13 Books Perfect For Mental Health Awareness Month.
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

13 Books Perfect For Mental Health Awareness Month.

It's not just Young Adult this time!

3170
13 Books Perfect For Mental Health Awareness Month.
Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels

Odyssey recognizes that mental well-being is a huge component of physical wellness.Our mission this month is to bring about awareness & normality to conversations around mental health from our community. Let's recognize the common symptoms and encourage the help needed without judgement or prejudice. Life's a tough journey, we are here for you and want to hear from you.

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! A great way to learn more about the multitude of mental illnesses that plague those around us is to read about them, especially if the author is basing their story off their own experiences. The Young Adult genre has a book for every psychological disorder you can think of, so make sure to look for more beyond the ones I suggest. A few of these aren't even Young Adult, so there's plenty of choices in the middle grade and adult sections too. Obviously, since we are talking about mental health, I tried to include trigger warnings for each novel, but I might have missed something, so make sure to look up each book before reading. Happy reading!

1. "Optimists Die First" by Susin Nielsen (TW: Anxiety-Related Disorders)

Why you should read: The main character of this story grieved the lost of her baby sister by having a pessimistic outlook on life and developing a lot of irrational fears. Through the course of the story, we see her grow and change along with the other kids she encounters at the art therapy sessions she attends.

Check it out here!

2. "Dear Evan Hansen" by Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul (TW: Social Anxiety, Suicide)

Why you should read: A boy with social anxiety is roped into a situation of miscommunication and feels trapped to do anything about it, so he carries on the lie and pretends to be the best friend of a boy in his grade who killed himself.

Check it out here!

3. "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven (TW: Bipolar Disorder, Suicide)

Why you should read: Two teens meet and fall in love while one is dealing with the loss of her sister and the other is dealing with the effects of Bipolar Disorder.

Check it out here!

4. "Keep My Heart in San Francisco" by Amelia Diane Coombs (TW: Bipolar Disorder, Suicide)

Why you should read: A girl fights to keep her family's bowling alley open along with an old friend by illegally betting on bowling games and copes with the beginning stages of Bipolar Disorder- the same psychological disorder that led to her mother's death.

Check it out here!

5. "Let's Call It a Doomsday" by Katie Henry (TW: Anxiety-Related Disorders, Schizophrenia)

Why you should read: In this novel, a girl takes note of all the different ways the world could end and befriends a girl who says she knows when it's going to happen.

Check it out here!

6. "Just Our Luck" by Julia Walton (TW: Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Why you should read: Two Greek-American teens overcome their family's century-old-fighting and grow closer as they work together on a revenge project.

Check it out here!

7. "The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B" by Teresa Toten (TW: OCD, Cutting, Hypochondria, Eating Disorders, Hoarding Disorder, Anxiety-Related Disorders)

Why you should read: Our main character meets a new girl in his teen OCD support group and also develops a kinship with the other people in there.

Check it out here!

8. "Highly Illogical Behavior" by John Corey Whaley (TW: Agoraphobia, Panic Attacks)

Why you should read: This powerful novel gives us a wonderful example of what it's like for a teenager to live with agoraphobia and then a humorous twist when one of his old peers takes it upon herself to try to fix him.

Check it out here!

9. "The Library of Broken Things" by Laura Taylor Namey (TW: Hoarding Disorder)

Why you should read: A teenage girl comes of age and develops feelings for a boy while watching her mom struggle with her hoarding disorder every day.

Check it out here!

10. "Guts" by Raina Telegemeier (TW: Anxiety-Related Disorders)

Why you should read: There's no shame in reading a kids graphic novel, especially one that is so easy to relate to. This novel touches on the author's real experience with stomach issues and anxiety- something that was so refreshing to see for myself. And yes, I obviously own a copy of it.

Check it out here!

11. "Dear Scarlet: The Story of My Postpartum Depression" by Teresa Wong (TW: Postpartum Depression, Suicidal Thoughts)

Why you should read: This graphic novel memoir shines a light on an issue that many people go through after childbirth and shouldn't be ashamed of, including the author herself.

Check it out here!

12. "This Impossible Light" by Lily Meyers (TW: Eating Disorders, Purging, Bingeing, Body Dysmorphia, Depression)

Why you should read: With the form of a novel-in-verse, this powerful story chronicles the main character's development of an eating disorder, and we really get a strong look at her inner thoughts and emotions.

Check it out here!

13. "RX: A Graphic Memoir" by Rachel Lindsay (TW: Bipolar Disorder, Suicidal Thoughts)

Why you should read: Reading about someone's personal experiences can be so powerful and helpful in our own struggles. Rachel Lindsay takes us on a journey as she shows us how she dealt with her bipolar disorder while entering into the real world after college.

Check it out here!


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57436
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37008
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

958746
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

190855
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments