Republished from Branch Out, Fall 2019.

Connect with stories, resources and support for mental health in our branches.

Your Library is a Safe Space

If you’re a teen facing mental health challenges, you may feel as if you are alone—but you certainly are not. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports one in five, or 20%, of young people ages 13-18 are currently living with a mental health condition.

Mental health conditions are not always obvious, they do not affect a specific “type” of person, and they manifest in very different ways from person to person. They include mood, behavior or conduct disorders, substance use, depression and anxiety—and the list goes on. Add to that the additional stress factors associated with being a teen, and it can be a recipe for major struggles. 

We understand that sometimes it is difficult to reach out if you have hard-to-ask questions, whether you have a mental health condition or are just going through some tough times. And while the internet has tons of resources for you to browse through, your search history isn’t always private.

Another option is your local library where our librarians are master guardians of privacy. We tell no one and try to make the information we have easy for anyone to access. If you’re scared to talk to someone about a tough topic and need more information about it, come to us. We’re here to help. 

Books on Tough Topics

(Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health
Edited by Kelly Jensen
Edited by a former librarian who is passionate about writing for teen audiences, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a compilation of 33 essays that tell diverse stories about people, just like you and me, who have struggled with or just plain lived with some kind of mental health condition. Vibrant with graphics and art, this book illustrates truthful portrayals of people who are standing strong.

Med Head: My Knock-down, Drag-out, Drugged-up Battle with My Brain
As told by James Patterson and Hal Friedman
Read the harrowing and heroic true story of Cory Friedman, an ordinary teenager whose courage and determination to climb out of lifelong medical turmoil and personal suffering enabled him to ultimately survive and thrive against all odds.

The Teenage Guy’s Survival Guide: The Real Deal on Going Out, Growing Up, and Other Guy Stuff 
By Jeremy Daldry
Covering everything from dating, kissing and shaving to moods, peer pressure and bullying with irreverence and true understanding, this guide offers the real deal on everything you want to know—without giving you a nervous breakdown.

Trans Teen Survival Guide 
Owl & Fox Fisher
“Frank, friendly, and funny, the Trans Teen Survival Guide will inform, empower, and arm you with all the tips, confidence, and practical advice needed to navigate life as a trans teen. Wondering how to come out to your family and friends, what it’s like to go through cross-hormonal therapy, or how to put on a packer? Trans youth activists Owl and Fox have stepped in to answer everything that trans teens and their families need to know.” - Back cover.

Locate Tough Topics on the Shelves

Facing Tough Stuff?

The library’s online guide for teens answers those hard-to-ask questions.

Being a teen can be hard and they often have questions about themselves and the world around them that can be awkward or uncomfortable to ask. Access to information and resources from sources they can trust is key.

Whether in crisis or just curious, teens have 24/7 access to our Tough Stuff online resource page with a list of local, regional and national organizations and a plethora of information about mental, physical and sexual heath as well as relationships, abuse and violence. Access the Stuff for Teens guide at research.fairfaxcounty.gov/teens.

If you’re in crisis, text 741741 from anywhere in the U.S. to text with a trained Crisis Counselor. If you or someone you care about may be at risk of suicide, reach out to a 24/7 resource: Call CSB Emergency Services at 703-573-5679; Text “CONNECT” to 855-11 to contact PRS CrisisLink; Call PRS CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.