Deborah K. Takahashi - Serving Teens with Mental Illness in the Library

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Serving Teens with Mental Illness in the Library

Copyright 2019 by Deborah K. Takahashi

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Takahashi, Deborah K., author.

Title: Serving teens with mental illness in the library : a practical guide / Deborah K. Takahashi.

Description: Santa Barbara : ABC-CLIO, [2019] | Series: Libraries unlimited professional guides for young adult librarians | Includes bibliographical references and index. |

Identifiers: LCCN 2019008328 (print) | LCCN 2019010928 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440862779 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440862762 (pbk. : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Libraries and the mentally ill. | Libraries and teenagers.

Classification: LCC Z711.92.M42 (ebook) | LCC Z711.92.M42 T35 2019 (print) | DDC 027.6/63dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019008328

ISBN: 978-1-4408-6276-2 (paperback)

978-1-4408-6277-9 (ebook)

232221201912345

This book is also available as an eBook.

Libraries Unlimited
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This book is printed on acid-free paper

Manufactured in the United States of America

This book discusses treatments (including types of medication and mental health therapies), diagnostic tests for various symptoms and mental health disorders, and organizations. The authors have made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information. However, the information in this book is not intended to recommend or endorse particular treatments or organizations, or substitute for the care or medical advice of a qualified health professional, or used to alter any medical therapy without a medical doctors advice. Specific situations may require specific therapeutic approaches not included in this book. For those reasons, we recommend that readers follow the advice of qualified health-care professionals directly involved in their care. Readers who suspect they may have specific medical problems should consult a physician about any suggestions made in this book.

To All the Teens I Have Met

Thank you for teaching me how to advocate for you and for telling me to never give up. You have shown me how to keep on fighting for teens who need help and demonstrating how brave all of you really are.

To All the Teen Librarians I Know

Without your passion, the impact you have on your teens and your community would not be as bright without your shining light.

As the number of mental healthrelated diagnoses of all people but especially of teens rises, those working with teens need to know how to recognize common symptoms and what resources to recommend. Thankfully, more people are talking honestly about mental health since it lessens the stigma associated with it. Determining how to help teens whose symptoms may look like common adolescent behavior can be a challenge. We are grateful that Deborah Takahashi can educate us on navigating these challenges. She draws upon her experience as a librarian as well as someone who has earned a Youth Mental Health First Aid certification to provide those working with and advocating for teens guidance, seasoned advice, and a plan for service.

We are proud of our association with Libraries Unlimited/ABC-CLIO, which continues to prove itself as the premier publisher of books to help library staff serve teens. This series has succeeded because our authors know the needs of those library employees who work with young adults. Without exception, they have written useful and practical handbooks for library staff. Deborahs practical advice will inspire you to provide an environment for teens where they are comfortable asking for and receiving information vital to maintaining their mental health.

We hope you find this book, as well as our entire series, to be informative, providing you with valuable ideas as you serve teens and that this work will further inspire you to do great things to make teens welcome in your library. If you have an idea for a title that could be added to our series or would like to submit a book proposal, please e-mail us at . Wed love to hear from you!

Mary Anne Nichols
C. Allen Nichols

When I decided to become a librarian in 2006, I had no idea that I would become a teen mental health advocate. In 2008, after recovering from my one and, hopefully, only major depressive disorder, I got my first full-time position as a teen library assistant. Over the next six years, I came to know many amazing young people who have had a profound effect on my life. This fueled my passion to advocate for teens, and I have since dedicated my career to making sure that teens are prepared to tackle anything but, at the same time, know they are supported and cared for.

As someone who experienced depression, I know that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, mental illness is just like any other illness that can be managed. Furthermore, people with mental illness can and do live very successful lives. It is important that teens be made aware of this. While teens come into the library for all sorts of reasons, there will always be a handful of teens who see the library as the only place they feel safe enough to ask for help. If you find yourself in a situation with one of these teens, know that you can help, even if only by listening. This may sound uncomfortable, but rest assured that you are not expected to diagnose or provide medical care. Unless you are a licensed clinical social worker, psychologist, or a psychiatrist, you are not obligated to treat teens with mental illness and, in fact, should not attempt to do so. However, as a teen advocate, you should know that you have what it takes to help the teens in need, which is why I wrote this book.