Why Am I Like This?: My Brain Isn't Broken (and Neither Is Yours) is a friendly guide to mental health issues and neuroscience aimed at women. Writer and podcaster Gemma Styles explains things in a simplistic way based on her own research after struggling with neurodivergence and mental health issues. This book provides a lot of encouragement to women struggling in social and workplace settings and will make them feel like they’re not alone. It’s an excellent introduction to women’s mental health issues, and will provide readers with tools and background information if they need more help.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was thought provoking and very helpful!

4.5 stars!

I desperately need everyone to read this book immediately!! What an incredibly thought-provoking masterpiece this is. I've followed Gemma for about 12 years (I don't even want to speak on how old that makes me feel), and have always almost viewed her as somewhat of a parasocial older sister. This book was a perfect cultivation of that energy, and almost felt like I was just sitting down and having a conversation about the inner workings of our brains over a cup of coffee.
As someone who has also struggled with anxiety and depression, as well as just recently been diagnosed with ADHD, there were so many thoughts that I've had and never been able to verbalize that she put into words on these pages. A lot of this book made me feel so seen and understood on a level I didn't think to be possible, and brings up the question- if we're all so different, how do we also find people that feel exactly the same way that we do? And while this book is incredibly well-researched and fact-driven, I appreciate the effort she made to make sure that everything was easy to understand. I feel like so many "self-help" (for lack of a better word) books make my brain hurt to read because there is so much information thrown at you, but Gemma breaks it down to make things easier to understand, interspersing some light humor and sarcasm throughout to keep things interesting.
I do recommend reading this in small doses (my approach was a chapter a day) to give yourself time to think about the questions that this book brings up and your own opinion on these topics, as this book encourages you to do.
Thank you to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and of course Gemma Styles for this ARC!

There were so many relatable elements that I noticed when reading this, I took away so much information that will help when I am struggling to face the day.

While this book reads like a college research paper at times, it’s an honest and open look at mental health and neurodivergence in an era of technological co-dependence. It came at the right time for me as my non-fiction November pick in the wake of a contentious Presidential election. Gemma’s thoughts on parasocial relationships and slacktivism in particular resonated with me. The book was relatable and reassuring, even as an adult (I’m around the same age as the author). I’d recommend this book to any young adult struggling to fit in as an introduction to how the brain, our feelings, and emotions work.

5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and of course, Gemma Styles for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

When I saw the title of this book, I immediately requested. I came around to it after encountering a difficult time in the middle of October as a fan, therefore reading self-help books was needed. As someone who has dealt with anxiety and depression for years, I always wondered why my brain works the way it does and why I don’t tend to have the same reaction as others do to certain things. It truly helped me learn a lot about how my brain works throughout this book and it really provides good insight. Gemma did such an incredible job at breaking things down into ways that are easy to understand and providing examples that help bring another level of clarity. One thing I wasn’t expecting much of was science but it really goes to show how fascinating our brains truly are!

Thank you Gemma! Sending all my love to everyone who is struggling 🫂

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a scientist, I appreciated the thoroughness and the wealth of detail; it’s well-written and clearly well-researched. However, at times it felt more like a lengthy article than a narrative, which occasionally made it feel less engaging. I would have loved a bit more of a narrative drive or some additional elements to break up the more technical parts, making it easier to stay immersed.

What a lovely little book. I am generally quite sceptical of so called self-help books particular regarding mental health because it is quite a saturated market with unresearched opinions. BUT, this book was such a joy to read. It was well researched, uncomplicated and easy to read.
I could certainly relate to a lot of the discussion in this book and it is helping me to shift my thinking from “why am I like this” to “how can I understand why I’m like this”.

<i><b> "think about the people around you. look at yourself and the things you battle every day-then look at the people you love or admire and realize that they're dealing with those things too. isn't that remarkable? in a world where we try every day to honor and celebrate our differences, we still have so much more in common than there is that divide us. we are bloody miracles.</i></b>

as the only one in my family of four with ADHD, anxiety & depression, this helped me not only to recognize and better understand some of the behaviors I do, but also made me feel seen when hearing Gemma's perspective. i wouldn't call this a self help book but rather a best friend or a therapist that you can consult to on why you think the way you think and feel the way you feel. it was well researched and all the resources she had was written down as well.

this book was very comforting and serves as a gentle reminder that we're all a work in progress;

—and that's okay!

thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing! i loved this book so much.

This was like someone read my thoughts and feelings and put them in a book. This book made me feel really seen and validated and I appreciate it being written so much!

*Why Am I Like This?* by Gemma Styles dives into how our minds are influenced by social media, screen time, and the relentless news cycle. From the impacts of burnout and bias to questions around authenticity, algorithms, imposter syndrome, and empathy, Styles unpacks the fascinating workings of the human brain and mental health.

With her sharp wit and accessible writing, she transforms complex scientific ideas into clear, relatable concepts. Her tone is compassionate and down-to-earth, making this book feel more like a conversation with a wise friend than a traditional, dry psychology text. Combining personal anecdotes with well-researched insights, Styles makes self-discovery and mental health approachable—even for readers without a background in psychology.

For those navigating anxiety, depression, or simply looking to understand themselves better, *Why Am I Like This?* offers a refreshingly honest and uplifting perspective. It’s a gentle reminder that self-understanding is a journey, and that it’s okay to still be finding your way.

I thought this was such an interesting book. Everything is explained in a really understandable way, so there’s not too much complicated jargon used. If there is, it is always explained very well.
I thought this was really interesting. I learned a lot about how my brain works through this book and I feel like it’s really insightful.

When I saw that Gemma Styles wrote a book talking about mental health I just knew I had to pick it up!

Unfortunately, a lot of the content was stuff I've already read and learned about previously. Having done a uni degree in psychology, this was all stuff I have read or even written about myself. I definitely think this would be more fitted for people just starting to learn about mental health and anxiety as Styles explains things in a way I would would be considered very accessible.

Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions are my own.

Goodness, what a book. Exactly when I needed it.

How are our brains affected by social media, screen time, technology and the endless news cycle? From burnout to biases, authenticity to algorithms, imposter syndrome to empathy, Gemma Styles explores the fascinating and sometimes weird human brain and mental health.

Styles is a talented writer able to break down complex, scientific ideas into easy-to-understand concepts. She’s also incredibly sharp and witty, which helps this nonfiction work not feel like you’re slogging through a dry university textbook. “Why Am I Like This?” is more life handbook or Psychology/Neuroscience 101 than a preachy self-help book.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the advanced reader copy of #WhyAmILikeThis. (I will be purchasing my own physical copy!) To be published Nov. 19, 2024.

*"Why Am I Like This?" by Gemma Styles is a refreshingly honest and insightful look at the complexities of self-discovery and mental health. Styles’ writing is both compassionate and relatable, as she tackles tough topics with warmth and wit. She skillfully blends personal anecdotes with well-researched insights, making the book feel like a conversation with a wise friend. This book is perfect for anyone navigating the ups and downs of understanding themselves better. It's uplifting, comforting, and serves as a gentle reminder that we're all a work in progress—and that's perfectly okay.*

Even though this is not the type of book I typically read, I decided to give it a try. I find that Gemma has a way to explain things that can be slightly abstract and complicated in a way that the average person can understand. I enjoyed it for what it is and thought it was informative.

This was such a fun and interesting, self-help book. I love the writing style and all the tips and tricks that were given throughout this book. I love how open and honest the author was able to be with the readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

as someone who deals with anxiety and depression, i’ve always had questions about mental health and how my brain works the way it does that doesn’t seem to be “normal” like other people, but i’ve never had the time to do any of the research, or the money to pay a therapist a 5 hour session where they can explain my brain and all the theories in detail lol but with this book it felt like i was talking to a friend going thru the same situation as me who had all the answers i needed, having Gemma talking to us the readers directly throughout the book felt comforting and her sharing her own experiences made me connect to her in a way that kept me interested in the book which of it didn’t have this it would’ve been just a book with lots of facts
i liked how the book was structured and all the numbers and studies that were cited were interesting
overall a great book that can help you understand the human mind and emotions

This was good, especially for Gemma's debut. I wouldn't necessarily call it a self-help book, but more like "I'm lost, asking my friend for support" and that friend comes with a pile of research to help you understand why you're feeling a certain type of way (as opposed to solutions for your problems). It was well-researched, well-written, and very all-encompassing in a Psych 101 way. I think this would be a great hit with younger girls and women who are just starting to deal with mental health issues and are in need of guidance and feeling heard.