When you're looking for help with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression or OCD, you'd be surprised at the wide variety of therapeutic resources available, especially with the increased awareness surrounding the topic. However, if you'd prefer to explore your own options for self-help, you should start by learning about your thoughts and feelings and how to control them.
Whether you suffer from stress, panic attacks, social anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or other uncomfortable mental tendencies, a book about mental health can help you to regain perspective and manage your own mind. We have sourced a list of popular non-fiction and personal-focused titles available on eBay and Amazon from Matt Haig, Charlie Mackesy and more to give you a wide selection to choose from.
It's important that you understand your struggles to be able to resolve them. To do this, we will first help you to figure out the area in which you need guidance and what type of book you might need to get you there.
The topic of mental health is increasing with awareness across the globe. Every day, people are speaking out about their own journeys and helping to open doors to new forms of research and therapy. Find out which focus point will speak to you the most.
Depression symptoms can vary depending on the individual, and the illness has so many variables that it can be tricky to understand your own emotions. Some people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and therefore mostly experience the symptoms during certain periods of the year, while many people find it to be a daily obstacle.
In fact, 1 in 6 people will be expected to suffer from depression at some point in their life. The inheritability of depression is 40%, so it could run in the family, or perhaps it could be a result of a certain lifestyle. Whatever the reason is, you can find comfort in the fact that you are not alone.
A book about depression will cover the topics of finding lost motivation, gaining confidence in yourself and your abilities, and helping you to understand your own value.
Anxiety is a familiar term for almost all of us. To be more precise, in 2013, there were 8.2 million cases of anxiety reported in the UK. This just goes to show how common this mental health issue is, but more importantly, how treatable it is.
In today's fast-paced environment, it's normal to feel a little overwhelmed and stressed. What is important, however, is that those feelings are maintained and aren't allowed to spiral out of control. Feelings of panic, worry, and restlessness can surface as Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and phobias.
Anxiety can be brought on by stressful environments, past traumatic experiences, or genetics. Reading a book about anxiety can teach you to minimise the effect of the condition and to take control of your brain's tendency to panic.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is commonly diagnosed when you experience unpleasant intrusive thoughts that compel you to perform an action repeatedly.
The obsessions can be upsetting thoughts or images that, while they seem irrational, manage to overwhelm and push the person to react. The reaction is known as a compulsion and can consist of cleaning, checking, repeating, ordering, arranging, saying a certain phrase, or performing a certain movement.
Understanding how to rationalise the thoughts in your own head can empower you to overcome the urge to conform to the compulsions. You can learn to listen to the thoughts and remain calm without reacting to the triggers.
Thankfully, there are experts in the industry who have researched and explained coping mechanisms that are backed by science to give you a greater understanding of how you can start your self-help journey.
This type of psychological approach can assure you that the writer is fully aware of the condition you have and can provide the cognitive behavioural therapy that you need. Understanding the biology behind a mental health condition can highlight the normality behind your emotions and help you to rationalise the way that you feel.
As more and more people speak out about their own struggles, we're now blessed with books that provide an insight into the personal side of the topic. This way of writing is less informative than the psychological approach, portraying relatable situations and thoughts which will allow you to follow your train of thought to a deeper understanding of your mental health.
There are four main format types that you might be interested in; hardback, paperback, eBooks, and audiobooks. Depending on whether or not you like the traditional physical books or you'd prefer a book that you can carry with you everywhere you go, we can guide you to the right choice.
Pick a paperback for its thin, flexible exterior and low cost, or a hardback which is often the best choice for gifting and for limited edition books. Hardbacks tend to be more expensive but they are much more sturdy and durable than paperbacks. Who doesn't love to curl up with a good book on a rainy day?
You could also opt for a digital version. This comes with a wide range of benefits; it's cheap so you can buy more than one eBook, and audiobooks can help you feel less alone and help the information stick. In addition, you can take your new book anywhere you go, so you can refer to its advice, strategies and tools whenever you need to.
Now that you've read through our buying guide, you should be ready to select your new book. Hopefully, our guide has made your choice clear, although if you're unsure, just take a look at the specification tables to narrow down your options.
£9.99
Focus | Anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Psychological, personal |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
First Published | 2016 |
£8.99
Focus | Anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Personal |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
First Published | 2016 |
£10.99
Focus | Anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Psychological |
Formats | Paperback, eBook |
First Published | 2020 |
£12.77
Focus | Depression, anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Psychological, personal |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
First Published | 2016 |
£12.99
Focus | Depression, anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Psychological |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook, CD |
First Published | 2018 |
£10.69
Focus | Depression |
---|---|
Approach | Personal |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
First Published | 2020 |
£6.99
Focus | OCD |
---|---|
Approach | Psychological, personal |
Formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook |
First Published | 2015 |
£11.67
Focus | OCD |
---|---|
Approach | Psychological |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, digital download |
First Published | 2008 |
£8.50
Focus | Depression, anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Personal |
Formats | Hardcover, eBook, audiobook, CD |
First Published | 2019 |
£11.65
Focus | Depression, anxiety |
---|---|
Approach | Personal |
Formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook |
First Published | 2015 |
Image | 1 ![]() Matt Haig | 2 ![]() Charlie Mackesy | 3 ![]() Charles H. Elliott, Laura L. Smith | 4 ![]() David Adam | 5 ![]() James Withey | 6 ![]() Seth J. Gillihan | 7 ![]() Lawrence Wallace | 8 ![]() Regine Galanti | 9 ![]() Joshua Fletcher | 10 ![]() David A Carbonell |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Reasons to Stay Alive | The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse | Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for Dummies | The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCD | How To Tell Depression to Piss Off: 40 Ways to Get Your Life Back | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Made Simple | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: 7 Ways to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts | Anxiety Relief for Teens | Panicking About Panic | The Worry Trick |
Features | The Book That Will Put Your Life Into Perspective | A Sentimental Guide Suitable for Children and Adults Alike | A Beginner's Manual for Understanding Obsessive Behaviour | An Honest, Personal Account on Living With OCD for Two Decades | A Light-Hearted Guide to Becoming Your Best Self | 10 Steps to Mental Self-Improvement | A 'Cheat Code' to Understanding Your Mental Stability | Management Help for Teenagers With Anxiety That Shakes the Stigma | A Touching, Empowering Account of a Self-Acceptance Journey | Mental Management on Controlling Your Worries |
Price | £11.65 | £8.50 | £11.67 | £6.99 | £10.69 | £12.99 | £12.77 | £10.99 | £8.99 | £9.99 |
Focus | Depression, anxiety | Depression, anxiety | OCD | OCD | Depression | Depression, anxiety | Depression, anxiety | Anxiety | Anxiety | Anxiety |
Approach | Personal | Personal | Psychological | Psychological, personal | Personal | Psychological | Psychological, personal | Psychological | Personal | Psychological, personal |
Formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook | Hardcover, eBook, audiobook, CD | Paperback, eBook, digital download | Paperback, hardcover, eBook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook, CD | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
First Published | 2015 | 2019 | 2008 | 2015 | 2020 | 2018 | 2016 | 2020 | 2016 | 2016 |
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Our day-to-day mental health is directly affected by many areas of our lives, and if you're feeling inspired to further your understanding of yourself and others, keep reading. We have many more recommendations for some excellent titles which discuss everything from relationships to finding joy at work.
Remember that no matter who you're buying this book for; you or someone else, there is always a way out of mental health problems. At times when things feel so difficult that you can't see any chance of improvement, just hang in there.
Hopefully, one of these books reached out to you in some way and you're now on the right track to learning a little bit more about the human mind and how we can take control of the way that we feel.
Author: Annie Speight
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