Hitting the low notes

Two decades ago, author Matt Haig nearly succumbed fatally to a huge depression. Today, he overcomes his demons through the power of talking about them, writes Nadine O’Regan

Matt Haig: ‘We’re starting to realise that loneliness isn’t just about being physically alone, it’s also a condition of modern life sometimes’ Pic: James Clarke

Ask most people how they are when you meet them, and they’ll tell you they’re fine, even if they’re not feeling fine at all. Ask Matt Haig, and he’ll give you a different – and far more considered – response.

“It totally depends,” he says, over the phone line from his home in Brighton. “At the moment, I feel quite good. But last month I went to America and had major jetlag when ...