I have a confession to make…I live with bipolar disorder. Mood swings go up and down and I have been on medication since 2008, when planning for my then wedding caused me severe changes in my mood and deep anxiety.
As a teacher, professor and Frolic columnist, I confess dark times have taken over my thoughts, one recently which made me immediately contact my doctor, only to find out my manic depression was taking over triggered by stress and memories of the loss of my uncle due to pancreatic cancer in 2018.
Yet, dear reader, I have a confession to make…I have survived a lot of my dark times thanks to books. While bipolar disorder has led me to highs and lows, there’s nothing more soothing and more relaxing than a Saturday morning curled up with my cat Luna and a good Young Adult book.
Katniss from The Hunger Games made me feel that I, too, am brave. Tris from Divergent taught me about survival. So many books have been my good friends while all hope was lost and I was feeling guilty about that mood swing, credit card debt, student loans and even the loss of a friend who didn’t understand my disorder.
I can happily say I have a wonderful supportive system in my life right now, with some amazing close friends, family and my husband, who understand that the words on a page are so powerful that they can truly make me feel better.
In honor of mental health awareness and my own diagnosis, I am sharing with you three books that I love that deal with mental health issues and can surely help those of us who struggle relate…and can create awareness.
Because, in the end, we all deserve to be understood and you never know how a book can save a life.