A ton of YA books feature mental illnesses – these books can be super helpful when it comes to overcoming or understanding them. Wether you yourself are struggling, or someone you know is struggling, or you just have an interest in mental illnesses in young people, this list is for you.
Categorizing
Some of these books will feature multiple issues and illnesses, but I have chosen to categorize them within the category of the main issue/illness. If you have suggestions or comments about my categorization, please contact me via email or Instagram.
TRIGGER WARNING
NOTE: These YA books about mental illness can be very triggering for people who are struggling with or have struggled with these issues and/or illnesses. Please only look up these books if if you feel strong enough to read them, or read them with a friend, parent or counselor. Please scroll down below to find resources to get help.
Eating disorders
- Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson | My review | Goodreads |
- The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller | My review | Goodreads |
- Paperweight by Mag Haston | My review | Goodreads |
- What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard | Goodreads |
- Believarexic by J.J. Johnson | Goodreads |
Selfharm
- Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow | Goodreads |
OCD
- Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne | My review | Goodreads |
- Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone | My review | Goodreads |
- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green | Goodreads |
- History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera | Goodreads |
Depression/Suicide
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher | My review | Goodreads|
- My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga |My review | Goodreads |
- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven | My review | Goodreads |
- Impulse by Ellen Hopkins | Goodreads | (also heavily discusses self harm)
- It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini | Goodreads |
Panic Attacks
Social anxiety
- Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia| Goodreads |
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell | Goodreads |
- How To Disappear by Sharon Huss Roat | Goodreads |
- A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard | Goodreads |
ADHD
Bipolar disorder
- Crazy by Amy Reed | Goodreads |
Schizophrenia
Loss/Mourning
- How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox | Goodreads|
- The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan | Goodreads |
- Hold Still by Nina LaCour | Goodreads | (features losing somebody because of suicide)
Trauma from rape*
- Speak by Larie Halse Anderson | Goodreads |
I will continuously try to update this list with YA books about mental illness. If you have additional book titles, please let me know via Instagram, my email info@dutchbookchick.com or down below in the comments. I cannot promise you I’ll add the title to the list, but I will for sure look into it!
Last update: May 15th, 2021
Resources
Suicide
- https://www.113.nl/ (NL)
- https://www.zelfmoord1813.be/ (BE)
- https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/suicide/ (UK)
- https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ (USA)
