Vanguard

Mental health is still, to this day, a taboo subject and a concept that is very hard to accurately depict in both movies and books. Authors and directors have released books and movies that attempt to portray characters that deal with issues regarding mental health yet many miss the mark in terms of accurate representation. Many either romanticise mental illness, play off mental illness as a quirky trait or depict characters who struggle with mental illness as violent and aggressive. According to a study in Journal of Health Communications, the inaccurate depiction of characters who struggle with mental illness in media can help add to the stigma surrounding the concept and make it less likely for those who struggle with mental illness to seek help. Accurate portrayals of characters who deal with mental illness are needed in everyday media, including young adult novels, as 20% of teens struggle with their mental health. Below are 4 YA novels that accurately portray and discuss mental health.