Five Book Friday
by Amanda B., July 8, 2022 9:03 AM
I've suffered from depression and anxiety most of my life, and there was an unfortunate lack of resources for me to deal with it or hear stories of others with similar struggles until I was an adult. I'm thrilled that there are now so many resources for folks of all ages, but especially kids and teens, to not only learn how to cope with and manage their mental health, but also to learn about others who share the same (or different!) struggles as them. It's so valuable to learn that you are not alone, whether you struggle with your mental health, or love someone who does. The display is a mix of fiction and practical advice/coping skills, as well as some humorous, anxiety spiral-destroying activity books. I hope the books on this display can help folks to understand (and love) themselves, their friends and family, and to destigmatize mental illness just a little bit more.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
by Adib Khorram
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram was one of the first books I ever read where a character’s mental illness was not the sole defining factor of their personality. Sure, Darius has depression, but he’s also into Star Trek and the art of tea-making. This novel brilliantly displays how depression, while always present, doesn’t have to take over one’s life, and is easier to cope with when you finally find that friend or family member who really gets you. While my experiences couldn’t be more different than Darius’s, I found him and his story to be incredibly relatable. You’ll cry by the end, but in the best way.
Befriend Your Brain: A Young Person's Guide to Dealing with Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Freak-Outs, and Triggers
Faith G. Harper
People often associate mental health issues with adults, but so often these issues start when we are very young. Learning to recognize mental health struggles and developing coping strategies is a crucial step in achieving and maintaining good mental health, and Faith G. Harper’s book Befriend Your Brain: A Young Person’s Guide to Dealing with Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Freak-outs, and Triggers, provides some tools for doing so. It’s hard to grow and thrive when your brain is constantly telling you everything that’s wrong with you and the world; I wish I had this book growing up! While the tools and strategies provided in this book aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution to mental illness, there is something useful for everyone here. May we all befriend our brains.
Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles
Edited by Jessica Burkhart
Mental illness can be so isolating, often causing one to feel as if no one could possibly understand them or their struggles, though ironically, millions of people experience some form of mental illness. Life Inside My Mind offers readers some comfort and solidarity — a community of understanding — by featuring thirty-one of the most beloved YA authors of the 21st century sharing their struggles and experiences with mental illness. These personal stories work to destigmatize mental illness by reiterating that many of us struggle and it’s okay to talk about it, and that by doing so we help each other to feel supported and less alone.
Drawing As Therapy: Know Yourself Through Art
by The School of Life
Long before I ever sought out professional therapy, I used art as a way to work through my feelings and soothe my anxiety. I’m terrible at meditating in the traditional ways, but drawing, for me, has an almost hypnotic effect and never fails to ease my anxiety and worry. This charming book by The School of Life offers gentle prompts that encourage you to turn inward and examine yourself through the act of drawing, often leading to profound insight into one’s thoughts and feelings. While drawing is certainly not a substitute for professional care, it is an easy (everyone is an artist, I promise!) and enjoyable exercise that anyone can benefit from.
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy
by Jenny Odell
On its surface, Jenny O'Dell's book How to Do Nothing seems like it has nothing to do with mental health. The book isn't your typical anti-social media treatise; rather, it is a call to get off the internet (just for a minute, I promise!), to be mindful, present, and maybe smell a flower or two. It is a call to be conscious of the ways in which our capitalist, productivity- and attention-driven society affects our mental health, and the ways we can shrug off those restrictions and find connection and community in the real world. While it's been a bestseller since its publication in 2019, How to Do Nothing has become even more crucial for generations who have only ever known a world with social media, and for everyone who's found themselves going extremely online since the pandemic began.
Because five sometimes isn't enough, here's a bonus sixth recommendation:
All Birds Have Anxiety
by Kathy Hoopmann
I can’t even count how many times I have soothed my anxiety by looking at photos and videos of cute/kooky animals, and All Birds Have Anxiety by Kathy Hoopmann is one of my most reliable resources. While the book was originally intended for young children experiencing anxiety, I, a 30-something adult, find it an extremely useful distraction and a sure-fire way to interrupt an anxiety spiral. The sparse text and hilarious photos explain anxiety while simultaneously distracting from it, breaking the sense of isolation which often accompanies mental illness. It’s hard to feel alone when even the birds know what you’re going through. This book is a perfect addition to mental health toolkits for all ages!
You can check out the rest of Amanda B.'s great display here.
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