“I am not okay,” the librarian told fans in a video update. “But I have hope I will get to okay.”

Reading Rainbow host Mychal Threets gives update after 5-day psychiatric hold

“I am not okay,” the librarian told fans in a video update. “But I have hope I will get to okay.”

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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August 24, 2026 4:12 p.m. ET

Mychal Threets. Credit:

Chris Saucedo/Getty

- Mychal Threets is back home after a five-day psychiatric hold in the hospital.

- “I haven’t been okay for what feels like a very, very long time,” the librarian and TV personality told fans.

- The update comes days after the *Reading Rainbow* host announced that he would be checking himself into a hospital amid personal struggles.

*Reading Rainbow* host Mychal Threets is offering fans a hopeful update, days after checking himself into a hospital.

The social media star, who rose to fame for promoting “library joy,” announced last week that he would be seeking treatment due to undisclosed personal struggles. On Saturday, Threets confirmed that he was back home after being hospitalized under a five-day psychiatric hold.

“I just wanted to apologize for worrying so many people,” Threets began his Threads video update. “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.”

Mychal Threets.

Matt Wilson/Comedy Central via Getty

Threets went on to thank the doctors, nurses, and mental health workers who cared for him during his hospital stay and credited them with saving his life. He added, “It’s not enough, but thank you.”

The TV host also extended gratitude to his friends, family, and followers for supporting him throughout the difficult chapter.

He then assured fans, “It’s okay to not be fine. We’re struggling. We’re human beings. We’re doing our best.”

Concluding the video with a smile, Threets 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.”

Threets has been the host of *Reading Rainbow *since the series was revived in 2025. The original show, which aired on PBS from 1983 to 2006, was hosted by LeVar Burton.

Threets is also the author of the book *I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy. *However, he is best known for the social media following he has amassed as “Mychal the Librarian,” a literary and mental health advocate whose upbeat content includes book recommendations and affirming messages. Threets has previously been candid about his struggles with mental health, sharing in April that he departed his job at the library for mental health reasons.

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“I was just really struggling in life, struggling at work for the first time, just started feeling burnt out,” Threets said in an interview with NBC. “My plan was, honestly, to leave the world at that time. I planned to take my own life in March 2024, and I’m still struggling today, but it’s led to a life of just traveling all over the United States, and now, the resident librarian for PBS, PBS Kids, and also also the host of *Reading Rainbow*.”

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Threets added that his mental health struggles also fueled his decision to share daily content on social media, whether they be stories of joy or grief. In the process, Threets said that he has been “learning more about me, learning to love myself, and trying to encourage library kids that they are who they are and that’s a wonderful thing.”

*If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at **988lifeline.org** 24/7.*

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