May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a chance to start conversations, challenge stigma, and reflect on the importance of wellbeing.
To mark the occasion, we've picked out nine new books that explore mental health - from earnest memoirs to the latest research.
See one you'd like to read? Click the title to reserve it.
The Art of Feeling Better by Matilda Heindow
In The Art of Feeling Better, Matilda Heindow, illustrator behind the much-loved Instagram @crazyheadcomics, takes us from her first therapy visit when she was struggling, to the day she woke with joy in her heart again, revealing the techniques, tools and ways of thinking that really helped.
Complete with over 50 original illustrations, Matilda shares personal stories and down-to-earth advice to help you understand; How to turn that negative inner voice into a friend; How to recognise the habits that put you on a downward spiral; What to do with difficult feelings, so that you invite better ones in. Like a hand holding yours, this beautiful, comforting book will remind you, even in your darkest moments, to treat yourself like someone worth taking care of - because you are.
Ten Times Calmer by Dr Kirren Schnack
Dr Kirren Schnack is here to tell you that your anxiety isn't here to stay. Whether you're going through something and need support to feel like yourself again, or you've been dealing with anxious thoughts for a long time, Ten Times Calmer has the help you've been looking for.
Dr Kirren is an Oxford trained and practicing NHS clinical psychologist with twenty years' experience and half a million social media followers. In Ten Times Calmer she offers a first aid kit of tools to help you understand what you're going through and change how you're feeling - and it might just be easier than you think.
Man Down by Matt Rudd
From the outside, the men of today should be happy. They have it comparatively easy. They still get paid more for doing the same jobs. They are still 40% more likely than women to be promoted to management roles. At home, men do washing-up and petrol, wine and bins. Women still do everything else. But below the surface, there's a different story unfolding. Men in the UK are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Men aged 45-49 have the highest rate of suicide, nearly four times that of women the same age. Their reported levels of stress are higher and their levels of happiness are lower. The evidence is clear and ironic: the system set up by men, which doesn't work for women, isn't working for men either. It's making none of us happy.
Matt Rudd delves into the reasons behind this unhappiness, and what we might be able to do about it.
Turn the Tide on Climate Anxiety by Megan Kennedy-Woodard
The climate emergency can trigger emotions such as worry, anger, and even grief. Harnessing these emotions, validating them, and transforming them into positive action is all possible with this book.
With an explanation of eco-emotions and practical strategies to try, this book will empower you to protect your mental health and the planet.
Depressive Illness by Dr Tim Cantopher
In contrast to many books on depression, this text takes the view that those most susceptible to depression are people with strong personalities.
The work explains the cause of depression and how it can be treated - by taking care of yourself, antidepressant treatments and talking to others.
Mental Health Microgains by Dr Emma Cotterill
Want to make a big difference to your mental health by making small, manageable changes over time? In this book, psychologists Dr Emma Cotterill and Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo bring you 50 easy-to-implement strategies that each take a maximum of five minutes to add to your daily routine.
Using the sports psychology concept of marginal gains - small improvements that lead to big results - these quick strategies build up to make microgains to your wellbeing as you slowly incorporate more and more of them into your life.
You are Not Alone in This: Supporting a loved one's mental health without losing your own by Sophie Scott
This is a poignant, practical and accessible book aimed at the partners, parents, siblings and children of people who are suffering with their mental health. It will help readers understand their loved one better, to start difficult and often necessary conversations, to set boundaries and to remind them to value their own mental health throughout.
Healthy Happy ADHD: Transform how you move, eat, and feel, and create your own path to well-being by Lisa Dee
A health coach with ADHD offers the ultimate wellness guide for neurodivergent women, full of easy-to-implement and adaptable advice to help you thrive.
ADHD makes it hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but an unhealthy lifestyle can make ADHD more difficult to live with. Health and fitness coach Lisa Dee experienced this firsthand when symptoms of her undiagnosed ADHD began wreaking havoc on her physical and mental health. After finally receiving an ADHD diagnosis at the age of 31, Lisa realised she needed to consider the unique ways her brain and body operated if she wanted to feel her best. In Healthy Happy ADHD, she shares the mindset shifts, systems, and habits that transformed her life.
Believe You're Made for More: 7 steps to break free from low self-esteem, remember your worth and claim your quiet confidence by Natasha Page
Here is a step-by-step guide to overcoming low self-esteem to discover your self-worth and step into your power. Unlock a confident, authentic you with Believe You're Made for More by psychotherapist Natasha Page.
Drawing on years of experience, Natasha offers a practical, step-by-step approach to overcoming low self-esteem in all areas of life, from work to relationships. Drawing on both her personal and professional experiences, Natasha offers invaluable insights and guidance.
