10 Fiction Books that Represent Mental Health Well
Finding a good book is easy, but finding one that represents the mental health community accurately can be difficult. Though the following books are fictional, they do a great job at representing the overarching complications of mental illness in a way that young adults can relate to.
Bleeding Violet | Dia Reeve
Hanna suffers from hallucinations and feels like an outcast. On a quest for love, she moves to Portero, Texas. Portero is stranger than it seems, and Hanna soon finds herself on a very different path to self-acceptance.
Clean | Amy Reed
A group of addicts have nowhere to go but up. The path there isn’t easy and is filled with uncomfortable self-realizations. With the help of each other, they learn to love and accept themselves and the pain they share.
(DON’T) Call Me Crazy | Kelly Jensen
Starting the conversation about mental health is difficult, but not with this book. Thirty-three people discuss their stories, the ups and downs, and what it’s like to come out on the other side.
Finding Audrey | Sophia Kinsella
Audrey can’t leave the house; paralyzed with anxiety, she has become a shut-in. Everything changes when she meets an easy going boy who changes her world.
Made You Up | Francesca Zappia
Suffering from schizophrenia, Alex struggles to differentiate between fiction and reality. Dreams of college and love find Alex fighting harder than ever for sanity. Little by little, Alex begins to win the war in her head.
Something Like Normal | Trish Doller
Travis, a veteran, comes home from Afghanistan to find that his brother has stolen his girlfriend. Not only that, but his family has fallen apart. Things begin to change when he reunites with a middle school girlfriend. Determined, Alex begins to come to terms with his post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Art of Starving | Sam J. Miller
Tariq and his crew drove his sister Maya away. Matt thinks he can starve all his problems away as well. The hungrier he is, the more powerful he feels. In fact, he actually has powers. By using his newfound mind-reading skills, he infiltrates Tariq’s mind to find out what happened to Maya.
Everything, Everything | Nicola Yoon
Nicola thinks she’s allergic to everything and she hasn’t left her house in forever. Then, Olly moves in next door. Nicola is sure that she’s going to fall in love and that it’s going to be a mess.
The Memory of Light | Francisco X. Stork
Vicky Cruz tries to commit suicide, but she doesn’t wake up in heaven. Instead, she finds herself in Lakeview Hospital’s mental health ward. She embarks on a journey back to herself and meets some interesting characters along the way.
Tweak | Nic Sheff
Nic began using drugs and alcohol when he was 11. Convinced of his invincibility, he thought he could do everything but after a brutal relapse one summer, Nic realizes that he needs to change. This gripping memoir follows him on his way back to earth.
—
Herrick Lipton is the CEO of New Horizon Counseling Center in New York and is also an advocate for mental health. For more information about Herrick or to get in touch with New Horizon Counseling Center for resources, please visit nhcc.us or call 718–845–2620.
