Books with thoughtful portrayals of characters who encounter mental health issues can offer middle grade readers comfort, connection, and inspiration. Here are 16 of our favorite books that address mental health topics in their stories. May is mental health awareness month and we find that books can not only help us. May, 2014 11 of the most realistic portrayals of mental illness in novels. The following 10 mental health books all tackle heavy subjects with warmth and unbridled honesty. Mental illness is much better understood now and treated far more sympathetically, but it is also on the rise.
May 02, 2019 as society grows in its understanding of mental illnesses, their effects and treatments, were seeing more ya narratives tackle these subjects. A personcentred approach is an easy comprehension that enhances readers understanding of mental health, mental illness, and recovery. May 09, 2019 books have a singular ability to educate, entertain, and elicit empathy, making them the perfect medium through which to understand oftmisunderstood illness like depression, bipolar disorder, and ptsd. In fact, many options are now available just for teens. This is a fantasy novel that just happens to star characters who struggle with mental health issues, particularly ptsd.
With mental health awareness week on us, perhaps one of the ways for us to understand mental health is to read stories about it or personal narratives, whether fiction or non fiction. There has been a concerted effort to destigmatize those with mental illness, including simply giving people more opportunities to talk and be open about their experiences and a shift in attitudes towards seeking help. They begin in early childhood and continue through the senior years. Suicide and the mental health crisis among africanamericans by alvin poussaint and amy. Find me elsewhere goodreads hailsheartsnyc twitter hailsheartsnyc instagram. Books have a singular ability to educate, entertain, and elicit empathy, making them the perfect medium through which to understand oftmisunderstood illness like depression, bipolar disorder, and ptsd. But in real life, literature is a low priority, which is made clear by the fact that literature and culture are many times regarded as a womans domain to be given a place in our lives only in times of ease and plenty. Books for children and teens who have parents with mental health conditions, including substance abuse an elephant in the living room the childrens book by jill m.
The following list of books about mental illness contains fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, memoirs, biographies, and more. And whilst audio books are undoubtedly having a moment. Historical fiction is great, but sometimes you need your history with a twist. A writers look at literature, fiction and mental health. Books that feature characters dealing with mental illness. Can picture books meet the crisis in childrens mental health. Empathising through stories mental health in usborne fiction these brilliant books help give an insight into mental health issues including titles by holly bourne, best known for her authentic characters and revolutionary attitude to mental health and feminism. Take a look at our list of 17 top publishers of mental health books.
The main character is zeno cosini, and the book is the fictional characters memoirs that he keeps at the insistence of his psychiatrist. Oct 18, 2018 haig says he started to write a non fiction selfhelp book about mental health for children, but ended up feeling he was patronising his readers. Browse mental health ebooks to read online or download in epub or pdf format on your mobile device and pc. Heres a list of my favorite nonfiction books on mental illness. Its so important that, when we do write about mental health, we dont reinforce stereotypes, as this does more harm than good. If you want to better understand different mental health issues and how psychiatric treatment has evolved, the 16 nonfiction books about mental illness listed below are a great jumping off point. Dalloway by virginia woolf 1925 a day in the life of clarissa dalloway. Common sense media editors help you choose books that feature characters dealing with mental illness. Its a mix of memoirs and psychology books, but i kept the list to books that i think would be accessible and interesting to nonpsychology majors. Mental health moments is a meditation journal and an adult coloring book. The books he read didnt just keep him up to date on new topicsthey kept his brain strong, too. The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales by oliver sacks.
There has been a concerted effort to destigmatize those with mental illness, including simply giving people more opportunities to talk and be open about their experiences. A mix of fiction and non fiction, these books show what its like when your brain seems to be working against you. Interestingly, the book ends with a fictional scientific paper on the illness. Below are some of my favorite books which offer a refreshing perspective on mental health conditions, breaking through the cultural, social, and political barriers that can keep people from speaking openly. With explanations of basic humanistic concepts like empathy, communication, and social support, the book is worth the read. Mental illness portrayal in english literature february 14, 2016 although characters portrayed with mental illness have progressed from the victorian era, more novels with believable and real protagonists need to be authored, says writer, poet and activist jhilmil breckenridge. Reading about mental health can help us gain insights into why certain behaviours happen, and how to deal and cope with them, whether for ourselves or for someone dear. Around one in four people experience a mental health problem each year in the uk. Below you will find several books written from a christian faith perspective on the subject of mental health. News entertainment beauty fashion lifestyle books health music. It creates conflict in the plot, yes, but is never a characters defining struggle or treated as something that will be magically fixed by the end of the series. These new novels face the complicated reality of mental illness.
It is an allinone selfhelp manual for improving psychological wellbeing. Some deal with personal issues and other deal with ministerial roles and their responsibilities to the congregation. We asked members of the buzzfeed community to tell us about their favorite ya books that deal with mental health and mental illness. As society grows in its understanding of mental illnesses, their effects and treatments, were seeing more ya narratives tackle these subjects. Our interviews with experts in the field explore mental health from a wide variety of positions and recommend books on every aspect of the subject. A deeply hopeful ya novel about living with mental illness thats perfect for fans of girl in pieces.
Typpo ages 912 an illustrated story to help children understand and cope with the problem of alcoholism or other drug addiction in the family. I believe that people are afraid of what they dont understand, which is why books, both fiction and nonfiction, about mental health. Best mental health books books about mental health. Are there any other publishers of mental health books that need to be on this list. Like you, i am also a writer see my amazon page or my website for my books but im also a mental health professional. Selections are arbitrarysuch a list could easily contain a thousand titlesbut these are books we thought might be of special interest. Book list student health and wellness mental health. The reallife benefits of reading fiction research reveals how compelling stories can make us better people. When i read a work of fiction that either deals with mental illness in some way or the main character has a mental illness its usually with some degree of trepidation. Follow new york times books on facebook and twitter. The perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky, eleanor oliphant is completely fine by gail honeyman, made yo. Aug 09, 2018 when the world feels like a confusing place, reach for one of these 12 books about mental health that could help you to understand yours a little better. I suffer from longterm mental and physical health issues myself, and i do also deal with the topic of mental health, in my fiction. As mental health struggles get more time in the spotlight, mental health nonfiction books have been cropping up aimed a variety of demographics.
This lyrical, profound contemporary novel takes an honest. This list looks at great resources for those who are struggling with mental health issues or want to help someone that is. The stigma is getting lighter, but it still exists. Mental health fiction 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.
Oct 15, 2019 reading books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those benefits can last a lifetime. The reallife benefits of reading fiction psychology today. There are books about addiction, eating disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and more, as experienced by the teen main characters. These books traverse all aspects of mental health and mental illness, and theyre both fiction and nonfiction.
It wasnt long before he was telling me all about his favorite authorsfrom traveling to history and fiction. Reading books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those benefits can last a lifetime. Here are 16 of our favorite books that address mental health topics in. The books beating heart is the complex relationship she has with leonard, a possible fictional standin for david foster wallace, a friend of.
Davis may 23, 2016 may is mental health awareness month and a great time to explore the many writers who write on diverse topics related to mental health and mental illness. Eugenidess third novelhis follow up to the pulitzerwinning oprahs book club selection middlesexcenters on madeline, an english major at. Health, mind and body books top 10 books about psychotherapy its tantalising mix of selfexposure and selfdiscovery is as intriguing in fiction as it is in fact. In honor of world mental health day, were highlighting important stories about mental health from voices that need to be heard.
Jun 15, 2017 10 young adult books that talk about anxiety and depression aside from thirteen reasons why, these novels also teach us how to respect and understand mental health. Dec 28, 2018 the subjects they have published include health, transportation, mental health, medicine, psychology, education, humanities, diet, nutrition, mathematics, physics, womens health and business. May 24, 2017 on sunday, in honor of may being national mental health month, i posted my ten favorite fiction books about mental illness. Listening to novels and non fiction being read aloud can help us become not just more wellread, but can improve mental wellbeing too. On sunday, in honor of may being national mental health month, i posted my ten favorite fiction books about mental illness. Books can bring comfort to those suffering from mental illness and increase awareness among family, friends, and peers.
Combining journaling, coloring and reading danni andrew. Jul 17, 2017 well, this week, instead of picking just one book to feature, i have created a summer reading list comprised of twelve science fiction books that each depict the reality of one or more mental health conditions, sometimes even better than textbooks or realism. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Mental health has carried a lot of stigma for many years. Why its important to write about mental health in fiction. We offer authoritative, uptodate and affordable information geared toward psychiatrists, other mental health professionals, psychiatric residents, medical students and the general public. Psychology book publishers book publishing directory. The following list of books about mental illness contains fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, memoirs, biographies, and more, all books that broaden our understanding of mental illness from. Please tell us about them in the comments box below. Heres a list of my favorite non fiction books on mental illness.
There is a great tradition of mental illness in fiction. The doctor and talkshow host promotes an eating plan that includes improving gut health. According to the nami website, 1 in 5 americans will be affected by a mental health condition in their lifetime, and the more we talk about the subjecteven i. Kids and teens work out depression, anxiety, and more in these compelling stories. Turtles all the way down by john green, challenger deep by neal shusterman, the bell jar by sylvia plath, its k.
Salinger 1951 the quintessential tale of disaffected youth. May is mental health awareness month and a great time to explore the many writers who write on diverse topics related to mental health and mental illness. Every book is well written, faithbased, and will help you understand. With more and more children seeking psychological help, matt haig is one of a. May 18, 2016 as a way to help erase stigma related to mental illnesses, the national alliance on mental illness has designated may as mental health month. Ya books about mental illness and mental health book riot. Its a mix of memoirs and psychology books, but i kept the list to books that i. May 04, 2016 if you want to better understand different mental health issues and how psychiatric treatment has evolved, the 16 nonfiction books about mental illness listed below are a great jumping off point. Written a book about mental health and want to publish it. Interestingly, this survey found that 27 percent of americans did not read any books at all in 2016. The following list of books about mental illness contains fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, memoirs, biographies, and more, all books that. In the last ten years ive seen a massive shift in the online discourse surrounding mental health. Fiction has long had a history of using mental illness as a plot device or symbolism, but some recent novels are depicting mental illness in.
What to consider when writing mental illness standout books. It helps you destress, improve focus, and sleep better. 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. Ya author james dawson is writing a nonfiction book on teen mental health. A mix of fiction and non fiction, these books show what its. Fiction and non fiction books that deal with mental health. Sep 09, 2019 as mental health struggles get more time in the spotlight, mental health nonfiction books have been cropping up aimed a variety of demographics. American psychiatric publishing is the worlds premier publisher of books, journals, and multimedia on psychiatry, mental health and behavioral science. Top 10 books about psychotherapy books the guardian.
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