Of The Most Realistic Portrayals Of Mental Illness In Contemporary Ya: Mental Illness Has A Way To Dislodge A Person’s Sense Of Self

Jade DeLuna is prone to panic attacks.

Despite her logical reasoning, Jade becomes consumed with anxiety about her fatality and is unable to talk herself out of her panics. Jade watches live feeds of animals at the zoo, with an intention to calm herself. Deb Caletti’s story Jade Nature creates a well rounded, relatable protagonist, who doesn’t want to be defined by her mental illness, and offers a realistic view of what panic attacks are like for those who suffer from them. Approximately 20 people percent aged 13 to 18 experience severe mental disorders in a given year, and half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 25, and mood disorders, including depression, are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the United States for young adults, in accordance with the National Alliance on Mental Illness in 2013. These stats may also be skewed low, stigma because around mental illness, some teenagers are reluctant to seek help. Then, national Institute of Health report said that this stigma can cause long delays from when a person experiences symptoms and reports those symptoms, despite available treatment options.

In both words and illustrations, Nina LaCour’s Hold Still centers on Caitlin, as she reads notes in her friend Ingrid’s journal. Ingrid recently committed suicide. While giving insight to readers who are suffering or who know someone who is, the letters follow Ingrid’s slow descent into depression. Now let me tell you something. Sometimes the biggest way to stigmatize people is to not talk about them whatsoever, as is often discussed in the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign. People, particularly teenagers, who cope with mental health issues are often stigmatized because of this lack of realistic portrayals in pop culture. Let me tell you something. Mental Health Awareness Month is celebrated in May to reduce this stigma and promote awareness of various mental health issues.

books with characters that have mental health issues have the ability to help readers on an individual basis. It can help readers square themselves with the idea that they are not alone. Young adult novels, particularly, have an unique opportunity to create realistic representations of people with mental illnesses. Among the main themes of YA literature is characters that must situate themselves on earth as they search for a sense of identity. While forcing people to wrestle with their own sense of identity, mental illness has a way to dislodge a person’s sense of self. It’s an opportunity for YA novels to also wrestle with this issue with realistic characters.