The Antidote: Happiness For People Who Cant Stand Positive Thinking
Price: $$
This is a self-help book for people who hate self-help books. Not everyone is wired to respond to the promise of positivity.
The Antidote takes a more existential approach. This book explores how embracing some negative feelings and experiences as a part of life can actually be uplifting.
Many people find that some aspects of life like money, romance, and family dont fulfill them completely. While this certainly doesnt apply to everyone, this book is written specifically for people whose happiness might revolve around other things.
Control Your Depression By Peter Lewinsohn
Not everyone experiences depression the same way.
If you need a personalized plan to help you get better, this is the book for you. This book helps you identify specific pain points and provide a personalized program unique to your depression:
- Do you have problems dealing with others?
- Are you unhappy at work?
- Do you have issues with your relationship?
- Is negative thoughts bringing you down?
From there, you can then decide if you need additional help from a therapist or medication.
Sometimes, we may feel discouraged with our lack of progress in depression. Thats why this book is great because it helps you gauge your progress.
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It Didnt Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are And How To End The Cycle
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The highly reviewed book has shared therapy tactics and scientific research that therapists within the industry have applied with their own clients. Alexanndra Kreps, MD, was one professional who contributed a blurb on the informative work where she writes, I found myself immediately able to apply Mark Wolynns techniques with my patients and saw incredible results, in a shorter time than with traditional psychotherapeutic techniques.
When approaching trauma, it is best to consult a mental health professional before diving into work that could be triggering. One Amazon reviewer cautioned, I would say you have to be ready to face these things and it is most definitely not a light read.
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The Emotional Gift By Yong Kang Chan
What if depression is a spiritual gift and not suffering?
This is a memoir about my experience with spiritual depression . Even though it is a memoir and not a self-help book per se, this book does help you to gain insights and change your perception towards depression. If you are someone who prefers to learn through reading about other peoples experiences, this is the book for you.
Most people confuse depression with being sad or negative. If you are unsure of your own emotions, reading this will help you gain a better understanding of your own emotions during this difficult period. It helps to put what you are feeling and going through in words.
This isnt a psychology book, so dont expect to find any psychological jargon in this book. As someone who experienced depression, I know its hard to absorb any information that is too technical when we are feeling depressed. So this book is deliberately written in a simple manner.
The Hilarious World Of Depression
Depression is most certainly nothing to laugh at.
However, sharing his own lifelong fight with depression, radio personality John Moe cleverly uses the power of humour to deliver profound truths on mental well-being. He evokes laughter as a means to shine a light on not mitigate our fight against our darkest thoughts. Its an unusual approach but it works!
John dives deep into many of depressions universal themes. This includes the loss of personal identity, self-medicating, the painful impact on loved ones, and much more. I especially loved how John relates many of these issues to his own struggles, as well as how his brothers untimely death deeply affected him.
In short, The Hilarious World of Depression is an honest, inspiring, and dare I say it funny dialogue on depression thatll get you looking at life in new ways.
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Lost Connections: Why Youre Depressed And How To Find Hope By Johann Hari
After suffering from depression for many years, Johann Hari was determined to learn more about mental illness and traveled around the world interviewing experts in the field. Lost Connections analyzes the causes of depression, describes symptoms and provides solutions that will leave readers feeling enlightened and empowered. Check out Lost Connections here.
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Getting To Good: A Guided Journal
Getting to Good: A Guided Journal by Elena Welsh, Ph.D. promises to bring happiness and positivity into your day, and is a great option for people who want to take an active role in their battle against depression but have grown tired of strict CBT workbooks. This option strikes a comfortable balance by encouraging the person journaling to gain some power and control over their symptoms by writing about their experiences and hopes for the future.
Journaling is a great way to explore symptoms and confront the feelings of depression, but sometimes people find the experience too daunting or monotonous.
To encourage movement towards feeling and functioning better, Welsh, a licensed clinical psychologist uses:
- Writing prompts, exercises, and reflections directed towards optimism and happiness
- Techniques and interventions derived from an eclectic mix of proven therapies like mindfulness, motivational interviewing, positive psychology, and CBT
- Strategies that promote thoughts and behaviors that focus on finding gratitude, finding the kindness and good in self and others, and appreciating the beauty in the world
Each page offers the reader something new, which helps deter boredom and journaling fatigue. Even people who have resisted journaling in the past could find something positive here.
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The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide To Personal Freedom
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When it comes to self-help, The Four Agreements may quickly come to mind. Shamanic teacher and healer Don Miguel Ruiz writes about self-limiting beliefs and a practical code of conduct learned from his Toltec ancestors. Before you write off The Four Agreements for sounding too woo-woo for your liking, know theres a reason for its decade-long hold on the New York Times bestseller list.
The four agreements are simple: be impeccable with your word, dont take anything personally, dont make assumptions, and always do your best. The book teaches that if we have an awareness of four principles, we can improve our lives drastically, explains Timmons, who recommends books to her clients. While the lessons sound simple, Ruizs work shines through his powerful storytelling.
Ruizs simple principles have been touted by inspirational gurus like Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra. Aside from a star-studded list of fans, licensed mental health professionals like Timmons find that The Four Agreements can provide insight into how we are shaped to be a certain way.
You Are Not Alone: Words Of Experience And Hope For The Journey Through Depression By Julia Thorne
Depression can feel very isolating. And when youre going through it, its common to feel alone. But the truth is many people are facing the same struggles.
You Are Not Alone contains conversations with people battling depression who open up about their fears, worries, and also their ability to rise above their low moods. With each story, readers will see there are many people suffering with the same issues and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Check out You Are Not Alone here.
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John Teasdale J Mark Williams Zindel Segal And John Kabat
The Mindful Way Workbook can be read with or without also reading The Mindful Way Through Depression by the same authors. The exercises in this workbook are all based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, a strategy for overcoming depression that has been proven effective in a number of clinical trials worldwide. The carefully constructed workbook is meant to be completed in eight weeks, and promises to help overcome depression, anxiety, and stress.
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck
While the previous selections offer a tranquil warmth and polite professionalism in their quest to defeat depression, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck utilizes a bolder, take-no-prisoners approach. Drawing from a successful blog, author Mark Manson presents a way to feel better without a focus on staying positive and looking on the bright side all of the time.
This book is based on the concept that life is a struggle that is tough to endure, and people should focus on becoming stronger and more resilient, rather than hoping for their situations to improve. If the reader can learn to handle defeat, face their fears, and accept their limitations, they can achieve the happiness they truly seek.
As the title suggests, this counterintuitive approach to living a good life is profane, rude, and vulgar, in the best ways possible. Manson trades flowery speech found in other texts for clear directives and humor at unforeseen turns.
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Maybe You Should Talk To Someone By Lori Gottlieb
Weve all heard the saying, never judge someone until youve walked a mile in their shoes.This candid memoir reveals Lori Gottliebs experiences as both a psychotherapist and patient, so she examines depression from all angles.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone dives into her own internal conflict and her patients experiences, which result in the exploration of some thought-provoking questions surrounding love, guilt, courage, hope and more. Check out Maybe You Should Talk to Someone here.
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Alcohol Tobacco And Other Drugs
Misusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can have both immediate and long-term health effects.
The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSAs 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
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This Is Depression By Dr Diane Mcintosh
Using an evidence-based approach, psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh describes depression symptoms and takeaway tips to live a healthier, happier life. This book explores what contributes to depression genes, life experiences, etc. how it affects your life, and various treatment options available. Check out This is Depression here.
Attached: The New Science Of Adult Attachment And How It Can Help You Findand Keeplove
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Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Findand KeepLove explores the idea of attachment theory, a concept first introduced by British psychologist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby. While attachment theory has long dissected the impact that our early relationships with parents or caregivers have on who we become, the theory can be applied to our closest life relationships. Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Amir Levine and psychologist Rachel Heller teamed up in Attached to provide a modern understanding of attachment theory and how it can help us find love.
Attached is a sigh of relief for anyone who struggles with anxiety and navigating conflict, says Danielle Friedman, LMHC, Free Space Counseling. She finds that the book serves a deeper purpose by teaching the reader that emotions are deeply rooted in ones upbringing.
According to attachment theory, there are three common ways people behave in relationships depending on whether they are anxious, avoidant, or secure. By helping readers determine their own attachment style, the book helps readers navigate their relationships and understand themselves.
gives them answers and reasons for why they emote and respond the way they do to others, especially those they care for deeply, says Friedman. This book takes the reader on a step by step journey towards understanding how we relate to one another, while updating the way we see ourselves, she continues.
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% Happier By Dan Harris
After having a panic attack on national television, journalist Dan Harris realized it was time to self-reflect. To understand the source of his stress, he spoke with numerous self-help gurus, brain scientists and health experts. Harris discovered the problem was the voice in his head the nonstop mental chatter was the source of his stress.
During his wellness journey, he came across an effective tool to quiet his inner voice: meditation. Harris used meditation to rewire his brain and in this book, he shares the lessons hes learned and takeaway tips for readers to apply meditation in their own lives. Check out 10% Happier here.
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy By David Burns
Focuses on: Anxiety and DepressionType: Exercises/Action
Godwins Law famously states that the longer any internet discussion continues, the probability of someone being compared to Hitler approaches 100%. Well, in my experience, the longer an internet discussion about depression, anxiety, or any other mental health problem goes on, the probability that Feeling Good gets recommended to them also approaches 100%. I see this book mentioned everywhere.
Thats because if you were going to write a comprehensive, This is what three months with a CBT therapist would be like, book, full of enough exercises to fill a small notebook, youd have Feeling Good. Burns has done a fantastic job of essentially writing the closest replacement to a real therapist. As a result, pretty much any time I come across someone who needs a therapist but cant get one for some reason, this book is the insta-recommendation.
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Choosing The Best Depression Books
These books have plenty of information on depression. They help readers understand the mental illness they or their loved ones are coping with. There are self-help exercises, tips, advice, and more in these books. There are journals, and places for those affected by depression to express their feelings. These books are in no way a solution or cure for depression, but they can help. It is dependent on the reader to find the book for them, and tune in to their own needs. These are only few of many books on depression that are sure to help.
Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel By Changing The Way You Think By Dennis Greenberger Phd And Christine A Padesky Phd
Dont be fooled by your low mood! You are more than your negative emotions.
Through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, this book helps readers calm their mind and become more confident. Depression tends to have a negative ripple effect on all areas of life: relationships, career, physical health and so on. Dennis Greenberger and Christine A. Padesky outline how to set goals, become more mindful, and practice self-acceptance. Check out Mind Over Mood here.
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The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself From Chronic Unhappiness
Price: $$$
Mindfulness is a Buddhist philosophy that began about 2,600 years ago. Psychologists believe real mental health benefits can come from breathing and being in the moment.
J. Mark G. Williams, DPhil, John D. Teasdale, PhD, Zindel V. Segal, PhD, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, are the authors of The Mindful Way Through Depression. In it, they emphasize how trying to simply snap out of depression can lead to more negative feelings. They also explore other methods of defeating those negative feelings.
Mindfulness comes with so many benefits, including stress reduction, anxiety control, and improved emotional health. This book does a great job of explaining how mindfulness works to combat a negative thought process and how you can use it to help with depression.
The 20 Best Mental Health Books To Read In 2022
Start your mindfulness journey with a good read.
Ever perused the self-help section at the bookstore or Amazon and found it to be a tad…overwhelming? Youre not alone. Even if you don’t have an official mental health diagnosis, theres likely something you know you could stand to work on, and there are so many good books out there that can help you get a handle on certain aspects of mental wellness.
The Covid-19 pandemic only heightened some of these feelings for a lot of people, leading many to pursue mental health care for the first time now that they had the ability to do so remotely. Whether or not youve found that helpful resource yet, weve curated a list of some of the best mental health books that may prove to be additionally helpful on your journey. These books include everything from scientific analyses, stories of peoples real-life experiences and memoirs, covering topics like anxiety, depression and even racial injustice.
Trauma comes in all forms, from near-death experiences to unexpected loss. In this book, author Dr. Bessel van der Kolk examines recent scientific findings and uses human stories to demonstrate how trauma impacts both the mind and the body.
If you feel trapped inside your mind amongst intrusive thoughts and other symptoms of anxiety, this book can provide the guidance you need to mitigate them and break the cycle of fear and panic.
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The Highly Sensitive Person: How To Thrive When The World Overwhelms You
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Author Elaine Aron, PhD, identifies as a highly sensitive person and has been researching sensitivity for 20 years. She authored The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You and its subsequent counterparts, The Highly Sensitive Person in Love and The Highly Sensitive Child. While HSP sounds like buzzy therapy speak or an outlier in mental health, Aron says 15 to 20 percent of the population are highly sensitive.
HSPs can feel overwhelmed by their physical surroundings like bright lights, crowded spaces, blaring sounds, and strong smells. They may avoid violent films out of a fear of feeling too much, feel flustered by a busy schedule, and find themselves drained after too much socialization.
While HSPs are often overstimulated, it isnt all bad. Aron finds that they notice the minute details that add beauty and color to life. She feels sensitive people have the unusual ability to sense subtleties, avoid errors, and concentrate deeply. Aron uses case studies, self-tests, and exercises to help readers cope with their overarousal and overcome social discomfort. Rejoice in your sensitivity by using The Highly Sensitive Person to understand yourself and how this special trait impacts your personal life, love, and career.