China, India, and now Bangladesh. She has vast experience working in diverse cultures from Native American students to inner-city students and the international community. Her other passion lies in studying Asian dances. Currently she is focused on Odissi classical dance, and uses this dance vocabulary for storytelling in the library to actively engage children. It’s never boring in the library. 

You can follow the school where she works, International School Dhaka Instagram: @ isd_library

Opinions expressed in posts on this site are the individual author’s and are not indicative of the views of Global Literature in Libraries Initiative.