May Is Mental Health Month, and I’m Here for You

This reader began by writing this blog post in a cheerful, ‘Hey, happy May, book fiends!’ kind of way. But soon enough said reader found it increasingly harder to write a post about mental health whilst her own mental health has been feeling so frayed lately, which led her to increasingly look for other distractions to avoid writing. And then she (okay, it’s me) stopped running away from it and, like a proper adult, was like, I Can Do This. We got this – me, by myself, and also all of you, with me.

What I’m trying to say is: it is May, book fiends. And while it may be happy in your neck of the woods, wherever you are, it may also… not be. And that’s okay. We are all processing everything together and trying our best to stay balanced, while realizing everyone has different living situations right now, and some of us are not in ideal spaces where we feel safe. Hopefully, I can add a bit of brightness to your day, and offer some resources that are useful to you.

Why do we have a desire to put on a certain face of I’m-Fine at all times, even when it’s not true? (And by we, I, again, am talking of myself, but hopefully you can also relate.) We have a tendency in this culture to celebrate all the happy, positive emotions and force more negative-associated emotions like sadness, unhappiness, loneliness, etc. under the rug. Why do we do this?

If you’re feeling scared in this moment, you’re not alone. If you’re feeling more uncertain and anxious than usual, if your mental health has felt particularly stretched and stressed at this point in time, you’re not alone.

This is a post to acknowledge that sometimes, we have to sit back and take a deep breath and acknowledge our grief collectively. I love how even *takes a deep breath* In These Times, we still come together as a community. We show up, we make our voices heard, and it’s beautiful.

We still look to books and literature to find out more about others, about ourselves, about our shared human condition. It can be really hard—really hard!—to remember that we are all in this together, but it’s true.

I hope you are all safe, healthy, and protecting your health, both physical and mental.

Books to Read

Did you know 1 in 5 Americans experience mental illness? Yet there is still stigma surrounding mental health. Fortunately, there have some amazing books that help break down the stigma and spread awareness.

It can be challenging for those looking in to necessarily give accurate representations of mental illness, but more and more the conversations are opening up, and I could not be more happy with that. And, if you’re ever feeling down, quotes always help, don’t they? (They do. It’s scientifically proven, says me.) Anyway, here are some books I recommend:

Note: I highly encourage you research trigger warnings for the following books, as it can help you make informed decisions about the material you choose to engage with and ensure your well-being while reading.

When you buy books through my affiliate link, I receive a small commission, supporting my platform’s growth and content quality.

Resources to Help

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please don’t be afraid to ask for help. In the United States you can call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1.800.273.TALK (8255). For international suicide prevention hotlines visit suicide.org.