These movies feature characters living (and often struggling) with mental illness and can help kids understand more about this often sensitive subject. Updated on December 14th, 2020 by Svetlana Sterlin: mental illness is a topic that slowly but surely is becoming less taboo, especially in media. This, too, is a reality of teen life today." Compelling tale of teen haunted by troubled sister's death. Like, you can tell when an author is including something as a one-off plot point instead of giving it the love and care it needs. There are books about addiction, eating disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and more, as experienced by the teen main characters. Here are some brilliant accounts of protagonists in a book managing to overcome their mental hurdles. Fictional Character Face Off: Who Represented Mental Health Best? Unique novel about OCD teens in love is disturbing but good. Sweet, funny tale of teen helping boy beat fear of outside. How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives, Discover activities to get kids excited for a new year of possibilities from Wide Open School, Online Playdates, Game Nights, and Other Ways to Socialize at a Distance, Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, Books with Characters Who Have Physical Disabilities, Help Your Kids Find Books with Diverse Characters. Books with thoughtful portrayals of characters who encounter mental health issues can offer middle grade readers comfort, connection, and inspiration. All rights reserved. Here are 33 of the best examples of how mental disorders have been featured in films. Girl, Interrupted, Prozac Nation, and Running with Scissors are just a few examples — check out this list of the 20 Greatest Memoirs of Mental Illness … Kesey's great madhouse epic best for older teens. Learning more about these conditions can help kids develop empathy and open the doors for honest discussions. Moving 1901 adventure explores race, class, mental illness. The most iconic character of this show is Sheldon, a caricature of O.C.D so exaggerated that it's almost funny. Disturbing, lauded eating disorder read; discuss with teens. Stunning story about girl living with wounded vet father. Classic story of teen schizophrenic still engages. Batman, the lead character of the eponymous comic book series by DC Comics, has an alter ego, Bruce Wayne, and shows tendencies of Schizoid Personality Disorder, or even Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Intriguing mystery inspires empathy for OCD sufferers. Bipolar teen tries to help struggling dad in charming tale. The Little Mermaid is the heartwarming tale of a mermaid who cuts a deal with a cephalopod witch doctor to transform her into a mute nudist so she can seduce a man from another species. Almost. The stigma is lifting, and with its absence, genuine depictions are showcased. Also included are books where the teen main character lives with or is close to someone who struggles with their mental health. Teens struggle with grief, mental illness in moving novel. Adventurous girl uncovers family secrets in engrossing read. There are many compelling, well-written narratives that focus on mental illness or otherwise feature teen characters struggling with and coming to terms with them. Sweet story of boy's breakdown recovery takes time to gel. The Suicide of Claire Bishop, 2015 novel by Carmiel Banasky. During Mental Health Month, try one of these kid-recommended books that tackle mental health in a way that is relatable to young people. Teen girl struggles following trauma in riveting novel. Searing memoir of growing up in troubled family offers hope. Mira, one of the main characters, has depression, and the book … The Bell Jar book. So I have compiled a list of five recent UK books which accurately portray characters coping with various mental illness and mental health issues and suicide loss. And you know what, we're going to give the main character, Ariel, a pass on all that. Osher has experienced anxiety, depression and psychosis, as well as substance abuse, body dysmorphia and obsessive compulsive disorder. Although characters portrayed with mental illness have progressed from the Victorian era, more novels with believable and real protagonists need to be authored, says writer, poet and activist Jhilmil Breckenridge. Many books and novels have been written about mental health issues, with the purpose of talking about it more out in the open. If you say you have diabetes, people engage, ask about your medication, and say, oh you should not be eating rice, or potatoes, and so it goes. What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, Cómo hablar con los niños sobre la violencia en el Capitolio de los Estados Unidos, Actividades de bienestar para el invierno, Which Side of History? Mental health issues meet romance in witty, touching story. If you’re interested in reading more books that incorporate this important subject, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorites below. Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Riveting thriller about teen boy and psychopath kid sister. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1), Glory in the Flower (Sonatas of Grace Book 1), The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1), The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium, #2), The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium, #3), Gad's Hall / The Haunting of Gad's Hall (Gad's Hall, #1-2), The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1), Dead by Morning (Rituals of the Night #1), The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles, #2), The Boleyn Inheritance (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #10), Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams. Reality and delusion mix in sensitive mental illness drama. Because fictional characters can help us understand our own stories (as well as help us overcome our struggles), w e wanted to know what characters people with depression identify with. Realistic, gripping look at teen suicide and mental illness. Unforgettable story of girl moving beyond her tragic past. Often described as Batman with multiple personality disorder, Moon Knight's illness has made his fight against crime quite difficult. Teen battles mental illness in unforgettable, hopeful story. They deal with issues across a broad spectrum of mental illnesses, disorders, and clinical psychoses. Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes. Realistic, uplifting tale of teen in treatment for anorexia. Unforgettable story of a girl's 1,000-mile journey home. Brilliant, intense tale of teen coping with grief. Readers have a lot to look forward to this year! Gorgeously written, mature tale of teen's self-discovery. Poignant summer adventure brims with family love and hope. There are two types of people who need to see characters with mental illness in the books they read and the TV shows and films they watch: those who have mental illnesses and those who don’t. Poignant sick-sibling tale blurs lines of real and imagined. According to the NAMI website, 1 in 5 Americans will be affected by a mental health condition in their lifetime, and the more we talk about the subject—even in fantastical contexts—the more we can do to understand and assist those who live … Compelling story of girl dealing with Tourette syndrome. Some recent faves: How to Disappear by Roat (anxiety), The Art of Feeling by Tims (depression), A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Sutherland (multiple), Love and Other Alien Experience (anxiety) -- to name a few. As it is Mental Health Awareness month, these stories will help provide perspective and spread awareness. : Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers Th… Mental illness is something I have suffered with for a very long time, so I love seeing it done well in books. Gripping look at boy's struggle with depression, coming out. It might also help kids experiencing mental illness themselves feel less alone. You must have a goodreads account to vote. Leonard Shelby, Memento. Let's face it, mental health isn't the most inviting subject when it comes to cinema. Stigmatised, complex, and often misunderstood, it can be off … Read 156 359 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Not the taboo subject it once was, mental illness offers rich territory to explore in books for kids and teens.