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Prayers Up! ‘Reading Rainbow’ Star Mychal Threets Shares Health Update After 5-Day Psychiatric Hold: ‘I Am Safe,’ But ‘Not OK’
Mychal Threets is giving fans an honest look at what he’s been through over the past week. The beloved Reading Rainbow host and librarian took to Threads on Saturday to share an update just five days after he first told followers he planned to check himself into a hospital.
In the video, the 36-year-old opened up candidly about the toll the past several months have taken on him. “I just wanted to apologize for worrying so many people,” he began. “I just got back from a five-day stay at the hospital, a five-day psychiatric hold.” He continued, “I haven’t been okay for what feels like a very, very long time. I am not okay, but I have hope I will get to okay.”
Threets didn’t shy away from expressing gratitude toward the people who supported him through the hospitalization. He specifically thanked the “multitude of doctors, nurses and mental health workers” who cared for him, telling them directly, “You saved my life.” He also extended thanks to his family, friends, and the broader online community who had been checking in on him throughout the week.
He closed the video with a message aimed at reassuring fans while acknowledging his own ongoing struggle. “Three, six, nine, it’s okay to not be fine. We’re struggling. We’re human beings. We’re doing our best,” he said, before adding, “Thank you for being you. Thank you for staying. Maybe I’ll see you at the library. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” He captioned the post simply, “I am safe ❤️🩹.”
Mychal Threets Continues To Be Open About His Mental Health
According to PEOPLE, Threets first alerted fans to what he was going through in a Threads post on August 17. “I am not okay. Maybe I’ll never be okay,” he wrote at the time. “I’m seeking help. Going to the [hospital] tomorrow. In this moment I am safe. By God’s grace.” He added that regardless of what happened next, he’d always be grateful for the people in his life who cared enough to help him through it.
This isn’t the first time Threets has spoken candidly about his mental health journey. The literacy advocate, who went viral in 2023 for his infectious love of books and libraries, previously told PEOPLE about his ongoing struggles with depression and anxiety. Back in January, he reflected on how public life has changed him. “I’m still a very introverted person,” he said. “I think because of what’s happened in life, I’ve become more extroverted… I’ve been more comfortable talking about the library, talking about library stories, talking about mental health.”
He also acknowledged that the spotlight hasn’t always been easy for him, even as his platform has grown. “I still have hard days, and I’d much rather be behind the scenes,” he told PEOPLE. “But for a chance to amplify libraries, amplify people’s stories — essentially, I serve almost as a narrator of library joy, and I’m honored to do it.”
As Threets continues his recovery, his openness about this chapter is already resonating with fans who’ve followed his journey.
