May is Mental Health awareness month.
I was just recently at a wellness workshop. I must admit it is a topic that I especially enjoy, and I know many of you feel the same way. Mental health is just one facet of wellness that we should all consider. I have always been interested in the topic of mental health, as I have had family affected. I know that I am not the only one that has been affected by this in some way. It especially feels like it has been on the rise since the dreaded year of 2020. There are a wide range of books on the topic, from how to improve your mental health, to true stories of mental health issues and memoirs of ones that recounted their journey with mental illness.
We are starting off the month with an interesting fiction book that touches on topics of mental health for our book club, The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. You can stop in at the reference desk and borrow one of our copies and join us on May 11th, 2024 @ 2:00pm-3:30pm. This is also a movie if your interested in it. I hope you will join us!
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. I remember when I first read this book, I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what the author was going through, and I hoped it would end well. If you want a fast-paced true story that will captivate you from beginning to end, pick up this biography.
The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind: My Tale of Madness and Recovery by Barbara K. Lipska. This one was a bit quicker of read but just as interesting. Barbara was a neuroscientist that dedicated her life to studying the brain, and she develops a cancer that goes to her brain. (This isn’t a spoiler you learn this very early in the book.) This book is interesting because you get a little bit more of the science behind the affects on the brain. She makes some tough choices with her health, even knowing the risks. However, when you know it’s what you need to do to save your life, you do what you must.
Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker. This is a true story that you can’t put down! This is a family of 12 who sets roots down in Colorado after WWII. Six of their children are diagnosed with schizophrenia. You will embark on an intense ride following the family and the heartbreak that weaves its way through their lives. Each child’s experience is different even though they have the same diagnoses.
The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan. If you were ever curious about what some of the famous mental hospitals were like this is an interesting read. This was written by the same journalist that wrote Brain on Fire, so if you enjoyed it you will want to read this one. How does one define mental illness? What happens behind the doors of these institutions?
There are a lot of other great reads for Mental Health Awareness, if you are looking for something else ask us in the comments or come on down to the library. We would love to help you!
