Reading Rainbow Host Mychal Threets Opens Up About Mental Health Journey

Mychal Threets, the popular librarian known for hosting the Reading Rainbow reboot, recently shared an honest update about his mental health struggles. In a heartfelt video posted to Threads, the 36-year-old media personality revealed he had just completed a five-day psychiatric hold at a hospital.

"I just wanted to apologize for worrying so many people," Threets said in the clip. "I haven't been OK for what feels like a very, very long time. I am not OK. But I have hope that I will get to OK."

Threets expressed deep gratitude toward the medical professionals who supported him during his stay. "Thank you to the multitude of doctors, nurses and mental health workers I saw — it's not enough, but thank you, you saved my life," he said.

The beloved public figure also took time to connect with his fans, sharing a message of solidarity. "Three, six, nine, it's okay to not be fine. We're struggling. We're human beings. We're doing our best," he said. "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 his post with "I am safe [mending heart emoji]."

Back in August, Threets had already hinted at his struggles when he announced on Threads that he was checking himself into the hospital for mental health care. "I am not okay. Maybe I'll never be okay. I'm seeking help," he wrote at the time. "Going to the hospital tomorrow. In this moment I am safe. By God's grace."

With nearly one million followers on Instagram, Threets has been open about managing depression and anxiety while in the public eye. In a January interview with People, he reflected on how his experiences shaped his approach to sharing his story. "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, just because I love it all. But had I known all this was going to happen, I probably would've never started posting."