Good evening everyone!
Today I want to talk to you about Mental Health and its representation in books. Mental Health is SO important, and it’s such a shame that a lot of people still seem to find the topic so taboo, or don’t seem to take it seriously.
That being said, here are some books that I have read where there’s very good mental health rep & are also great reads! Reading these books will definitely help you understand the effects that certain disorders have on people, as well as the way those suffering from mental health issues affect their friends and loved ones.
- We Were Liars: This book left me hooked from the very first page. The way that the MC and her family react after a horrific fire is similar to how people nowadays try to avoid talking about difficulties and hardships. The MC’s mental journey as she tries to remember what happened to her and how she was involved in that fire is incredibly suspenseful, but also heart-breaking.
- Looking for Alaska: This book tackles depression, suicide, and growing into your own person. It’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching story that left me in tears!
- Turtles All the Way Down: This book is similar to Looking for Alaska, a coming-of-age story where the main character, Hazel, suffers from crippling anxiety. At first, she doesn’t fully accept what she has and doesn’t think she needs to help herself. However, she soon comes to see that she’s not only holding herself back but also affecting everyone around her, and not very positively.
- Thirteen Reasons Why: I think we all know this story by now, what with the Netflix series out and all, but I must say that the author handles mental health here very well and honestly portrays how cruel we can be to each other, as well as the effects of our misguided words and actions.
- Am I Normal Yet?: I haven’t read this book yet but I’ve heard so many good things about it! The MC suffers from an anxiety disorder as well as an eating disorder, I believe, and we see her navigating college life on her own!
- Queens of Geek: As some of you might have seen from my review here, this book has some great autism and anxiety rep! A book definitely not to pass up on.
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower: This is quite a popular book and movie, and I’ve been reading that there’s speculation that the MC is autistic; however. the book also tackles bullying and depression, and the effects of abuse!
- Fangirl: I absolutely adored this book, specifically because the issues being portrayed were done so well. There’s a variety of mental illnesses shown here, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, as well as substance abuse! Definitely one to read.
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer: Whilst this book delves into the paranormal, Mara is clearly battling with her own inner demons from the very first page, and the accident sparking the whole book leaves her deeply and psychologically affected.
Hope you enjoyed this post!
Have you read any of these books? What do you think of the issues tackled in these books? And what books should I read next?
Written by: Alexia DeBono
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