I'm having trouble finding realistic mental illness in YA

[Courtney]

They all seem to be the MC meets a boy/girl and they are cured. It's fine to find someone to support you but I'd like more realism. If that makes sense.
I just finished Meg & Kat Conquer the world which was great. They both got a tad better when they found ways to cope but they weren't suddenly cured.

[...cats?]

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

[Cheryl A]

The Place Between Breaths by An Na

[Robert]

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B, by Teresa Toten? "When Adam meets Robyn he is drawn to her almost before he can take a breath. He's determined to protect and defend her, to play Batman to her Robin, whatever the cost. But when you're fourteen and the everyday problems of dealing with divorced parents and step-siblings are supplemented by the challenges of OCD, it's hard to imagine yourself falling in love."

Hello Darkness, by Anthony McGowan? "Someone is on a killing spree – slaughtering the school pets with a cold-blooded savagery. The number-one suspect: Johnny Middleton. Johnny’s had problems in the past, but they’re behind him now. So what if he still sees the world a little differently? He’s not crazy and he’s not a killer. And he’s going to prove it."

Highly Illogical Behaviour, by John Corey Whaley? "Sixteen year old Solomon has agoraphobia. He hasn't left his house in three years, which is fine by him. At home, he is the master of his own kingdom--even if his kingdom doesn't extend outside of the house. When Lisa finds out about Solomon's solitary existence, she comes up with a plan sure to net her a scholarship: befriend Solomon. Treat his condition. And write a paper on her findings. To earn Solomon's trust, Lisa begins letting him into her life, introducing him to her boyfriend Clark, and telling him her secrets. Soon, Solomon begins to open up and expand his universe. But all three teens have grown uncomfortably close, and when their facades fall down, their friendships threaten to collapse as well."

[Ava]

I found "Girl In pieces" by Kathleen Glasgow. The author personally struggled with cutting/depression and it made the book feel super real. The whole book is about healing but set from a girls- Charlotte- point of view. I loved this book and it helped me heal. Best reading slump ever afterwards. 100% recommend if you want that YA and real healing in a book then read this. (It is not her retelling her life, but a girl she saw and made a story for projecting her feelings).

[Jess]

Turtles All the Way Down the female MC has anxiety, and the ending is probably one of the most realistic ones I've read.

[Robert]

The Toll Bridge, by Aidan Chambers? "Fed up with parents and friends trying to decide on his future, Jan attempts to escape the pressures of home by taking a job as a toll-keeper. Going to live in the country - alone in the house on the toll bridge - Jan hopes to find out who he really is. At the toll bridge Jan meets Tess and Adam. Their friendship works well for a time, but they all have to face a turning point, and for one of them, the result is devastating."

Play Nimrod for Him, by Jean Ure? "Christopher and Nick have an exclusive friendship that isolates them from the crowd. Then Sal appears on the scene and tempts Christopher away from this private world with Nick. The tensions crowd in on all three and for Nick they reach crisis point."

[Vulco1]

Maybe try I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier.

It's a good story about a kid trying to get a package to his dad on a long trip, but it's intercut with psychiatric interviews.

[Darcey]

By Your Side

[Amber]

So, admittedly I never finished the book series The Magicians by Lev Grossman. BUT the tv show, which I found to be way better, was very relatable in terms of depression. There's a chance the books are as well.

[Shawna]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

[Kenza]

A Study in Drowning



Thirteen Reasons Why

Truly, Devious

[CraftyChara]

It's Kind of a Funny Story
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories That Smash Mental Health Stereotypes
Everything Is OK
Simon Sort of Says
Like a Charm
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

[Daphne]

Eliza and Her Monsters

[Tami]

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

[Kassy]

The Weight of Our Sky
A Quiet Kind of Thunder
One Carefree Day
The Edge of Anything
Don't Touch
Fierce Fragile Hearts

[Stephen]

One of the best YA books I've encountered that fits into your criteria might be Inside Out by Terry Trueman It's not "about" a teen who's neurodivergent but is told from his POV.

At 117 pages this is a masterwork of sorts. It's short and about as empathy-inducing as anything I've ever read. There's even a sequel for those that care to read on.

[Aleksander]

CraftyChara wrote: "It's Kind of a Funny Story
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
[book:Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories T..."

seconding Its Kind of a Funny Story!!

[Danelle]

Cut by Patricia McCormick
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (HUGE trigger warning for this one, the main character has anorexia and her friend died from bulimia, it’s the most accurate depiction of eating disorders I’ve read in a book)

[Teagan]

Anything by Ellen Hopkin, her writing format is kind of funky and takes some getting used to but all of her books are amazing and deal with mental illnesses and other “taboo” topics like being institutionalized, sexual assault, homelessness, gun violence, eating disorders, drugs, addiction, teen pregnancy and more. Sometimes her books are hard to mental get through but that’s the whole point and they portray everything amazingly.

[HorseShoe]

If LGBTQ is ok, the third HeartStopper book talks about mental health. Also, Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella has this content as well. Finding Audrey might have language, but this author is reallt good.
Heartstopper: Volume Three

Finding Audrey

[Robert]

If Asperger syndrome counts, then I'd recommend 600 Hours of Edward