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11 Books That Are Straightforward About Mental Illness





Because sometimes it’s hard to explain or understand on your own

1. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls’s memoir tells of growing up with an alcoholic father and vaguely depressive mother, and exposes the way these disorders are rarely as black and white as we believe. Read More 


Danquah’s memoir illuminates a story that often goes untold— that of a black woman struggling with depression. Focusing on her experience as a young, single mother, she challenges societal expectations of black women — idealized as strong nurturers, caretakers, and healers — and examines how these affected her understanding of her own depression, and her willingness to seek help. Read More 





Herman’s extensively researched book offers a history of the psychological effects of trauma (in domestic violence, combat, and political terror) and the presentation — and understanding — of PTSD. Filled, largely, with accounts of the victims’ experiences in their own words, it is an honest and profound exploration of the frequently misunderstood disorder. Read More 





Knapp’s Southern gothic memoir is “a tale of family clutter,” but it deals with physical clutter as well, describing a slightly dysfunctional relationship with her mother (a hoarder), her mother’s bipolar boyfriend, and an aunt who is in and out of jail. Read More 





This collection of 22 essays by writers who live with depression (or who love someone who does) offers a comprehensive view of all the myriad ways people can experience it — touching on medication, recovery, physicality, effects of racism and stigma. The writers are compassionate and empathetic, and any reader who might feel alone in his depression is bound to find at least one perspective to relate to. Read More 





This self-help manual is directed toward people who are close to anyone with borderline personality disorder, and it offers actionable tips for setting boundaries and helping loved ones, as well as a comprehensive explanation of what BPD actually is and what anyone living with it is likely going through. Read More 





Hornbacher’s memoir about spending years embracing her eating disorders is heartbreaking and illuminating, showing everything the disorders took from her — relationships, education, jobs, time — but also when and how she decided to take it back. Read More 





This self-help book demystifies panic and anxiety, and helps reduce (and possibly eliminate!) attacks. For anyone who struggles with panic attacks, it’s a way to take control back in your life. Read More 





Colas’s memoir will be immediately recognizable to anyone who falls on the OCD spectrum. It’s honest, but not so heavy that Colas is unable to poke fun at herself, and it somehow manages to be both specific enough to speak to those who also live with OCD and accessible enough that those who don’t can read it for a clearer understanding. Read More 





Any of Karr’s memoirs are worth a read, especially if you’ve struggled with feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, but Lit — which chronicles her descent into alcoholism and a self-declared madness — is a searing tale of unlikely recovery. Read More 





Human rights journalist Mac McClelland spent 2010 reporting on Haiti’s disastrous earthquake, but when she returned home to California, she was surprised and confused by the lasting effects of the trauma she’d witnessed. This is her investigation of her own mind, and the exploration of a connection she finds with a man who has his own devastating past. Read More 


11 Books That Are Straightforward About Mental Illness 11 Books That Are Straightforward About Mental Illness Reviewed by Admin on 3:56:00 AM Rating: 5

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