How and What to Read During Mental Health Challenges

If you’re a book lover struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, sometimes your relationship with reading can take a hit. Mental health crises, big or small, can be overwhelming and make reading difficult, straining your relationship with books. After all, if you’re not reading, you’re not a reader, right? You can certainly feel that way. And if you’re a heavy reader, that’s a big part of your identity to feel like it’s in jeopardy. In this essay, I will discuss some of my strategies honed from my own years battling mental illness on how to continue reading in times of distress, as well as how to help a reader who is going through a difficult time with their mental illness.

Not sure what to choose for yourself or a friend with mental health issues? Here are some ideas on what kinds of books to read during mental health challenges. These selections are great ways to keep reading in the dark.

I highly recommend these options to anyone involved in inpatient psychiatry. Hospital libraries can be hit or miss, and you can’t count on a solid selection when you go. That’s why it’s always good to pack your own reading material.

If you’re wondering what to pack to read while you’re in the hospital, these categories will help you connect with reading while you’re on the mend.

short stories

First of all, stories. It can be difficult to manage reading an entire book during a mental health problem. That’s why short stories and short story collections can be ideal for short attention spans. Just because you can’t focus on a long novel doesn’t mean you can’t read yet. And reading stories can build momentum in your reading practice as you complete story after story. Read Riot’s book The best short stories of all time Y these 100 collections of essential contemporary short stories For a start.

Journals

Magazines definitely still count as reading and are a good option in tough times. Sure, magazines aren’t books, and you can’t record a magazine on Goodreads, but they are words for reading, and that’s the very definition of what we call “reading,” isn’t it? I like to choose a mix between denser writing, as in the new yorkerand happier readings, such as vanity fair. One of the best things to do if you’re hospitalized is to leave your magazines behind when you leave, if you can bear to part with them. It’s a good way to make sure others can benefit from what you’ve just read and replenish your reading options.

puzzle books

Yes, the puzzle books are reading, and of course I recommend bringing a puzzle book with you. Whether you’re into sudoku, word search puzzles, or logic puzzles, these bulky books you can pick up cheaply in the grocery aisle or dollar store are great for helping you keep your memory and brain sharp. way. You may want to check out Nancy Linde’s series of puzzle books, such as 399 trivia games, puzzles and challenges specially designed to keep your brain youngwhich offers a combination of fun puzzle types, riddles and exercises to exercise your brain skills.

Graphic novels, manga and comics

It can be hard to focus on prose when you’re going through a mental health crisis. Fortunately, you can read illustrated books like graphic novels, manga, and comics to engage with reading in a different but still satisfying way. I recommend comics, manga, and graphic novels or graphic memoirs to anyone who has a need to read but is challenged to read straight prose books. For ideas on which graphic novels or memoirs, check out Book Riot’s list of 100 must-read graphic memories.

Poetry

Once, while I was in the hospital, a fellow patient was reading Rupi Kaur’s book. milk and honey. It made perfect sense; Kaur’s emotion-driven poems capture the intensity of feeling, and intense feeling is the norm in the psych ward. Sometimes you crave comfort food when you’re going through tough times, but other times you just want to immerse yourself in powerful, emotional writing like poetry. I am happy to say that there is a place for these two poles in the field of poetry. You can get ideas of where to start with poetry in this list of Essential poetry books.

suspense novels

While waiting for an inpatient bed to open, I devoured Denise Mina’s food Conviction. This propulsive thriller captured my attention and made the hours fly by. I didn’t finish the book in the ER, but I did read it during my first few days on the ward. Thrillers and suspense novels are solid choices if you want to keep reading but feel like your attention is stressed. Twisted and indecipherable, the best thrillers are marathon reads in good times and bad. Find recs in our compilation of gritty thrillers that turn the page.

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These book categories are a good match for anyone struggling with mental health stress. If you are someone who frequently faces these challenges, I recommend selecting a few books and leaving them on a designated shelf while you are well. Then you won’t have to think too much when you are experiencing obstacles of mental illness. Personally, I always have a shelf full of these categories of books that I already have in stock when I can select books for them, so I’m good to go. When it’s time to go in or heal on the spot, I don’t have to spend mental energy choosing what I want to read.

Helping a friend or loved one through a difficult time? Try giving or lending books like these to ease the burden of mental illness. It is important to know that you are not alone when struggling with these symptoms. Connecting someone you love who is a great reader with books they can actually read can help you maintain your identity as a reader.

The bottom line is that you don’t have to stop reading when you’re experiencing mental health issues. You can still read the episode by choosing books that match your emotional and cognitive needs. Or you can always not read and avoid putting pressure on yourself; you will read again when you are ready. Don’t let mental illness rob you of your love of reading. Something so fundamental to your identity will never leave you for long. You are a reader, whether you feel like it or not. You will never lose that passion. Mental illness won’t steal it from you for long. The sun is almost here.