Mental Illness Awareness Month and Books

This month is Mental Health Awareness month.  I am so glad there is a month about this. Truly we should all be talking about it every month but well.. that's probably not going to happen.  I don't normally talk about personal things on the blog.. I like to keep it about entertainment and such.  But .. since we are talking about mental health, why not right?    I have anxiety.  There I said it.  It is a long story about how it came to be and all that jazz, but it is hereditary for me. It didn't come about till my middle 20s which is typical for someone who has a hereditary form of it.

I remember when I read Catcher in the Rye.  It was around the time when I first found out what was going on with me.  Catcher in the Rye changed my life.  I could totally relate to Holden.  You can't imagine what it is like to read a book about mental illness and think yes.. that is totally me. I think it's hard to really define what is mental illness.  Mental illness is different for everyone.  

So when it comes to books... which books are actually about mental illness?  When are you actually ill? Do you have to be hospitalized, on medication, does it have to be a certain type of illness?  Talking about mental illness is still awkward.   This month let's all pick up a book and get out of our comfort zone.  Look into the lives of others, know it's OK to have a mental illness.  What do you think of when you think of mental illness? 

The ladies at Uncorked Thoughts and Blog of Erised (whom I have been following for a long time) have a great month set up for all of us.  Be sure to stop by their blogs and see what is going on for the month. Also.. link up any reviews on books you read for Mental Health Month. 

Guest Posts

2nd of June
Carrie White-Parish Guest post + Giveaway (INT)

4th of June
 Marcus Sedgwick Interview + Giveaway (UK)

6th of June
 Matt Clifton Guest post: Books to Help you Through MH 

8th of June
Raise your hands if you were a 'messed up' teen (Mary Fan)

9th of June
Miss Mimz (Lunar Rainbows) Top Ten Tips to Cope with Anxiety

10th of June
 Annabel + Alice Interview

11th of June
 Another Anish Majumdar (Lianne @ Caffeinated Life)

13th of June
 Sarah Rayner Author Interview

16th of June
 Jelsa Mepsey: Guest Post and Cover Reveal

18th of June
 Louisa Reid Chapter Reveal for Lies Like Love

18th of June
 Louisa Reid Interview + Cover Tease

20th of June
Chloe Hammond:  Finding Strength Through Writing Guest Post

23rd of June
 Miss Inga Page Guest Post: MH in YA Literature

25th of June
 Christina Christou: Writing to Heal

Twitter Giveaways

2nd June - 9th June
3 Copies of Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman (UK)

16th June - 23rd June
 3 Copies of Bird by Crystal Chan (UK)

Challenge Giveaways

7th June - 14th June
 Guess the Line + Giveaway (UK + EU)

14th June - 21st June
 Guess the Cover + Giveaway (INT)

21st - 28th June
 Creativity Challenge + Giveaway (INT)

24th of June

Book Pictionary (INT)