Reading Rainbow host Mychal Threets is sharing an update after seeking help for his mental health. The librarian recently spent five days in a hospital after telling fans he needed help. He has now returned home and says he is safe. Threets also thanked the people who supported him during the difficult week.
Mychal Threets says doctors saved his life during a five-day psychiatric hold
The 36-year-old shared a video on his social media on Saturday, Aug. 22. Threets said he had just returned from a five-day hospital stay and psychiatric hold. “I haven’t been okay for what feels like a very, very long time,” he said. He added that he still struggles but hopes he will eventually feel better.
Threets expressed his gratitude to the doctors, nurses and mental health workers who assisted him during his stay. “You saved my life,” he told them in the video. He also thanked his family, friends and fans for their support. “I am safe ❤️?,” he wrote in the caption.
Five days earlier, Threets told fans that he planned to seek help. “I am not okay. Maybe I’ll never be okay,” he wrote on Threads on Aug. 17. He said he planned to go to the hospital and was safe at that moment. He also expressed his gratitude to those in his life who cared for and supported him.
Threets has spoken about his mental health struggles before. He previously told PEOPLE that he suffers from depression and anxiety. In 2023, the librarian went viral for his passion for books and libraries. He later said his platform allowed him to talk more openly about libraries and mental health.
Threets admitted he still has bad days and prefers to be behind the scenes. However, he said he feels honored to use his platform to share library stories. He described himself as a narrator of “library joy” and said that message keeps him moving forward. In his latest video, he told fans, “Maybe I’ll see you at the library.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
