Library & Information Science, Course 262: Resources for Young Adults.
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  Welcome!

  This page was compiled as a class project for   the San Jose State University School of Library and Information   Science. The intention of this site is to present to my classmates   and professor resources that deal with mental illness as it relates   to young adults. When mental illness touches the life of a young   adult, whether they are diagnosed themselves or a family member is,   understanding and coping mechanisms are essential. In   conjunction with professional help, print and web resources can   become sources of support. Below is a small list of these   resources that may be helpful to a young adult faced with issues   of mental health.

 Internet Mental Health Extensive library of information dealing with many   aspects of mental health: disorders, treatment, etc.

Mental Health Net Similar to the Internet Mental Health site but   interface is easier to navigate and more attractive. It includes an   exhaustive list of resources and is an excellent starting point to   many mental health issues.

Mental   Health Risk Factors for Adolescents This site is rich in contact and association   information for both adolescent and adult mental health.

"Conquering the Beast Within: How I Fought   Depression and Won...and How You Can Too" by Cait Irwin. Random   House, 1998, Author shares her personal experiences with   depression. She combines vivid images with evocative text to create a   memorable book on this subject. The use of pictures and simple text   makes it a useful book for younger readers as well as young adults.

"Coping with Depression" by Sharon Carter   and Lawrence Clayton. Hazeldon, 1995, This work for young adults clearly explains the causes   of depression, how to manage the disease and how to cope if a family   member or friend suffers from the illness. It includes useful   quizzes, interesting case studies and helpful diagrams.

"Coping with Schizophrenia: A Guide for   Families" by Kim Tornval Mueser. New Harbinger, 1994, This work is essentially a "handbook" for   taking care and loving a Schizophrenic. Offers strategies for   providing appropriate supervision,detailed information about the   disease, drug therapies and treatments. It provides wonderful charts   and quizzes.

 "Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big   Sister Went Crazy" by Sonya Sones. HarperCollins, 1999., A collection of poems written by the author when she   was thirteen and struggling with her sisters' mental illness. The   poetry is both touching and heart breaking.

 "Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families,   Consumers and Providers" 3rd edition by E. Fuller Torrey,   HaperCollins, 1995. A thorough manual that gives information concerning   the disease and how to care for a Schizophrenic. In addition, it   provides numerous coping techniques for the care-giver.

"Ups & Downs: How to beat the Blues and Teen   Depression" by Susan Klebanoff and Ellen Luborsky. Price Stern   Sloan, 1999. An easy to read book offering advice on handling   depression. Helps teens to recognize the difference between just   feeling "blue" and a more serious condition.

 During class and in our group discussions, we have reflected on the   idea that teens use "problem novels" and realistic fiction   to help deal with personal issues. If you hold this theory to be   true, this list may be a valuable resource to give young adults   contending with the issue of mental illness.

"Amazing Gracie" by A.E. Cannon. Dell Books, 1991, Gracie is confused and often annoyed by her mothers'   constant bout with depression. She's is torn between wanting to help   her mother become well and being a "normal" teenager. This   book was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

"Dancing on the Edge" by Han Nolan. Harcourt   Brace, 1997, A young teen is distraught by the death of her mother   and the presumed death of her father. She is institutionalized and   meets a caring psychologist who helps her to deal with her illness   and her issues. Work was nominated for a National Book Award.

"Humming Whispers" by Angela Johnson.   Scholastic, 1995. In this work we meet Sophy. She is fourteen, the age   when her sister went "crazy", and she is afraid that it   will happen to her too.

 "I Can Hear the Mourning Dove" by James   Bennett. Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Story chronicles a teenagers struggle with mental   illness. In this book we find Gracie confused over the death of her   father, her failed suicide attempt and her need for hospitalization.   This book was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

 "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden" by   Joanne Greenberg. Harcourt and Brace, 1964. This highly acclaimed work is a mental health   "classic". Deborah is an intelligent and creative teenager   who is mentally ill. This book is an honest look at a teenagers'   struggle with a serious mental illness.

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