Beloved children's entertainer Mychal Threets has broken his silence following a five-day psychiatric hold, sharing a candid video update on his mental health.
The 36-year-old star, who hosts the educational children's television show Reading Rainbow, uploaded a clip to Meta's text-based platform Threads on Saturday to address his followers.
"I just wanted to apologize for worrying so many people," Threets said in the video. "I just got back from a five-day stay at the hospital, a five-day psychiatric hold."
He admitted to not being "okay for what feels like a very, very long time. I am not okay. But I have hope I will get to okay. I'm on the struggle bookmobile."
Gratitude and Outpatient Care
"It's gonna take a long time for me to be okay," Threets expressed before briefly pausing to rest his head in his hands.
"It's going to take a long time," he continued, sending gratitude to the "doctors, nurses and mental health workers I saw. It's not enough, but thank you. You saved my life."
He also thanked his inner circle and supporters. "Thank you to my family and friends. Thank you to you. 3-6-9, it's okay to not be fine. We're struggling, we're human beings. We're doing our best."
Toward the end of the video, Threets offered an encouraging message: "Thank you for being you. Thank you for staying. Maybe I'll see you at the library. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave a thumbs up toward the camera while holding a smile and concluded, "I love you, yes."
In a separate written post on Threads, Threets typed out: "There are no right words to express my gratitude for the extraordinary mental health care, the help, I received while on a voluntary psychiatric hospital hold. Human empathy, kindness, care."
He added that he will continue his recovery through an intensive outpatient program, while emphasizing the financial burden of mental health treatment. "Blessed to continue receiving help to journey towards ok via an intensive outpatient program. But mental health help is far too expensive," he wrote.
"It should not be. We should not have to worry about being able to afford help," the media personality added. "This must change. I am worthy of help, you are worthy of help, we are worthy of help."
Daily Mail has reached out to a representative for Threets for comment, but has yet to hear back.
Prior Announcement and Public Support
Earlier in the week, Threets shared the news on Threads that he would be checking himself into a hospital, revealing in a post that he was "not okay."
"I am not okay. Maybe I'll never be okay. I'm seeking help. Going to the hospital tomorrow. In this moment I am safe. By God's grace," Threets wrote at the time. "No matter what happens to me I will always be thankful for the extraordinary people in my life who worry, who help me. Thank you for your care. I will always love you."
In response, he was met with numerous supportive messages, including public notes from well-known figures. Actress Yvette Nicole Brown encouraged him to seek immediate care, writing: "If you need the help, maybe go tonight, friend."
Entrepreneur Nicole Waters also shared words of encouragement, typing: "The hospital is 24/7 support - and how lovely that help is always there when you need it - so now is a good time too. And know that staying is an incredible gift to all of us - we are so grateful and proud of you for saying these thoughts out loud so we can send you our energy and love. See you tomorrow friend."
Reading Rainbow Host and Career
Threets is the host of the popular children's show Reading Rainbow, an educational series that originally launched on PBS in 1983.
He became the show's host in September 2025, after the series was revived for a reboot. Each episode is centered on a featured book and is designed to encourage a love of reading in children.
Threets, who is a librarian by profession, went viral on social media in 2023 after sharing videos of his life working at the Fairfield Civic Center Library in California.
Following his viral success, he was later named the resident librarian for PBS in 2024.
Openness About Mental Health
Threets has previously opened up about his struggles with mental health, admitting that he has struggled with both depression and anxiety.
His recent Threads posts came just weeks after he uploaded a video on TikTok that concerned fans, in which he said: "If today is my last day in the land of the living, I just wanted to say I love you and I'm proud of you. The world, the library is best with you in it. Thank you for staying."
In a January 2026 interview with People magazine, Threets reflected on his sudden fame. "I'm still a very introverted person," he told the publication.
"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," he added. "But had I known all this was going to happen, I probably would've never started posting."
However, he explained that his joy for reading and love of the library inspired him to keep going despite the pressure. "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," he said. "Everybody had a place in the library, in books. I'm just so thankful, so proud, to be able to unleash this story on the world."
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.
