Best Self Help Books For Mental Health (2024 Updated)

This book was a life saver for me! I not only had anxiety problems I had migraine headaches. The relaxation and breathing techniques have made it so I rarely get the headaches anymore and if I do it’s so mild I can just relax and breath it away.

–This book is so easy to read and explains everything in such a simple way!! It can help every area of your life including low self esteem and just about any negative aspect of life including addictions.

–I believe in this book so much that I’ve bought several copies over the years to give to other people with problems: such as they’re afraid to go out of their house. –The main trick with this book is you have make yourself take the time to do and learn what it says.

It only takes a few minutes tho.

These are a very common disorders that are affecting the society at all levels. Most of the time misdiagnosed. Taken as a sign of a heart attack, drug effects or aggressive behavior. It is very easy to label people wrong We need to know the difference before to take action and make an incorrect decision.

There are different approaches and opinions about these disorders that can be managed with a minimum of medication, therapy ,understanding and knowledge. This is an(old) book used as a reference and comparison.

This book is wonderful and the fact that the author actually dealt with similar problems is great. Easy to read and helps out a lot. Many good examples! I would recommend this book to anyone with slight to severe panic/anxiety.

Best book I have ever read on this topic.

This book is more suitable as a text book or workbook alongside working with a professional. I thought it would provide more self-help reading but it was quite complex with lots of worksheets required to be filled in in the book.

It is large in size too so quite bulky to handle for easy reading. It seemed well written on the subject but did not suit my need, trying to learn something about ACT for myself as an amateur and my own self-development.

This book, if the exercises are actually completed, can be life altering with greater clarity. This requires commitment by the reader. I would suggest working with a professional to gain further insight but hands down, this book hits the top of the list for increased self-awareness.

Good practical psychological self help without unnecessary jargon. Recommended to me by a psych nurse, I’ve found it helpful in my journey to self mastery.

This book is reassuringly written with expert awareness of how normal stress and anxiety responses can subtly and quite easily shift into becoming chronic and unhealthy. The clear fact format is just what is needed to remind anyone prone to suffering from anxiety, that it can be easily managed with the necessary awareness and right approach.

This book deals with the process thoroughly, from the problematic thoughts and the mental, emotional and physical symptoms they produce, and then ways to challenge these thoughts to enable a different perspective and overcoming of unnecessary and unhelpful anxiety.

having chosen this book for my Daughter, I can not say if it has helped her yet ,I did have a look through it before I sent it to her, I think it will help because it explained why she was feeling the way she was and also gives you ideas on how to deal with those feelings and help manage them, I can only hope this works.

The service from Booktopia is great I will certainly be buying more books from you.

I bought this book for my Husband and the comments above are his and not mine. He has found the contents interesting and he is pleased that I purchased it.

Awesome book on how our thoughts come and go. You will be 10 times less fearful and relaxed. Just apply there simple advice and don’t fight things about life! We all have crazy thoughts that mean nothing and eventually your emotions become detached from negative thoughts and attitudes.

Am going to use the rest suggestions the rest of my life! I am bipolar, so has helped so much! Never make excuses for the cards we have all been dealt in life.

For many people, this book will be helpful. But it is too general and formulaic in its guidance about overcoming intrusive thoughts. It’s perspective is from the accepted main line treatment criteria that a general psychologist uses.

For me, it was not insightful enough to apply to my particular condition. For that reason, I cannot endorse this book.

I felt this book took way to long to get to the point of how to curb intrusive thoughts. Too much general information without getting to ways of helping oneself. Disappointed. Felt it was just another book and not better than others with similar subjects.

Have always had mild anxiety but the last 12 months it has been terrible and I have experienced horrible panic attacks also. Stumbled across this book and have found it to be very informative and helpful in understanding my anxiety and how amazing the brain is in helping to combat and create new pathways to keep my anxiety under control due to understanding the why and how.

The brain is an amazing thing. I have only just discovered this fact.

I would keep this book as a handbook to constantly refer to when needed. It is informative and shows practical actions to take to help yourself. I would however consider using the information to help work in conjunction with a therapist to better understand and reinforce the pathways outlined.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was the first novel I have ever read. I like the way the book was laid out and everything made complete sense to me. I guess if it was missing anything it would have been great to learn more about visual anxiety as I’ve suffered this too but it doesn’t seem to be talked about much but overall I loved it and will go over it again.

This book is just fantastic for anyone needing help with anxiety and depression (although I’m only looking for help with anxiety). It has really identifiable examples and really easy ways to help yourself.

Just amazing for me! Super quality book too. Absolutely high quality. Thank you.

A truly life-changing book for people suffering from mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Easy to read and understand. The book looks at real cases and describes what and how they were suffering and then what steps they were able to follow to improve their mental health.

The book was recommended to me by my psychiatrist and with a little help and guidance, I have been able to use this book practically to address the issues that I have been having problems with. There is also a reading guide to help with specific mental health problems, focussing on specific chapters in the book.

Downloadable charts and exercises are also really useful, so you don’t have to write in the book if you don’t want to. I am glad I bought this book and I can now continue to learn and refer to it as my mental health improves.

Mind Over Mood is a user friendly book/workbook to help people with depression, anxiety and OCD – or anyone who wants to improve their life. It is a very easy to read book, and the exercises are very easy but important to follow.

The book was written in such a way that keeps you involved and wanting to read further. Books like Mind Over Mood are hard to find because the language of a lot of books in this subject are sometimes difficult to follow.

I highly recommend Mind Over Mood because it really does make a positive difference in one’s life.

I think this is an absolutely fantastic book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is even potentially thinking they may have some issues with residual anxiety. It’s jam-packed with fresh insights, encouraging stories and a spirit of understanding and overcoming.

Well done! My only concern is that there are times when people really do need some medication to overcome serious organic anxiety issues, and we don’t in any way want to downplay the importance or needed help they may receive from such medicine.

I realize there are segments of the population reading this that may feel there is a lot of overmedicating going on, however, in recent years, I’ve personally run into many in the healthcare professions who are reluctant to offer any medical help for psychological issues, that may well end up being more easily resolved by starting medication first, and then concurrently joining into a therapy program.

But I LOVE this book and wouldn’t in any way want to deter anyone from purchasing it. It’s well worth the money and so much more beyond! I’ve personally found it very helpful. Bravo!.

I thought this was well written and a great support to handling anxiety. I loved the encouragement rather than quick words of stop being anxious or questioning a persons faith because they struggle with anxiety that is so often spoken in the christian community.

I three step by step suggestions found in the middle. My suggestion would be to consider other personality types. You went into it a little bit. In my family, my anxiety falls within the perameters mentioned in the book.

However, my sons anxiety does not seem to come from that same place. Their anxiety has a much different base. I would really like to understand them more or give them a book to help them understand themselves better and how to work with anxiety that stems from not being able to start or fear of failure.

Thank you for listening. Tina.

Everyone has some anxiety, but others have more. I have seen this happen to at least one in my family. Therefore I decided to purchase a copy for each household in the family for part of their Christmas gift.

I read the book first before gifting. I think that Dr John has hit the nail on the head. He says anxiety is basically a sign that something is bothering you. It could be something that someone did to you or something that you have done.

One thing he says is to write down what is bothering you. That may make make the problem easier to deal with. I think he is right. Another thing that came through to me was sort of confronting the problem.

Then if it can be resolved that is great, but if it can’t then you have tried your best and if that isn’t good enough you may now move on. I think that may be where my one special family member may have finally come to even without gift of Dr.

John’s book. I don’t know, maybe this member has already read Dr. John’s book, but if not it will reaffirm that this person has given their best effort.

This book really is for everyone! Regardless of if you worry or not. This book made me laugh in so many places as it captures the exact ridiculas thoughts and worries that have gone through my head. Highly reccommend!.

The book was great as far as reading. The book had lots of highlighting in it and pen underwriting in it. Price was better then most web sites but not worth 11.00 for a marked up book!

Well worth reading. Very accessible with useful info and tips

This book would be interesting if you were a psychology student or the like but for the general person looking for help it is hard going. Very wordy for the troubled a person looking for some help though.

I will be brave and say she needed to dumb this down some what. Much of the text is used for describing what can go wrong in our neurocycle, the science behind the method and it’s associated studies that prove the method.

Unfortunately the how to apply the method section is only a small section of the book and I didn’t find much helpful information there, although an app is mentioned. I follow Dr Leaf on Facebook and generally like her postings and find them helpful though.

Dr. Caroline a Christan author, brings out info from a scientific point of view that MANY people are unaware of! I would recommend this book and I believe this information will bring hope to your current situation, whatever it is!.

This book is really repetitive and not at all helpful for implementation of the 5-step technique. Examples would have been more helpful. Really disappointing.

People are different. The key to this book is that it presents many solutions and real life examples, one or two of which are bound to resonate with a person who worries too much. I bought this book 40 years ago when I worried too much about things that didn’t need to be worried about in the way I was worrying about them.

The book solved my problem. Since then when friends or family are being overwhelmed by worry I get them their own copy. It has helped every one of them, sometimes by reading only the section about living in day tight compartments.

One person I know went to see a counselor and got the same advice except had to pay a lot more money for it. To anyone who worries, read this book! And if you start to worry again, read the book again! It works.

Highly recommend! I bought it for a friend who really is a worrier, but ended up reading the whole book myself! While we already know many of the truths found in this book, the reminders and the stories are invaluable.

I really recommend it, even if you are NOT a worrier! There are so many little things that we all need to hear again. A very quick and worthwhile read!.

I purchased this book right before going through the hardest month in my life. I felt like this book was brought to me in preparation to what I was about to happen. Let me tell you that if you are going through hard times, and you need help prioritizing what’s important and what’s not in your life, then this book will open your eyes and make you laugh at some of the things you’ve been so worried about.

The amount of examples mentioned by the author really enforce the message and are a great way to see how people found ways out.

I am half way through this book and I found it such an easy read. The way the author writes this book is so down to earth and the fact he has had his own mental health issues makes it even better as he knows what other people face each day and their struggles in life.

Nick tells his own story so well but the books main focus is on what he has found helpful to him and what he recommends to others going through mental health issues. The book also features advice from professionals in the menthal health field.

I cannot reccommend this book enough for anyone going through their own personal mental health issues or to anyone with an interest in this area. The book also recomends what should be done in society to highlight the issues people face and how these struggles should be talked about at school age level.

This book is a great first hand account of how to look after your own mental health with simple easy to follow steps along the way. I particularly like the little ‘how to guides’ throughout. The author’s personal reflections help make the content easily digestible and applicable to your own.

A great read for those looking to excercise their mind as well as the rest of their body!.

Nick strikes a great balance between personal stories, lessons learnt from his own experience and advice from mental health professionals in Move Your Mind. I found this made the book really entertaining as well as helpful, making this more than just a self-help book.

I really liked Nick’s practical approach to tackling mental health issues and would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in improving themselves or looking for good ways to manage stress, anxiety and depression.

I bought this book because Dr. Phil promoted it, and was greatly disappointed. It contains a lot of good solutions for problematic situations but doesn’t go into the causes of these problems. The author suggests blaming our “Anti-Self”, as if there’s some enemy residing within each one of us, and not disowned parts that need to be brought to light and integrated into our personalities.

He uses a lot of 12-Step “wisdom” that is very damaging to people who’ve been seeking solace in substances because of traumatic life experiences, shaming and blaming them for their “character defects”.

I speak from personal experience. AA success rate is between 5 and 10%, which is a failure, not success, and their teachings hadn’t changed in 84 years despite of all the progress in medical science, so it’s surprising to me that Dr.

Phil promotes coaching style that is based on splitting and discarding parts of ourselves. I’m sure that Mike Bayer helps a lot of people, but I’m also sure this help is temporary, and they’ll be back for more, which makes for profitable business.

A great insight of our inner thoughts and how they affect us and hold us back. Practical and visual instructions to help us to become better ‘us’. Mike Bayer’s step-by-step instructions may look simple at first glance, but when we take the time to apply it and put it into practice, becomes a powerful tool to be better and more successful in every aspect of our lives.

Thank you Mike B!.

Fantastic book to read to start 2019 – Coach Mike Bayer wrote a book that helps you rethink your life and how you can make positive changes so you can be your BEST SELF !!! As I read the book and completed the exercises in the book, I felt like Coach Mike was coaching me all the way.

He is such an amazing life coach because he brings it down to basics. No matter what obstacle are in your way – weight issues, relationships, job, family. this book will guide to understand what barriers you are putting up that block you from being your BEST SELF.

I have told family, friends, and co-workers to add this book to their reading lists- ITS A MUST!!!!!!.

Kay Jamison’s autobiographical account of living with bi-polar disorder, has given me greater understanding of what people go through when they live with this illness. I have more empathy for their suffering.

This is a book which should be read by all students undertaking studies in Education, Criminology, Social Work, Psychology, counselling, Medical Practitioners, Human Resources. It is easily read by anyone who may be needing some insight, into how their family member or friend may be suffering from this illness Kay Jamison was a pioneer and has helped change negative perceptions about mental illness.

I live with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and am constantly seeking out memoirs and first-hand experiences of people who live (or lived) with mental illness. This was not romantic or fetishized.

It was simply honest and raw and, at times, heartbreaking. But never sentimental, woe-is-me, etc. Just. I really needed this,and I am glad to have found it.

Very well written. The issue I had with it is that the book seemed more like a sales pitch for Lithium. I’ve been on Lithium, nearly killed me, I’d say it’s one of the most dangerous drugs I’ve been on with more serious side effects.

Her life is interesting, it is worth the read, if you look over the cheerleading for Lithium. A real memoir on Bipolar disorder to read is Manic by Terri Cheney, that one I’d recommend. Unsure if I’d recommend this one, all I can say it’s interesting, wouldn’t ever read it again though.

This is an amazing book that fully explains, in ways non-medical people can understand, the workings of the brain. How the brain is like any other part of your body that might overwork in some parts to compensate for areas that aren’t working as well as they should.

Thus, leading to some emotional difficulties. Mental health isn’t psychosis. Mental health is nothing different than allergies. Parts of the brain overreact. Parts of the brain don’t react enough. Sometimes we need meds to help everything balance out.

just like our bodies overreacting to pollen or certain food. Taking meds or supplements to help the brain balance out is sometimes a necessity. And it’s ok.

Understand your brain with this book. Dr. Amen offers SPECT scans which can see what areas of your brain are active or not and then he gives advice on how to make your brain healthy. Some suggestions could be as simple as more sleep, exercise, better diet.

Others could include more sexual activity, collecting notes of happy moments from your life or using pharmaceuticals or vitamin supplements to improve your brain health. I think that this is cutting edge stuff and I highly recommend it.

I want to get a SPECT scan.

This book should be required reading for all humans! It is like an owners manual for the brain. Dr. Amen is clearly and profoundly optimistic in going after information that leads us to believe anything is understandable.

if you read the right maps. He is compassionate, no nonsense, and clearly fascinated by the human mind and the myriad possiblities of NORMAL. Not a page is wasted. I felt supercharged by the clarity of information I had never been exposed to before.

This is a great step in realizing that Mental Illness is mostly a problem with Physical Damage to the Brain and that you can reverse it with Lifestyle changes that will repair the Damage. A simple bump to the head can result in a major problem 6 months later.

Dr. Amen explains what you can do to repair the Damage done! Amen Clinic’s are now in many States and the Scan of your Brain are now very common. Consider it if you have or know some one who has. This book is full of knowledge that needs to become available and practiced more broadly.

If you want to understand mental illness, this the best book I have read on the subject. The book contains vital information on mental health using the latest technology, brain SPECT scans. It challenges the outdated medical health system diagnoses we have here in Australia.

This book has thought provoking information which explains why we behave the way we do, linking back to prehistoric times. It is clear and concise and also very comprehendable to read as sometimes I struggle to understand books that have really long intellectual words every sentence.

This is a book that everyone can learn a lot about how and why our mind states are the way they are.

This book is a must for everyone. Even if you are living the dream this book will enable you to empower others. I haven’t read all of it yet so I shouldn’t be reviewing now, but I’m very confident about how powerful the effect this book is going to have on me.

I found this book extremely helpful, puts a lot of your thinking into perspective. This book definitely makes you way more compassionate about yourself and others. I’d recommend to anyone.

Well, I suppose I have depression, but not as a result of blaming myself for everything – so it’s a pleasant relief to find a book about depression that doesn’t automatically adopt that approach. I haven’t been through the whole thing yet, but an initial look suggests that it is intelligently written and potentially quite helpful.

Excellent book for those just starting out on their journey to those who have ‘been there and done it. but need to find a better way’. As a practitioner in Holistic Health I have found this book an excellent resource and on a personal level I’ve found it has yet again helped me through difficulties in life.

A really great read that sets out tasks and information step by step. I absolutely love this book.

This workbook is a practical set of approaches/exercises to exploring and deepening your mindfulness experience and practice. As a chronic pain sufferer mindfulness (and this workbook) helps me manage and accept my situation.

The workbook can be used almost casually or as part of a longer, potentially supervised, program of exploration & learning.

Three words to describe Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About would be hopeful, practical, and effectively written. I added this book to my cart during my third or fourth round of depression.

Medication as a treatment for mental illness is stigmatized in Christian culture. Searching for approval for why I was trying *another* antidepressant and feeling guilty, I bought Ryan’s book. Sadly, it fell victim to my mountainous “To Be Read” pile, and I didn’t read it until now.

Ryan Casey Waller tells the story of his struggle with addiction, depression, and anxiety which God used to spur Ryan into becoming a therapist. He begins the book by telling his own story of preaching while he was drunk one Sunday.

Amidst slurred words, he denied being intoxicated to those who confronted him later that day. It was at that point he entered a rehabilitation program. Honestly, there is no section I didn’t enjoy! I think I appreciated the practical nature of the second half most, from explaining the differences between counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists to how to approach talk therapy.

Ryan makes a case for using medication to treat mental illness in the most simplistic terms. I wish I would have had a guide like this before walking down my mental health roads, walking with my husband through his, and giving advice to friends or other family members.

This book is, by far, the most accessible book I have read on this topic. Ryan welcomes everyone to sit with him, to hear his own story if the reader cannot relate. Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About will sit on my shelf for recommendations if you need anything referencing mental health; this is your baseline.

Ryan Casey Waller’s book is available to purchase now! “What the church needs to do at this moment is get more comfortable declaring this truth in the face of the crippling realities of mental illness.

” Three words to describe Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About would be hopeful, practical, and effectively written. I added this book to my cart during my third or fourth round of depression.

Medication as a treatment for mental illness is stigmatized in Christian culture. Searching for approval for why I was trying *another* antidepressant and feeling guilty, I bought Ryan’s book. Sadly, it fell victim to my mountainous “To Be Read” pile, and I didn’t read it until now.

Ryan Casey Waller tells the story of his struggle with addiction, depression, and anxiety which God used to spur Ryan into becoming a therapist. He begins the book by telling his own story of preaching while he was drunk one Sunday.

Amidst slurred words, he denied being intoxicated to those who confronted him later that day. It was at that point he entered a rehabilitation program. Honestly, there is no section I didn’t enjoy! I think I appreciated the practical nature of the second half most, from explaining the differences between counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists to how to approach talk therapy.

Ryan makes a case for using medication to treat mental illness in the most simplistic terms. I wish I would have had a guide like this before walking down my mental health roads, walking with my husband through his, and giving advice to friends or other family members.

This book is, by far, the most accessible book I have read on this topic. Ryan welcomes everyone to sit with him, to hear his own story if the reader cannot relate. Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About will sit on my shelf for recommendations if you need anything referencing mental health; this is your baseline.

Ryan Casey Waller’s book is available to purchase now! “What the church needs to do at this moment is get more comfortable declaring this truth in the face of the crippling realities of mental illness.

”.

This book shredded my heart. Our family has been trying to walk on eggshells around a severely depressed and recently suicidal, MUCH LOVED sibling for many years. I feel much more aware of her hideous struggle after this honest and hard-hitting discussion.

I will engage differently, pray better and be quick to say it is not her choice, she can’t “just get over it”. Thanks for featuring it!! Cyndi Keller, Phoenix, AZ.

Very helpful, even in the midst of the worst of times. The sentences are full–read slowly and allow them to sink in. The author has a wealth of knowledge from his education in law, ministry, therapy, and as a co-sufferer.

His perspective is particularly helpful for people of faith.

Dr. Daniel Amen has a series of books and methods he promotes for health. I am not lauding him as a savior by any means. Regardless, this is the only one I decided to buy because of the valuable information regarding memory loss and RESTORATION.

His nutritional supplement and food recommendations were something I did 5 years ago and my overall health has improved, I am 68 yrs old. This book came out in 2017–but some of his advice came from previous PBS campaigns whose notes I would copy in longhand.

Thanks for making this book available.

Dr. Amen has done an excellent job of compiling data on the brain and memory. Much of it was too technical for me, but I did understand it. What’s useful are the natural remedies and methods he prescribes for preserving your memory.

Since I have a mother who has dementia and I had a serious concussion from a bike accident, along with being over 60, I am in the risk category.

Covers the subject clearly. Glad to see the Doc says good things about sauerkraut and warns about sugar and artificial sweeteners. Helpful reading for anyone who is concerned about his/her own memory or what to expect as a loved one ages.