Mental Health Awareness Month ReadsLike this list

25 items

• The Man Who Couldn't Stop

  OCD and the True Story of a Life Lost in Thought

  Adam, David, 1972-

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  Adam combines descriptions of his personal experience with obsessive compulsive disorder with current science and psychological history in compelling prose.

• Violet Shrink

  Baldacchino, Christine

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  A young girl navigates social anxiety at family gatherings and works with her father to find a solution.

• A Shelter for Sadness

  Booth, Anne (Children's fiction writer),

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  A small boy creates a shelter for his sadness so that he can visit it whenever he needs to, and the two of them can cry, talk, or just sit.

• Fifty-four Things Wrong With Gwendolyn Rogers

  Carter, Caela,

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  A chronically frustrated eleven-year-old girl named Gwendolyn Rogers comes to realize she has an undiagnosed mental health issue and tries every way possible to get control of her emotions.

• Bibliophobia

  a Memoir

  Chihaya, Sarah,

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  Japanese American essayist Chihaya explores how books shaped her identity, battles with depression and societal expectations, while reflecting on the transformative, sometimes painful impact of literature.

• The Unfortunates

  a Novel

  Chukwu, J K (Jennifer K),

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  Sahara has struggled with depression for years, but the microaggressions she experiences on campus exacerbate her mental health. Written like a thesis, this tale brims with rage and hope.

• Puzzled

  a Memoir of Growing Up With OCD

  Cooke, Pan,

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  A graphic novel memoir about growing up with undiagnosed OCD.

• Liar, Dreamer, Thief

  Dong, Maria,

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  Katrina Kim blurs the line between coping behaviors for her OCD and obsession. When she sees a colleague jump off a bridge, she's unsure what is real and what is a part of her fantasy world. Combines psychological thrills with an…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Formation

  a Woman's Memoir of Stepping Out of Line

  Dostie, Ryan Leigh,

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  In this powerful memoir, Dostie writes about her personal and public battles after she was raped by a fellow soldier. Both that assault and a subsequent deployment to Iraq led to post traumatic stress disorder. Moving and inspiring.

• The Parakeet

  Espé, 1974-

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  At age eight, Bastien struggles to understand his mother's suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Inspired by the author's childhood, this difficult yet tender graphic novel uses vibrant color to depict shifting emotions.

• I'll Just Be Five More Minutes

  (and Other Tales From My ADHD Brain)

  Farris, Emily,

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  Podcaster and semi-functional adult Farris was surprised when she was diagnosed with ADHD at 35. In this collection of essays, she writes about the challenges of her condition and tries to find moments of humor.

• The Prospects

  a Novel

  Hoffman, KT,

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  Gene Ionescu is content with his life on a minor league team. When rival and former friend Luis gets traded, Gene is cautious. As they grow close, Gene begins to dream of bigger things. Joyfully explores queer and mental health experiences…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I'm Telling the Truth, but I'm Lying

  Essays

  Ikpi, Bassey,

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  A deeply personal collection of essays by Nigerian-American writer Ikpi exploring her move to the United States. Her diagnosis of bipolar disorder complicated her immigration and adolescence.

• Shut Up, This Is Serious

  Ixta, Carolina,

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  It's senior year and Belén isn't sure what to do. Her father left and she's at risk of not graduating. And it turns out her super-Catholic best friend Leti is pregnant by her secret boyfriend. A poignant coming of age following two Latina…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Hidden Valley Road

  Inside the Mind of An American Family

  Kolker, Robert,

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  Journalist Kolker tells the story of an American family with 12 children, six of whom were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Scientists investigated their family history in a quest to better understand the disease. A portrait of depth and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Broken

  (in the Best Possible Way)

  Lawson, Jenny, 1973-

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  In this latest memoir, Lawson helps readers laugh at her frank honesty, even as she shares her heartbreaking struggles to find (and pay for!) the treatment for her mental illness.

• Heart Berries

  a Memoir

  Mailhot, Terese Marie

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  Mailhot's lyrical memoir chronicles the beauty of her Salish heritage with her chaotic upbringing and later struggles with bipolar disorder.

• We Are All So Good at Smiling

  McBride, Amber,

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  Whimsy is in the hospital for clinical depression. There she meets Faerry, a strange, magical boy. Together they help each other face their trauma and depression.

• Helping Others With Depression

  Words to Say, Things to Do

  Noonan, Susan J., 1953-

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  A practical and compassionate guide describing how family and friends can help someone with depression. Dr. Noonan is a physician, patient, and Certified Peer Specialist.

• Radio Silence

  Oseman, Alice,

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  Frances and Aled bond over their love of a podcast and the societal pressures they feel to always be perfect. Depicts the effects of school and familial pressure on a person's mental health.