Resources for World Mental Health Awareness Day

World Mental Health Awareness Day offers a chance to highlight the reality of mental health issues that affect so many. Particularly in this strange pandemic year, it is vital that as Christians we are equipped to engage with friends and family, and bring the light and hope of the gospel to the darkest places.

Jesus said "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind". Jesus is interested in the whole person - including our minds - which means that what we describe as mental health is an aspect of our health that God cares about and the Bible speaks to.

When talking about mental health it is vital not to go beyond what we actually know. So, with that in mind, here are a few basic terms you may see floating around - and some resources that we think are helpful. We aren't going to offer resources on things we aren't confident in, so whilst we've got a wealth of content at IVP to share with you, we don't have an exhaustive list. 

Anxiety - something we can all struggle with, but can be particularly pronounced. Will Van Der Hart wrote a helpful blog post, 'Panxiety', about the anxiety we might be feeling as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Chronic Illness - often, those suffering from chronic illness will also have mental health problems, often as a result of (or intertwined with) their physical diagnosis. Liz Carter shares a different perspective in this blog post. 
Depression - perhaps the most common and most misunderstood mental illness. In this blog post and video Mark Meynell considers what the word means, and what we can do.
Eating Disorders - often intertwined with other mental health issues, eating disorders are complex and painful to talk about. Sharon Hastings wrote a letter to her 16-year-old self which touches on this, whilst Emma Scrivener's book A New Name engages with anorexia head on.
Grief - this can often be a trigger, a cause, or a complexifying factor. We've published a memoir, Surprised by Grief, by someone who lost their spouse at a young age, and we've also got a set of bible studies about grief. Healthy Faith and the Coronavirus Crisis has a number of chapters that engage with this issue, too.
Guilt - often issues of guilt loom large - in The Guilt Book, Will Van Der Hart and Rob Waller offer a set of suggestions to engage with guilt.
Psychosis - simply defined as 'a loss of touch with reality', this is often not talked about. Sharon Hastings wrote a blog post about her experience, and how kindness has been helpful.
Seasonal Depression - Mark Meynell wrote about managing depression during the holiday season, whilst Sharon Hastings offered some top tips about managing mental health over Christmas.
Self Esteem - the Gospel speaks to every aspect of our lives. In one of his books, Glynn Harrison engages with this topic. A vital read for thinking more deeply about issues of mental health.
Shame - part of many mental health issues is the topic of Shame. Simon Cozens wrote a blog post about getting free from shame, as part of the launch of his book Looking Shame in the Eye.
Stress - something we can all struggle with, but that can become overwhelming. Will Van Der Hart wrote a helpful blog post about handling stress.
Suicidal Thoughts - suicide is a killer, and the thoughts can come from nowhere. Sharon Hastings reflects on her experience in a blog post that offers practical advice to friends and family. Al Hsu, who wrote his book after his father died from suicide, has some words for those left behind, and a reflection on the value of community. 
Underlying Health Conditions - we've heard a lot about these, since the rise of COVID, and often these can trigger or exacerbate mental health issues. Ollie Lansdowne wrote a powerful longer blog post about how he's coping, and the unimaginable peace he finds in Jesus.

As well as these particular topics, there are also some themes that we've published into, and so here are a few books that we think are particularly helpful when talking about mental health awareness, and what to do next.

Sharon Hastings' Wrestling With My Thoughts. Sharon is a qualified doctor, and her story is painful and powerful. Read this book for both accurate medical information on mental health, and a moving testimony of God's faithfulness.
Mark Meynell's When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend. Reflecting on life and ministry with depression, Mark's book is hard to read but rich and deep. Read this book if you want to understand depression, are a church leader or care for those that are, or just want to look inside the mind of someone with depression.
Emma Scrivener's A New Name and A New Day. Emma writes beautifully, threading theology and story together to create books that force the reader to reflect and pray. Read A New Name for an honest and uncompromising focus on anorexia and identity, and A New Day for beautiful hints of hope and healing.
One thing that can happen when struggling with mental health is that it becomes difficult to pray. Don Carson's A Call to Spiritual Reformation offers Paul's prayers as a way to pray when we don't have the words. The ebook is currently free.
Healthy Faith and the Coronavirus Crisis has chapters on loneliness, grief, hope, pain, and death - to name just a few! There's currently £2 off the ebook!

We hope these resources will help you, whether you are suffering with your mental health, caring for those that are, or are just curious about what people are experiencing and how the Bible speaks into it.