5 Mental Health Conditions I’d Like to See Represented in YA Books

Spreading awareness about mental health is something I am incredibly passionate about. I have to say, I’m SO PROUD of how far society has come. Looking back on even the last 5 years, I feel we’ve made such progress in our understanding and I want us to continue fighting ignorance in 2018! This week is Mental Health Awareness Week so to do my part, I’ve got a topical blog post for you today.

In the last few years, publishers have been producing more and more intelligent and positive YA books featuring mental health which makes my heart SUPER HAPPY. If you’re looking for a book on depression, for instance, they’re pretty easy to find and you have a number to choose from. There are also quite a few books on bipolar disorder and eating disorders – even generalised anxiety disorder, which I had previously struggled to find any books on whatsoever (even when I was actively searching for them!), has now been spotlighted in some fabulous novels.

(All the Bright Places features depression )

However, I have been mulling over something for a while, which is, do we have a diverse representation of mental health conditions in literature? Are there any conditions that I wish authors would write about either out of interest or to spread further awareness? The answer is, absolutely!  There are SO many conditions that are not as widely known about or have yet to be explored fully which I think would benefit from being highlighted.

So, below are some disorders I’d like to see represented more in literature!

 

Schizophrenia

Definition: Someone who experiences auditory or visual hallucinations and delusions making it difficult to distinguish what is real and what is not.

Schizophrenia is something that is portrayed quite a lot in films, TV series and books, but the way it is represented is often problematic. Movies like to portray those with the disorder as murders and serial killers, presenting a skewed view. While this is something that can happen from a mix of biopsychosocial risk factors it’s certainly not the norm.

I would love to see books featuring this disorder set in more everyday situations where an individual is trying to deal with their symptoms alongside going to school and having a social life. Made You Up by Francesca Zappia is one book that’s been on my radar for a while that might fill this void, so I’m looking forward to trying it out! BUT WE NEED MORE TO FIGHT THE STIGMA OF U.S CRIME SHOWS.

Agrophobia

Definition: A subtype of anxiety disorders where someone fears being in places or situations where they may not be able to get out or seek help.

Most people tend to think of agoraphobia as a condition where people are scared to leave the house – this can be the case, but not necessarily. Agoraphobia can also be avoidance of particular situations that cause fear and make a person feel trapped, such as public transport (where you may not be able to get off), large crowds (which may make leaving a room difficult) or  being alone (where you cannot rely on others to help you out of a situation). Because of this, people normally experience panic attacks due to fear and catastrophising the situation, which creates a cycle – they then become more scared because they may have a panic attack in a place they cannot leave. This means their world gets smaller and smaller.

I’ve read a few great books on anxiety now, but none on agoraphobia and I have yet to find one! I feel like it would be such a good topic because a) awareness b) there’s a lot of misconception about the condition and c) the thinking behind what causes it can be SO complex and I feel that it would make for some amazing character exploration.

(Am I Normal Yet features anxiety and OCD)

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Definition: A person with a distorted self-image who seeks excessive self-admiration, has a desperate need be viewed as powerful, and lacks empathy for others.

 We often throw the word narcissistic around in everyday life aimed at someone we think is arrogant or praises themselves a little too much, but not many of us tend to think of it as a disorder. Narcissists are extremely manipulative and constantly look for validation of their importance, but underneath most research argues they have a severe sense of inadequacy, and its that pull and push that creates conflict.

I have never read a novel featuring someone with a narcissistic personality disorder, but I feel it could be something worth highlighting. With the rise of social media which is sometimes linked to a rise in narcissism, it would be fascinating if you had a YA book about a narcissistic teen who is internet famous on Instagram or Youtube, but would struggle to create or form friendships with others due to lack of empathy. Plus, what would they do and how would they react it their virtual tower crumbled?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Definition: Characterised by obsessive negative and intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable repetitive behaviours.

Again, I’ve come across a couple of books that focus on OCD now, but there’s definitely not enough and I feel there’s a real gap in its portrayal. OCD is the most common condition that gets me on my soapbox for a major rant because it is a really serious disorder that is often trivialised (‘OMG, I’m so OCD!’). Most people think of OCD as people who are obsessed with being tidy, ordered and germ free leading to repetitive/obsessive cleaning. However, there is SO much more to this disorder, and it can manifest in many different ways. For instance, some people with OCD do repetitive checking such as turning a key 50 times before they leave the house and think if they don’t complete it someone they love may be harmed, for others, the repetition is a re-occurring thought as opposed to an action, such as constantly thinking they’re going to do something bad.

As a psychology graduate and a reader, this is a particular area I have a real interest in due to the complex thinking behind the behaviour, and as a mental health advocate, I would be so happy to see more awareness about this condition being spread by YA books, because we’re such a powerful community!

(The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B features OCD)

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Definition: Formerly known as multiple personality disorder, DIS is when someone may feel they have different identities within themselves that may behave differently, be a different age, or gender.

Dissociative Identity Disorder is very rare, and like Schizophrenia is often misrepresented in movies and TV as being linked to serial killer storylines. I think they like to use it because it allows them to have an unreliable narrator, or put in a dramatic plot twist for a ‘whodunnit’. Those with DIS may suffer from amnesia or have breaks in their memory, and their personalities can often be in conflict e.g. one may be risk-taker while another is meek.

I would love to read some YA books with a character suffering from dissociative identity disorder because other forms of media often use it as a gimmick, focusing on the different identities rather than the reasons behind why they’re developed, and the practicalities of living life with the condition. For instance, as a teen, how would you navigate a school? Would different personalities have different friendships? Would one be studious and another always bunking off? It would be really tough to manage.

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Let’s chat!
I hope you enjoyed reading about the 5 conditions I would like to see represented more in YA. I could go on about this topic FOREVER! What mental health conditions would YOU like to see more of in YA? Do you have any mental health book recommendations for me? THROW THEM AT ME LIKE CONFETTI SO I CAN GOBBLE THEM UP.

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in the series I did for Mental Health Awareness week in 2016 where I wrote about my own story, offered some book recs, and hosted some other amazing bloggers’ discussion posts!