Book excerpt: The Unseen Side of the Moon is an unflinching, brutally honest first-hand account into the severity of mental health illnesses. Expressed through thought-provoking poetry from a writer who does not shy away from the harsh truths of being mentally ill, the book was born after he suffered a nervous breakdown at the age of 24. Written over the five years which followed and culminating with this book, it covers: bipolar, depression, suicide, panic disorder, anxiety, alcoholism, OCD and heartbreak. Within these pages are poems which were captured during the darkest and most unsettling moments of his life. At times disturbing, the book is written in such a revealing manner to address one of the biggest issues sufferers face in society today; being made to feel ashamed when talking about their mental health. Each piece intends to show others who are suffering that they are not alone in feeling such torture and to help them find solace from this. Told in explicit detail, The Unseen Side of the Moon is divided into five chapters: the mind, the pain, depression is, the reasons and hope.