Samaritans. Or call 116 123 for free.

Mad in the UK. Collection of resources and pointers to blogs on mental illness, with an emphasis on the UK.

Mad in the UK. Similar but with an US emphasis.

Underneath the Lemon Tree, by Mark Rice-Oxley.

Amazon summary: "How many men do you know who have been through periods when their lives haven't seemed right? How badly askew were things for them? Many men suffer from depression yet it is still a subject that is taboo. Men often don't visit the doctor, or they don't want to face up to feelings of weakness and vulnerability. By telling his story, Mark Rice-Oxley hopes it will enable others to tell theirs. In this intensely moving memoir he retraces the months of his utmost despair, revisiting a landscape from which at times he felt he would never escape. Written with lyricism and poignancy, Mark captures the visceral nature of this most debilitating of illnesses with a frightening clarity, while at the same time offering a sympathetic and dispassionate view of what is happening, and perhaps why. This is not a self-help book but a memoir that is brimful of experience, understanding and hope for all those who read it. It is above all honest, touching and surprisingly optimistic."

My comments: Of all the books I've read about depression, this one comes closes to describing my experence. It's extremely well written and captues the hope and hopelessness perfectly. I recommend it very highly.

The book also traces recovery. Rice-Oxley's experience is similar to mine, over many cycles of depression, in that one day you notice you're starting to feel a bit better. It isn't like a switch being flipped, and it isn't a smooth path to recovery, As it's happened to me many times now I have learned that when I am at my worst, I just have to remember that implausable though it might seem, over time I will feel better.

Resources for mental health