Book Review: Where to Start: A Survival Guide to Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Health Challenges by Mental Health American with illustrations by Gemma Correll

Publisher’s description

A comforting and useful resource for anyone who’s struggling emotionally and looking for help―from the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit that addresses the needs of those living with mental illness

It can be extremely hard to figure out what’s going on in our own heads when we are suffering—when we feel alone and unworthy and can’t stop our self-critical inner voice. And it’s even more difficult to know where to go for answers.

This book is a perfect first step. Here you’ll find clear, honest, reassuring information about all the most’common’mental illnesses and what you can do to find help and to practice self-care.

Where to Start features:

• jargon-free information about all the most’common’mental illnesses, including a first self-assessment test;
• tips on how to get professional help and how to talk about your mental health with friends and family;
• essential tools, including handy worksheets and DIY mental health content; and
• insightful, funny drawings by acclaimed cartoonist Gemma Correll.

Amanda’s thoughts

This book is so useful and so much going for it. To me, the biggest thing is that it’s a bright-colored, inviting book full of appealing, whimsical illustrations, and once readers start reading, they will realize the content is presented in a conversational and reassuring tone. Of course the actual helpful content is the most important thing here, but that means nothing if you can’t get readers to pick up the book. The design and approach will bring readers to the book and keep them turning pages as they learn more about mental illness and getting help.

This is a great book for flipping around to find sections that most interest or apply to a reader. Again, the content is the most important thing, but I just can’t say enough about the layout and accessibility. Chapters cover signs and symptoms of various disorders, ways to prepare for talking about mental health, different ways to get professional help, and tips for coping with various aspects of mental illness. Worksheets include a mental health assessment, a place to prepare thoughts for talking with someone about mental illness, and more. Anyone who reads this book will walk away understanding that mental illness is common, it’s treatable, and it’s something we shouldn’t feel shame about. Useful for anyone looking to understand more about their mental health or the mental health of those around them. A great resource that needs to be widely available.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780593531402
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date: 04/11/2023
Age Range: 12 – 17 Years

Filed under: Book Reviews