Booklist: Mental Health Awareness
by Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This week (May 12-18) focuses on our community as a vital source of support. One way Manhattan Public Library provides support is by providing access to resources and materials. We can often put you in touch with people to help, and if we don’t know, we will find out. We are librarians after all. One way I, personally, provide support for those I know is by sharing my struggles, talking about them openly and honestly, whether it is discussing my current mood or a change in medication. I recently began a healing phase of my life in which I promised radical honesty with folks. Here we go: I suffer from general depression & anxiety disorders and insomnia. Throughout my life these have been managed with medications and coping skills. To be completely honest, insomnia is the hardest part. Sleep health is incredibly important to being able to handle what day-to-day life throws at you, and I’m often running on 3-4 hours or less. I see you. Sometimes we just need a little help, like taking an antibiotic when we have a bacterial infection or insulin for diabetes.
This month I and other library staff created a display, on the second floor, that highlights some amazing books about mental illnesses, how they work, and how others have or have not handled them. We have also created a mental health handout of books in our adult and young adult collections, along with local, national, and teen resources. You can find these by circulation and in the community room.
All information about these books has been taken from our catalog, which you can visit at: https://catalog.manhattan.lib.ks.us/polaris/default.aspx
Adult Non-Fiction:
“Reclaiming the Black Body: Nourishing the Home Within” by Alishia McCullough.
“African Americans are disproportionately impacted by disordered eating behaviors, yet their experiences are frequently neglected by doctors and mental health experts. As a result, our most vulnerable communities are forced to navigate systems primed to dismiss their needs, leaving them without proper care, or often even the language they need to identify what’s wrong. McCullough’s groundbreaking work radically validates the lived experiences and generational traumas of BIPOC communities.”
“You Are Not Alone: For Parents and Caregivers” by Christine M. Crawford.
“Provides a comprehensive, compassionate, and practical resource for anyone concerned about a child’s mental health. Drawing on her own clinical experience and guidance from leading experts, Dr. Crawford provides a lens through which to understand the many complex factors affecting children’s mental health. Parents, caregivers, and young people themselves share personal stories about their paths to recovery, ensuring readers know that they are not alone.”
“The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt.
“After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply. Why? Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world.”
Young Adult Non-Fiction:
“The Life Guide for Teens” by Ran D. Anbar.
“Today’s generation of teenagers are living in a world no one could have imagined just a couple decades ago, a world of social media and an endless flow of information (and disinformation). They are also more likely to be lonely, depressed, stressed out, and diagnosed with mental health issues. Dr. Anbar uses clear, empowering terms to take a deep dive into the most prevalent wellness concerns for teens. He guides readers through such topics as anxiety, relationships, sleep, making tough decisions, and communicating effectively.”
“Where to Start: A Survival Guide to Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Health Challenges” by Mental Health America.
“It can be extremely hard to figure out what’s going on in our own heads when we are suffering. And it’s even more difficult to know where to go for answers. This book is a perfect first step. Here you’ll find clear, honest, reassuring information about all the most common mental illnesses and what you can do to find help and to practice self-care.”
“The Trans & Gender Diverse Teen Resilience Guide” by Jayme L. Peta, Deb Coolhart, Rylan Jay Testa.
“This teen-friendly guide offers empowering skills to build resilience, embrace who you are and create your best life within an enriching community. You’ll also find tons of tips and tools to cultivate the strength and confidence needed to face all of life’s challenges and achieve happiness, safety, and love no matter what. You don’t have to struggle alone.”
Children’s:
Our amazing Collection Services Librarian, Corey, has created a new story kit focusing on grief. This kit includes books and activity handouts focused on helping children experiencing loss.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out to Pawnee Mental Health at (785) 587-4300. If you or someone you know is contemplating self-harm or suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. If you or someone you know is suffering from an immediate medical emergency, dial 911.
Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.