This is the astonishing tale of June and Jennifer Gibbons, identical twins whose silent, antisocial exterior hid a rich, vast, creative life. From their early childhood through their twenties, they spoke only to each other in a secret language, building an elaborated fantasy life. From their self-imposed isolation, they were catapuled into the hormonal havoc of adolescence - plunging into a wild spree that ultimately led to their incarceration in a hospital for the criminally insane.

"'Sophia's experience, and SANE's valuable support, will reassure you that you are not alone and give you the tools to fight back'" - Rory Bremner
Whatever you are struggling with right now - whether it be an illness, loss of a loved one, the demise of a relationship, or perhaps even a depression that has no clear reason; this is the book that you will want to keep coming back to.
101 Distractions from Depression, Self-harm (and other Soul-destroyers) is a non-conventional self-help book designed to offer friendly, important advice during those moments when it is impossible to see through that oppressive fog of depression.
Sophia spent over ten years battling depression and an addiction to self-harm, and understands that much of her recovery was due to making these very simple changes. In those tiny moments where she distracted herself from mental illness - be it by digging up weeds, walking through the park, or taking a bath; depression took a back seat and loosened its grip ever so slightly. The difficulty was always in finding the inspiration to make a start, and this is where the idea for 101 Distractions came from. Each and every distraction has been tried and tested and have all helped her become the confident, depression-free person she is today. This book is designed to help you make that change too.
Each of the 101 short, easily digested chapters offers new ideas to help you distract yourself from the negative thoughts, giving you enough breathing space to build the tools to fight them. This in turn helps you to understand that the negativity consuming you is not as permanent as it feels.
Combining simple, often overlooked ideas with the all-important chance to understand exactly how each distraction has helped the author, think of this book as your springboard to recovery. The snippets of Sophia's life in each page could be just what you need to feel as though you aren't alone, or it could be the insight you are after in order to understand how to help yourself or someone close to you.
"'Unlike so many self help books where the premise is that you trade in your old self for a new self, in 101 Distractions, Sophia suggests you stay with who you are and how you are feeling but seek a practical solution that will help transport you to a different 'headspace'. For example, by reaching out and connecting to other people, interests or activities she shows you can move away from a familiar but unhelpful habit of mind to a more positive outlook.'" - Marjorie Wallace CBE, Chief Executive of SANE (Foreword)
Just when you thought that all hope was lost, 101 Distractions is here to scrape you off the floor and help you reclaim life.
For every copy of this book sold, 50% of all profits will be donated to SANE - who work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for anyone affected by mental illness.