We all dream of being our happiest, healthiest self. However, many of us may not grasp how much work it can take to get to that point. Navigating your hormones, emotions, relationships, schoolwork, and self-image at the same time is no easy feat, after all.
Your teenage years are supposed to be a time to make memories, enjoy your youth, make mistakes, and figure out your next step in life. Sometimes, however, the pressures of everyday life can feel overwhelming or surrounded by negativity. Developing healthy coping mechanisms and habits for when you are facing mental health struggles can be crucial to living out your teen years as healthy and happy as possible.
 These five essential self-help books will act as excellent guides for facing a wide variety of mental health struggles and difficulties:
1. Christian’s Guide to Growing Up
2. Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens
3. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned
4. Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens
5. I Would, but My Damn Mind Won’t Let Me
Christian’s Guide to Growing Up
Your teenage years can be finicky and complicated. Facing puberty, learning more about your identity, handling the pressures of friendships and relationships, and taking care of your emotional wellbeing can quickly become overwhelming without at least a little guidance. Dr. Christian’s Guide to Growing Up is a great read that answers the questions that may leave your parents squirming and ready to change the subject, regardless of your gender.
Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens
While people of all different ages can struggle to find their confidence from time to time, everybody knows that the teenage years can be the worst! Your body is undergoing a ton of different changes, you still have not quite discovered who you want to be in the world, and you have to face your peers nearly every day- whether you are feeling your best or not. Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens is a book that uses cognitive therapy-based strategies to help you find confidence in your voice and build your self-esteem.
In this incredibly useful guide, you will learn how to recognize negative thoughts holding you back, find confidence in your talents and skills, attract a thriving social life, and grow the confidence to turn your ideas and plans into actions.
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned
Unfortunately, difficult moments are just a part of life. We all face them at one point or another. What matters the most is how we decide to face them. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff is a valuable read for the moments when you can use a little inspiration to get through a challenging life event. The book is chock-full of real-life stories about those who battled their way out of a difficult time. The book covers various topics, including heart-wrenching or uncomfortable subjects, allowing you to find real encouragement in even the hardest or most uncomfortable times.
Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens
Have you ever found that your fear keeps you from following through on the things you want to do? You certainly are not alone in that struggle. When the world feels as though it is full of danger, rejection, or embarrassment, fear can be inevitable. However, fear can keep you from many great things in life. Learning how to face your fears, whether that be fear of rejection, judgment, or something else, can be a crucial player in building optimal mental health. Rising Troublemaker is a fun read that can help you feel inspired to face your fears and live a life that is true to your wants and dreams.
I Would, but My Damn Mind Won’t Let Me
This book is geared toward teenage girls and covers a wide variety of emotions, feelings, and thoughts you may struggle with as you navigate your youth. It helps you figure out ways to improve your self-talk, build healthy coping skills for life’s challenges, learn emotional regulation, and build confidence in yourself. Understanding your thoughts and feelings is the first step to feeling happier and healthier. Then comes controlling them. Both of these topics are thoroughly covered in this valuable read.
Your mental health deserves to be a priority as you navigate your teenage years. Let these books help you find the inspiration and build the knowledge you need to make these years the happiest and healthiest they can be.
