Trigger Warning: This article discusses mental health, depression, and anxiety which may be triggering for some readers. Please exercise personal care when reading.
Let’s face it, Bookstr friends, we’re living in some pretty stressful times right now. With the beginning of a new year on the horizon, some of us are all entering that “new year, new me” mode, with hopes that a new year can bring better tidings.
But it’s no surprise that surveys have revealed that 90% of the population believe there is a mental health crisis happening in the US. While we constantly face chaotic and challenging images on our newsfeeds and social media, anxiety has been a leading epidemic inflicting our mental wellness. The APA states that half of young adults and a third of adults reported having anxiety within the last year. Even though these statistics on mental wellbeing have been steadily increasing, it’s reported that only a quarter of surveyed adults have consulted a mental health professional for their ailments.
While seeking professional help is important, there are a number of actions one can practice to assist in soothing anxiety and other mental health conditions. These measures can include exercise, healthy eating, monitoring a good sleep schedule, and staying connected. However, one idea that can help is reading. The brain-stimulating act of reading fosters many positive benefits on one’s mental health, which include benefits to cognitive and emotional health, entertainment, stress relief, and community inclusion.
In this article, we provide you a list of books that can hopefully help brighten your day and relieve a bit of that stress weighing on your shoulders.
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
Allie Brosh’s illustrations are quite familiar, as her blog began in 2009. In 2013, Brosh released her artwork in this book format. This is one of those books that makes readers feel like the author was writing about them. There are so many stories in Allie’s collection of illustrated panels that are relatable to things that happen every day. Through these allegories, we’re taught to look at these anxieties in a different light and see the humor (or absurdity) in them. The long-awaited follow-up, Solutions and Other Problems, was released in September 2020, which was perfect timing for Brosh’s readers during the anxiety-riddled covid times.
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Although Jenny Lawson does discuss some very heavy subjects relating to depression and mental illness, at the same time, her works are always a joy to read. Some of her stories about the absurdity in her life are laugh-out-loud funny and, again, incredibly relatable. Also, the cover is enough to pull you in with its image of a furiously happy, glittery taxidermy raccoon.
All About Love by bell hooks
bell hooks’ words in All About Love offers up some truly useful advice, especially in a world that seems to have forgotten how to love each other. Not only focusing on romantic love but hooks also shares her ideas on how we can improve our interconnectedness with each other throughout our daily lives, both within our public and private domains.
Goblin Mode by McKayla Coyle
This is that book for when we want to go into hermit mode. And that is okay. Hermit mode is self-care. And this book helps you live your best goblin mode life — berry foraging, to rock collecting, to cozy sweaters. Everyone deserves some time to spend just to themselves, and this book can help lead you there.
Why Am I Like This?: My Brain Isn’t Broken (and Neither Is Yours) By Gemma Styles
For those who feel that ADHD burnout in this fast digital time, this is the book for you. With a focus on women’s health, Styles tackles all the issues plaguing modern women. Even in a very digitally connected world, loneliness and burnout are common in today’s society. Styles’ message makes it clear that you are not alone in feeling this way.
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford
A common theme of mental health is loneliness and the never-ending journey to find some sense of belonging. In Maria Bamford’s memoir, she shares her experiences in her quest for acceptance into society and how we look to different structures to build community. By sharing her tales of loneliness, she creates a community for people who feel the same longing for inclusion.
Hopefully, this list provides at least one reader an essential recommendation for brightening their day. Things are tough right now. But maybe by reading about other’s experiences, their stories can show you that you are not alone in dealing with these anxieties.
To learn more about the mental health benefits of books, check out Bookstr article Fascinating Mental Health Benefits of Reading and Writing!
To discover your next read regarding mental health, browse our Amazing Inclusive Representation of BIPOC Mental Health Bookshop shelf!
