Reading Rainbow host Mychal Threets appears to have suffered a severe mental health crisis that resulted in five days under psychiatric observation.
The 36-year-old librarian returned home over the weekend and shared an emotional update with his followers. Although Threets did not disclose a diagnosis or explain what precipitated the crisis, he acknowledged that he remains unwell.
Mychal Threets – Reading Rainbow Official, YouTube
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“I just wanted to apologize for worrying so many people,” Threets said in a video posted to Threads on Saturday. “I just got back from a five-day stay at the hospital, a five-day psychiatric hold.”
“I haven’t been okay for what feels like a very, very long time,” he continued. “I am not okay, but I have hope I will get to okay. I’m on the struggle bookmobile. It’s gonna take a long time for me to be okay.”
Threets thanked the doctors, nurses, and mental health professionals who treated him, telling them, “You saved my life.” He also expressed gratitude to the family members, friends, and followers who supported him.
The update came several days after Threets announced that he intended to seek medical assistance.
“I am not okay. Maybe I’ll never be okay,” he wrote on August 17. “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, he would remain grateful for the people who worried about him.
Threets Has Previously Discussed Suicidal Thoughts
Threets, better known online as “Mychal the Librarian,” became a social media celebrity through upbeat videos celebrating books, libraries, and what he calls “library joy.” He was selected to host the digital revival of Reading Rainbow in 2025, succeeding longtime presenter LeVar Burton.
The original program aired on PBS from 1983 until 2006. Its revival debuted with four episodes on Sony’s Kidzuko YouTube channel before receiving an order for 24 additional installments.
Mychal Threets – NBC Bay Area, YouTube
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However, Threets’ cheerful public persona has existed alongside serious mental health struggles.
During an April interview with NBC Bay Area, Threets said that burnout and thoughts of self-harm contributed to his decision to leave his library position in 2024.
“My plan was, honestly, to leave the world at that time,” Threets said. “I planned to take my own life in March 2024, and I’m still struggling today.”
Threets has also spoken publicly about experiencing depression and anxiety. He previously admitted that he remains uncomfortable with attention despite building an enormous following and becoming the face of a beloved children’s franchise.
Can Threets Remain in the Public Eye?
His hospitalization raises difficult questions about whether the demands of social media celebrity and a highly visible television position are compatible with his recovery and self-described introverted personality. However, Threets’ decision to seek professional assistance rather than suffer privately may also encourage others experiencing similar crises to ask for help.
Mychal Threets – Reading Rainbow Official, YouTube
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“I am not okay, I’m on a journey to discover okay,” he wrote after returning home. “I am not better, I’m getting help to be better. Today I am safe, I am believing that is enough.”
Many supporters have since praised Threets for seeking help while offering their prayers and encouragement as he begins what he acknowledges may be a long recovery.
Do you think Mychal Threets needs to step out of the public eye? Sound off and let us know!
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