Top 11 Books About Mental Illness Non Fiction Updated 04 /2024

It's important to get help from a doctor or mental health expert if you or someone you care about has a mental illness, but books can be very helpful in learning about mental health and mental illnesses. They can also help you find out more about mental health and mental illnesses. They can also be a great way to make you feel less alone in your thoughts or situation.

While reading about mental health and mental illness in nonfiction books can be intimidating or overwhelming, this isn't always the case. Mental health nonfiction can be hard to read if you're not in the right mood.

As a good thing, these 10 books have helped to make talking about and learning about mental health less of a taboo. Instead of cramming a ton of information into 1,000+ pages, using jargon only medical professionals can understand, and writing in tiny font, these books help make talking about and learning about mental health easier, more interesting, and less of a taboo.

‘Mind Your Head’ by Juno Dawson

You need to look after your mental health as much as you need to look after your body. And the first thing we need to do is be able to talk about how we feel about ourselves. With help from a clinical psychologist, Juno Dawson leads the way with this honest, factual, and funny book, which is also a lot of fun. Juno and Olivia talk about a wide range of issues that affect young people's mental health, from anxiety and depression to addiction, self-harm, and personality disorders. They talk clearly and supportively about how to deal with them, whether they're short-term or long-term. With stories from young people all over the world and witty illustrations by Gemma Correll."

‘Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles’

Kami Garcia, Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, and more write about their own experiences with mental illness in this raw, real, and powerful collection of essays. They talk about everything from ADD to PTSD."

You can read stories about real-life events written by people in this generation, for people in this generation. It tries to get rid of the stigma that comes with having a mental illness. For people who are in pain, for people who are watching a friend or family member deal with mental illness, and for people who want to start a conversation about mental illness, this book is for you.

‘Body Positive Power’ by Megan Jayne Crabbe

"We think that happiness comes when we reach our goal weight, get those washboard abs, shrink ourselves down, and change every part of ourselves. We don't believe that." As people, we think our bodies are the problem. But the truth is that our bodies aren't the problem at all. People are the problem because we've been taught to see them that way. It's time for us all to stop believing the lies, and take back our own power.

There was a time when Megan didn't like how she looked, when she was 5. She spent her childhood pursuing thinness, and at the age of fourteen, she began to lose weight. After she was well again, she spent years dieting, binging, and losing and gaining weight. Then she learned to love her body, stop dieting, and finally break free from the cult of thin. Because we're all good enough, she now wants to tell as many people as possible. If you're sick and tired of fighting with your body, then this book is for you," says the author.

‘A Beginner’s Guide to Being Mental: From Anxiety to Zero F**ks Given’ by Natasha Devon

The question, "Am I normal?" 'What kind of disorder is anxiety?' Do you think therapy is going to help me?

Natasha Devon is asked a lot of these questions when she goes around the UK to talk about mental health. People in the fields of psychology and neuroscience will help Natasha dispel the myths about mental health. As you go from A (Anxiety) to Z (Zero F**ks Given – or the art of having high self-esteem) you'll learn about everything from body image and gender to how to tell sadness from depression.

Statistically, one in three of us will have symptoms of a mental illness at some point in our lives. It's still true that we all have brains, so we all have mental health, no matter how old we are. The last few years have seen a huge rise in awareness, but it still seems like there is a lot of confusion about it. For anyone who wants to have this important conversation, A Beginner's Guide to Being Mental is the book for you. It's written by Natasha in the way that only she can: with a mix of expertise, personal experience, and humor.

‘Brave Face’ by Shaun David Hutchinson

"I wasn't depressed because I was gay. I was just sad." I was both depressed and gay at the same time.

Shaun David Hutchinson was 19 years old when he passed away. Confused. A hard time finding words to describe himself in a way that made sense to him. He couldn't see himself in the group. The voice of depression told him that he wouldn't be loved or wanted, and powerful and hurtful messages from society told him that being gay meant that love and happiness weren't for him, so he didn't want to be gay.

There were a million small and big things that happened over the years that made Shaun think he couldn't keep going, that there was no point in him. Trying to make that happen was what he did.

Shaun is lucky to be alive, and over time, he learned to appreciate how grateful he is and how to accept himself. Readers will go on a journey with Shaun in this brave and honest memoir. He tells them what brought him to the edge, and what has made him believe that things will get better.

‘It’s All In Your Head: A Guide to Getting Your Sh*t Together’ by Rae Earl

People who write "My Mad Fat Diary" have written "It's All In Your Head," which gives you friendly advice, coping strategies, and laugh-out loud moments to help you get through the bad days. It's also a book from someone who gets it.

At the age of 15, Rae was very good at hiding her OCD and anxiety and depression and her eating disorders from people. Because I don't want any teen to go through what I did and feel like they can't talk about it or have to hide it. So let's break down some taboos and start a conversation about what we don't want to talk about. As your therapist, I want you to come out on the other side feeling happy and healthy, with a better sense of what's going on inside your head and how to move through life without feeling overwhelmed or isolated.

Dr. Radha comes to the rescue when I don't know enough about medicine. For example, I've worked with her as a GP, mental health expert, and co-host of BBC Radio 1 show The Surgery. I've made sure that all of the information and advice is correct. A: She has a lot of smarts. She is kind and she knows what she is talking about. It would be great if my teenage brain had been able to see Dr. Radha.

‘It’s All Absolutely Fine’ by Ruby Elliot

Darkly comic, honest, and unapologetic, "It's All Absolutely Fine" is a picture book that tells the stories of people who have mental health problems every day. Everything from depression and body image issues to anxiety and low self-esteem are things Ruby talks about in her drawings. She also talks about how to be a "grown up" in the most inverted comma-y sense.

‘(Don’t) Call Me Crazy’ edited by Kelly Jensen

Conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day: "(Don't) Call Me Crazy," says the author. Three dozen writers and artists (like Victoria Schwab, Adam Silvera, Meredith Russo, and Kristen Bell) write about their own experiences with mental illness. They also give advice on how to better understand how each person's brain is wired and what might make someone crazy.

‘Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things’ by Jenny Lawson

As a humorous memoir with just enough sadness and heartbreak to make it worth reading, Jenny Lawson talks about her own experience with depression and many other illnesses. She shows how it has led her to live life to the fullest.

‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ by Matt Haig

If we don't have mental illness ourselves, then we know someone who does." Those who are afraid of depression will be inspired by Matt's honesty, and those who don't understand it will be able to see how it works. Above all, his sense of humor and encouragement kept us from giving up on our dreams and giving up hope. Matt is very sure that the oldest cliché is true: There is light at the end of the tunnel. We should celebrate the small pleasures and moments of peace that come with living. He also tells us that there are always good reasons to stay alive.

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