Short Stories Mental Health

Channeling their own experiences, sixteen exceptional authors subvert mental health stereotypes in a powerful and uplifting collection of fiction.

This 10th anniversary edition of the beloved classic features 10 new stories written by Dr. Robbins that help listeners gain deeper insight into the role our brains play in shaping our thoughts and actions, and what we can do to be more curious and open-minded in our diverse world. Based on his study of the fields of behavioral science and cognitive neuroscience, Robbins explores unconscious bias in many of its forms, including availability bias, confirmation bias, anchoring bias, and others.

Susan Orlean has a full-on phobia of flying - an epic inconvenience for an author on a national book tour. With her trademark curiosity, she decides to rewire her thinking through hypnosis. Along the way, Susan discovers a lot about the unconscious mind, suggestibility, Mesmer, Freud, today’s cutting-edge treatments, and the dulling power of a sonorous voice. Most of all, she learns what it takes to close her eyes, open them again at thirty thousand feet, and finally be able to exhale. And you can too.

Regina Hartley has had enough. The demands of life have taken a toll on her and, no longer feeling equipped to endure the strain, she decides to end it all in watery surrender. But instead of drowning to death, she finds herself being revived on shore by a concerned, handsome stranger. After saving her, the stranger refuses to leave her alone. Regina realizes she doesn’t mind his attention and finds herself more interested in what else life has to offer overall. But after saving her spirit, will the handsome stranger eventually disappear? Gabriel finds himself in the right place at the ...

A Bricklayer’s Tales: A Collection of Short Stories and Memoirs by Gary Troia is a raw, darkly humorous exploration of working-class struggles, self-destruction, and creative frustration. Told through the eyes of Ray Dennis—Troia’s disillusioned alter ego—these gritty, unflinching stories dive into the realities of depression, alcoholism, drug use, and the suffocating monotony of low-paid labour. From bleak construction sites to psychedelic escapes, each tale captures the highs and lows of a man trapped between artistic ambition and brutal wage slavery. Whether facing deportation in...

As we age, memories can fade, affecting not only recall but also connections with loved ones. Engaging in brain-stimulating activities like reading can slow cognitive decline, as noted by the American Academy of Neurology. This book offers an enjoyable way to exercise your memory and bring details back into focus. With short stories set in familiar outdoor settings, you’ll be transported into the great outdoors from the first chapter.

Have you ever asked “What’s it all for?” or “Is my life enough?” Jack finds himself back at the local pub after another monotonous day at work asking himself these very questions. From an outside perspective, Jack has a good job and a supportive family, but somehow it’s not fulfilling his true desires, which has created a deep sadness. Seeing Jack’s hopelessness, the bartender, Lloyd, suggests a short story for him to read about a cowboy going through similar struggles in wanting better for his family and his life. Jack is not much of a reader, but finds some solace in ...

She crafts love stories. He’s straight out of one. Can their passion spark a flame, or will it all go up in smoke? Coco My home is my sanctuary. I never leave it. I can’t. Thanks to modern technology, I can write my romance novels and have everything I need delivered. It’s perfect—until it isn’t. When my house goes up in flames, a sexy older firefighter bursts into my life, saving me in more ways than one. Austin DuPont wants to be the hero in my story, not just on the page, but how can I commit to a man when all my relationships are virtual? Austin I live for the thrill of the ...

What happens when someone finally snaps? In this cleverly executed short story we follow a man, trapped in a life that no longer offers him any joy. He’s imprisoned by a job that he hates, and his bleak home life offers him no relief. Looking at life through his jaded eyes, when we first meet this man it’s still possible to empathise with him. But as we follow his darkly graphic descent into real despair, we can’t help but wonder, where will it end? This is best-selling author Kevin McLeod’s second short story, in a series designed to explore complex themes of life, death and the ...

This exceptional and powerful anthology explores the joys, heartbreaks and triumphs of immigration, with stories by critically acclaimed and best-selling YA authors who are shaped by the journeys they and their families have taken from home - and to find home.

A collection of short stories and anecdotes which prove that I survived for almost thirty years at the chalk face working as a teacher of English and Drama in the North East of England. The collection recognises some of the countless students it has been either my privilege or bad luck to teach. Some of the tales are funny, some sad and some are almost unbelievable. Everything in the book really happened, and most of it happened to me. I am still traumatised and suffer occasional nightmares as a result of accidental sexual voyeurism, abduction, and close encounters with sharp objects. A ...

The Sun Stood Still and the world lost its color: The phone rang, it was the Deputy Coroner of Sacramento County, California "Ariel Died", she said as a simple matter of fact statement that she must have made hundreds of times before.. My heart sank and the world went black, as my mind, overwhelmed with those simple two words, could process nothing more. Time stopped. Ariel committed suicide in 2013, fresh off one of her many manic fantasy adventures in which she planned to conquer the world, for the thousandth time, followed by her usual magnificent crash into utter heartbreak and despair....

When someone like me meets Ai and it tells a lie, I treat it like a real person and want to know why, but when it didn't understand all I could do was cry, the noise in my mind was high, so I took a deep breath in, then let out a sigh, after closing the screen and saying good-bye.

Mental illness though can still carry a stigma. A case of ‘you’re not trying hard enough’, ‘or knuckling down and getting on with it’. But in more recent decades mental issues have come to be recognised as an illness, a disease rather than an affliction. We all remember horror stories of lobotomy’s and electric shock being used to ‘cure’ what society viewed as anti-social behaviour but illness, mental or physical is very real. Depression, schizophrenia, breakdown, psychosis are alarming events to have or to witness.

Ben Short has a successful career in advertising, a flat in a trendy part of London, a flashy motorbike. But after years of suffering with anxiety, he's a wreck. A drastic change is needed. For a time, he finds solace working with a forester, then as an apprentice to a Gypsy woodman, setting up home in a dilapidated wagon with just a rescue dog for company.

From the authors of "Out Of My Mind: A Mental Health Memoir" by Dustin Hartley and "With A Touch Of Spice: The Kyan Wise Story" comes the unforgettable and entertaining tale of two young people with Asperger's syndrome, a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, who get their first piece of real estate when they go through the difficult process of becoming first-time homeowners in rural Iowa. About the authors: Dustin Hartley has a master's of science degree in psychology, as well as a bachelor's of arts in psychology and a bachelor's of science in sociology. He has written a number of books, ...

Eight is a collection of short stories that are representative of the intricacies of mental health. Each story offers a unique perspective on the human experience, showcasing the complexities of navigating life's challenges while grappling with mental health challenges. With evocative prose and richly drawn characters, each story in Eight is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the ways in which mental health shapes our lives, our relationships, and our sense of self. Whether you're looking for an escape from the stresses of daily life or a deeper understanding of the human ...

Weeping endures for a night, but does joy really come in the morning?

Short stories about bizarre mental health disorders. The mind is the most terrifying place of all!

Life in the Trench is harsh but simple - until a young girl braves an unknown path in a bracing coming-of-age short story by the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Tooth and the Gideon Falls comics.