3 books that accurately represent mental health

Hola!

Mental health is so important in today’s society, yet it still remains a taboo subject. It certainly isn’t helped when the media inaccurately portray mental health issues, leading to stigma and stereotypes for those who do suffer from mental health problems.
However, mental health is slowly becoming more recognised and slowly the media is starting to accurately portray mental health. With being a bookworm I have discovered 3 books which accurately show what it’s like for people to suffer from mental health issues.

Finding Audrey- Sophie Kinsella

Plot: Audrey, a teenage girl, suffers from Social Anxiety Disorder and, as a result, she won’t leave her house. She soon meets Linus, her brother’s friend, and as they become friends, Audrey starts to feel like she can do things again.

This was the first book I read that I thought did a really good job of showing what it’s like living with a mental health issue. Through Audrey we see what it’s like for someone to suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder and how it can affect their lives on a daily basis. This book also shows what the journey of recovery is like for someone who is battling a mental health problem. Overall I really enjoyed this book and its definitely worth the read.

It’s kind of a funny story- Ned Vizzini

Plot: Craig gets into his dream high school but the pressure soon becomes too much for him and ends up nearly killing himself. He ends up in a psychiatric hospital where we meet his new neighbours, who are all trying to overcome their mental health problems. Craig eventually learns to control the sources of his anxiety.

For me, there is so much stigma and negativity surrounded by those who have to go to a mental hospital. I like how this book truthfully shows what it’s like to be a patient at a mental hospital. Also this book shows what that the other patients in the hospital are just people, with their own lives, issues and back stories as too often we only think of a patient at a mental health hospital in terms of their illness rather than them as a person. Whilst the book does deal with a sensitive topic, it is enjoyable and I found it funny in places.

All the bright places- Jennifer Niven

Plot: Finch is battling depression and is having suicidal thoughts, Violet is struggling to get over her sister’s death. Finch and Violet meet for the first time on the ledge of the school bell tower and end up working together on a school project. It’s through this that Finch helps Violet to overcome her grief even though his struggle with his own mental health is getting worse.

Firstly I thought the book was beautifully written and I like how it’s split into Finch’s and Violet’s version of the story. This book deals with mental health problems such as grief, depression and suicide. The book does a very good job of showing what it’s like for someone to be dealing with grief. It also has a realistic representation of what it’s like for someone to be having suicidal thoughts and what it’s like to lose someone through suicide.

Not only do all this books accurately represent mental health but they also have really good plots as well, I recommend you give these books a read. Are there any books you think represent mental health accurately?