Books and Mental Wellness (Guest Post by Rebecca Weber, Author of Loophole)
Let’s be honest. This world is a lot. The news is a lot. The demands of life are A LOT. As we grow up and mature, we realize mental wellness is a journey, not a destination. We ride the rollercoaster of life knowing it will rise again just around the next curve. But how about kids? How do they deal with the sudden drops and stops? Speaking from experience, I used books. As a child, I managed undiagnosed anxiety and OCD by traipsing through the halls of Hogwarts or visiting Camp Green Lake with Stanley Yelnats. Stories provided me an outlet to escape reality when reality regularly overloaded my mental health. Books were my coping strategy, and I’ve carried my love for reading into adulthood. But what exactly are books to anxiety-ridden kids? Books are life rafts, buoys, and anchors in a stormy sea. Books are a whisper of encouragement during the dark night of the soul. Books are a steadfast friend when your human friend group isn’t on speaking terms. Books are candles of hope w...
