While there are many books on mental illness, there are so many different illnesses to cover and only a few books on each. This list features very recent contemporary ya titles that have tackled mental illness in some capacity. Mental illness and mental wellbeing are topics that keep emerging in contemporary ya, and they keep being explored in worthwhile even lifechanging ways. Leigh chen sanders is absolutely certain about one thing. This lyrical, profound contemporary novel takes an honest, mesmerizing look at the effects of grief and living with mental illness. But thats not the case for everyone, and theres still a lot of work to do. Nov 04, 2019 50 mustread ya books about mental illness. Like, you can tell when an author is including something as a oneoff plot point instead of giving it the love and care it needs. One thing that can help make it a little easier are ya novels that deal with mental health issues. So, in no particular order, here are some stunning ya books that handle mental health. The hub has focused on books for mental health awareness month and also written about the trend of suicide and depression in young adult literature in just the last year. Ya books featuring characters with mental illness the seattle. Suicide and the mental health crisis among africanamericans by. Due to the uptick in mental illness among teens, books like these can be literal lifesavers for some kids as they seek to create empathy and fight the stigma surrounding mental health care.
Jan 29, 2019 we received a mix of answers, including childrens books, young adult and adult books. May 31, 2016 growing up is hard for everyone, but for someone with a mental illness, it can seem impossible. As society grows in its understanding of mental illnesses, their effects and treatments, were seeing more ya narratives tackle these subjects. Ya books dealing with issues relating to mental health and clinical psychology, first published in 2000 or later. When one thinks of narratives about mental illness, the characters described are no longer limited to the subversive and villainous. Promoting mental wellness with ya literature published february 2, 2016 there are no shortages of books for young adults that tackle mental illness. Not the taboo subject it once was, mental illness offers rich territory to explore in books for kids and teens. The protagonist, mira, is a new student at saint francis prep in attempts to be normal and have a new start.
Discover the best popular psychology mental illness books in best sellers. After all, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions arent going to call in sick when you dont have the energy to deal. May 18, 2016 welcome back to another edition of yas that get it right, in which pros weigh in on ya books they think nailed an aspect of the human experience. Teen books about depression to better understand the illness. While james dawson is an amazing person for getting discussions going about topics such as teen sexuality and mental health, i wish my reaction had been able to be, oh, cool, another ya book. Women and mental illness fiction and nonfiction, best eating disorder books, ya involving mental health issues 2000present, borderline. Since may is mental health awareness month, i asked some of my favorite authors of mental health ya, as well as and including authors who are also mental health professionals, to share their favorite mental health yas that get it right. Nivens ya novel tells the heartbreaking story of two teens who have. I typically enjoy reading young adult novels, so all of these books are appropriate for teenagers and older. Why you should read these ya mental health books even if you have never dealt with a mental illness, chances are you know people who have them. Its always been there, in part because writing about adolescents in any capacity means exploring a social group that is a cocktail of hormones that causes them tremendous physical, emotional, intellectual, and mental changes in a short time frame. Ya involving mental health issues 2000present 362 books.
Books that feature characters dealing with mental illness. Find me elsewhere goodreads hailsheartsnyc twitter hailsheartsnyc instagram. Ya books featuring characters with mental illness by stepha89 a community created list. Ive read quite a few incredible ya novels with mental health representation so far in 2019, so today i want to share some of my top favourites with you. Mustread young adult books about mental health sheppard pratt. Sep 18, 2019 why you should read these ya mental health books even if you have never dealt with a mental illness, chances are you know people who have them. Thats why it can be completely magical when you find a book that shows what its like to live with a chronic illness, disability or mental health condition. The characters have goals, relationships and obstacles.
A lot of the time though, it can be difficult to find characters and storylines you directly relate to. From theme to style, there are a lot of exciting developments happening in the ya novels of mental illness. May 10, 2019 because sometimes you need a reminder that youre not alone, we reached out to the members of our facebook group and asked for their favorite books that portray mental illness and discussions of mental health well. Mental illness in teen books has become more abundant in the last few years, in part because of how discussion of mental illness has grown more mainstream culturally. The books that i am mentioning in this post deal with different mental illnesses. Oct 02, 2018 over the last decade, the growth in ya books about mental illness is hard to overlook.
Ya books about mental illness all that i can fix by crystal chan. This week, october 7, is mental illness awareness week. Books, especially young adult novels, possess the ability to provide comfort to those who can relate themselves to a character with a mental. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
The characters in these books have two things in common. Instead, mental illness narratives are taking on a new role. Secondly, they all suffer with chronic illness, but their illnesses are what some might refer to as invisible. This book describes what depression is like, and calls out the ridiculousness of existing stigmas about mental illness. Ya books about mental illness and mental health book riot. Mental illness is a hard subject to talk about in real life, so of course its a tough topic to tackle in books. Dec 18, 2019 one of the most practical ways to combat stigma around mental illness is to raise awareness in society about it, and what better way to do that than through books. Ya books for mental health awareness the educators room. Opening with this morning, my mother didnt get out of bed, marchetta crafts the poignant. A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. There are a lot of depictions of mental illness out there that feel super disingenuous. The book deals with important themes like t reatment, improvements and relapses, daily struggles and overcoming the past. Stories chronicling the struggles of young people and their friends, siblings, or parents who suffer from anxiety, depression, obsessivecompulsive disorder ocd, agoraphobia, an eating disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, hypochondria, and other illnesses make for. Young adult books about anxiety, ocd, depression, eating disorders, self harm, etc.
Public domain pictures 422 ive seen multiple articles of people describing their experiences with mental health. A list of young adult books featuring characters with. Best sellers in popular psychology mental illness books. When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. World suicide prevention day was september 10 to honor this, my classroom library display and all my book talks for the month focus on mental illness, wellness, ways the brain works, and the effects of. Stories chronicling the struggles of young people and their friends, siblings, or parents who suffer from anxiety, depression, obsessivecompulsive disorder ocd, agoraphobia, an eating disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, hypochondria, and other illnesses make for engrossing. Oct 14, 2015 peoples is the protagonist of the silver linings playbook, a touching and entertaining novel by matthew quick that captures the experience of someone living with a mental illness. Ya books about mental illness you should read a good book is always better than a short article. Check out last years videos for mental illness awareness week check out my new channel dedicated to psychology and mental health h. Oct 10, 2017 young adult fiction is known for tackling issues that young people can relate to and recently a great number of ya authors have begun tackling mental health, as the conversation surrounding mental health grows and becomes less taboo. Mental health in ya novels the little contemporary corner. Rehabilitating sicklit one interpretation of mental illness. Ya books about mental illness depression, ocd, anxiety, ptsd, and more. If youre looking for books to help a teen whos struggling or to increase your own understanding of mental health issues, these books can get you started.
For more, please see my recent blog post on ya novels of obsessivecompulsive disorder ocd. This means that we should give young people hope with mental illness, but also create an atmosphere that truly expresses what living with mental illness is like. Young adult novels are some of the most popular types of books out there. From heartwrenching and honest to lighthearted and funny, these 12 books accurately portray mental illness and help break the stigma that envelops our world today. Below are some of my favorite books which offer a refreshing perspective on mental health conditions, breaking through the cultural, social, and. Im definitely a little biased because of my own experiences, but some of my favourite books are queer and have mental illness representation because thats me. Heres a list of 5 ya novels that brilliantly tackle mental health issues. Jan 24, 2017 the characters in these books have two things in common. Young adult fiction is known for tackling issues that young people can relate to and recently a great number of ya authors have begun tackling mental health, as the conversation surrounding mental health grows and becomes less taboo. If you have already read a book about mental health, all of these books can be used for a book recommended to you by library staff. I didnt know it then, but 20% of american youth are affected by some form of mental illness in their lifetime. For more, please see my recent blog post on ya novels of obsessivecompulsive disorder ocd at teen librarian. There are books about addiction, eating disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and more, as experienced by the teen main characters.
The astonishing color of after accurate portrayal of depression and grief. Nov 11, 20 mental illness and mental wellbeing are topics that keep emerging in contemporary ya, and they keep being explored in worthwhile even lifechanging ways. Because sometimes you need a reminder that youre not alone, we reached out to the members of our facebook group and asked for their favorite books that portray mental illness and discussions of mental health well. Mental illness is one of the most pressing health concerns of the modern age, and ya literature has a role to play in opening up the conversation on this longtabooed subject. Those are a great way to learn more about what its like to live with a mental. Ive read some ya books that seemed to use mental illness just because its in now so i get what you mean.
For many, the stigma around mental illness is decreasing. Exploring mental illness in ya literature rebecca alasdair. We received a mix of answers, including childrens books, young adult and adult books. Nonfiction books can be really educational when it comes to learning about mental health conditions, but fiction books can help you connect with people and see what its actually like for people have. Picks with young people or their parentsrelatives dealing with a. Growing up is hard for everyone, but for someone with a mental illness, it can seem impossible. Its not glamorous or special, its life destroying and difficult. I find reading to be a challenge sometimes, when im dealing with anxiety and depression. A deeply hopeful ya novel about living with mental illness thats perfect for fans of girl in pieces. When its done by the amazing melina marchetta, its a favorite. Its important for ya novels to represent mental illness in a real and positive away. Ya suffering from mental illness books and giveaway.
Todays teens are absolutely changing the discussion, and what used to be a silent suffering is being better understood and discussed. Oct 10, 2017 according to will grayson, mental health days are little more than a luxurious day off for people who arent stuck with a chronic mental illness. Ya novels with characters who have chronic or mental. These books traverse all aspects of mental health and mental illness, and theyre both fiction and nonfiction. Ordinary people one of my favorite books from this year. Helping teens better understand their mental life, as well as better cultivating the language to openly communicate about it, are ya books about mental illness.
Ya books about mental health young adult books about anxiety, ocd, depression, eating disorders, self harm, etc. Books can bring comfort to those suffering from mental illness and increase awareness among family, friends, and peers. While a lot of ya books about mental health may try to pull punches about the difficulties involved in coping, the rest of us just live heredoes not. Its not just books about people with depression, but a wide range of mental illnesses, traumas, disabilities, and processes. Over the last decade, the growth in ya books about mental illness is hard to overlook. Here i discuss some of the things to remember when writing about mental illness, and what ya books are currently out there. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Mental health in ya lit and serving teen readers books. Saving francesca by melina marchetta ya novels about families and mental health are my jam. According to librarians, the following ya books are awesome when it comes to hearing a voice that tells you youre not alone in the struggle against mental illness. We compiled a list of ya books wed read which deal with include people with brain disorders and mental illnesses in a very real, accepting, and hopeful way, and hope this list is useful to you. I think that these ya books about mental health portray these mental health conditions in a respectful manner. Books, especially ya novels, possess the ability to provide comfort to those who find representation of themselves in a character with a mental illness, as well as to educate readers who find the subject unfamiliar.
An amazing portrayal of how mental illness can be part of someones life. This lyrical, profound contemporary novel takes an honest. Peoples is the protagonist of the silver linings playbook, a touching and entertaining novel by matthew quick that captures the experience of someone living with a mental illness. Reading allowed me to escape, but it also showed me that i wasnt alone in my struggle. One of the most practical ways to combat stigma around mental illness is to raise awareness in society about it, and what better way to do that than through books. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. According to will grayson, mental health days are little more than a luxurious day off for people who arent stuck with a chronic mental illness. Saving francesca is a quiet but powerful novel about the effects of depression on a whole family. Fans of the impossible life is one of many depression books i considered listing here.
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