There is hope. May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Teens: Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? Below find a collection of useful self-care resources as well as book lists on mental health.
Self-Care Resources for Teens
Calming Breath GIF
Sync your breath with this geometric shape as it expands and contracts to calm your anxiety.
Calm Meditation App
Try this meditation app to improve your sleep and/or well-being. Although not as robust as the paid version, the free version contains several meditations.
Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support from a crisis counselor via a medium that people already use and trust: text.
notOK App
The notOK App takes the guesswork out of asking for help when you’re feeling vulnerable. It will notify your trusted contacts that they’ve been selected as your support group, so when the time comes and you need to reach out, you’ll just have to open the app and press the large, red notOK button.
National Alliance on Mental Illness – Teens & Young Adults
Resources to help yourself or someone else with a mental health issue.
YouTube Yoga
Yoga with Adriene’s mission is to connect as many people as possible through high-quality, free yoga videos.
Mindfulness for Teens
Resources to help you practice mindfulness, a technique to help you live in the present moment and de-stress.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Video
Watch this video that teaches you how to practice progressive muscle relaxation, which has been shown to counter stress, anxiety, and pain.
Coloring for Stress Reduction
Free printable patterns that you can color to help you get in “flow.”
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a form of focused relaxation that helps create harmony between the mind and body. It is a way of focusing your imagination to create calm, peaceful images in your mind, thereby providing a “mental escape.”
Mental Health Awareness Month Book Lists
Click the book cover to view the title in the Library catalog.
Teen Nonfiction:
The Anxiety Workbook for Girls (Munroe, Erin A.)
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy (Jensen, Kelly)
Beneath the Surface (Hugstad, Kristi)
I Have OCD (Mooney, Carla)
My Anxious Mind (Tompkins, Michael A.)
The PTSD Survival Guide for Teens (Raja, Sheela)
When Nothing Matters Anymore (Cobain, Bev)
Your Brain Needs a Hug (Earl, Rae)
Tough Topics (Nonfiction continued):
Coping with Stress (Thompson, Ellisa)
Creating Compassionate Kids (Tominey, Shauna)
Dealing with Anxiety Disorder (Buckey, A.W.)
Dealing with Death (Gay, Kathlyn)
Dealing with Suicidal Thoughts (Miller, Caitlyn)
Invisible Differences (Dachez, Julie)
Parkland Speaks (Lerner, Sarah)
Teenage Suicide (Parks, Peggy J.)
Biographies & Memoirs:
The Adventures of Augie March (Bellow, Saul)
Brave Face (Hutchinson, Shaun David)
Fierce (Raisman, Aly)
Obsessed (Britz, Allison)
What You Must Think of Me (Ford, Emily)
Will’s Choice (Griffith, Gail)
Teen Fiction:
All the Ways the World Can End (Sher, Abby)
All Our Broken Pieces (Crichton, L. D.)
As Far As You’ll Take Me (Stamper, Phil)
Born Scared (Brooks, Kevin)
A Danger to Herself and Others (Sheinmel, Alyssa B.)
Darius the Great is Not Okay (Khorram, Adib)
Esperanza Rising (Ryan, Pam Muñoz)
A Heart in a Body in the World (Caletti, Deb)
How it Feels to Float (Fox, Helena)
I’m With Stupid (Herbach, Geoff)
Just Breathe (McGovern, Cammie)
Laurel Everywhere (Moynihan, Erin)
The New David Espinoza (Aceves, Fred)
Say What You Will (McGovern, Cammie)
Turtles All the Way Down (Green, John)
When We Collided (Lord, Emery)
This Is My Brain in Love (Gregorio, I. W.)
Who Put This Song On? (Parker, Morgan)
Graphic Novels:
Komi Can’t Communicate (5) (Oda, Tomohito)
Questions? Contact Teen Services at 203.385.4167 or email slateen(at)stratfordlibrary.org.