A growing number of therapists are recommending something surprising for depressed and anxious patients: reading. They have even set up a clinical trial system for books. Mental-health professionals around the world will determine the books efficacy in a similar fashion to drug trials: Compare and contrast patients’ depression before and after reading the book, compared to patients who didn’t.
I happen to like Brits at their Best’s take on Bibliotherapy.
“There’s something to be said about reading a good book when we’re young. Dante and Dickens can help readers avoid the great mistake that Scrooge and all the inhabitants of Dante’s Hell made – loving the wrong thing.”
Children’s Literature as a Resource, also adds this,
“Bibliotherapy has been shown additionally to have positive effects on students’ problem-solving ability, prosocial behavior, values development, interpersonal relations, acceptance of people different from themselves, and reading achievement (Cornett & Cornett, 1980).”
But no, these are true self-help books, a $600 million market, and one of publishing’s hottest categories. The Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Resources in Mental Health, Revised Edition
- Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Revised and Updated
- How to Stop Worrying (Overcoming Common Problems)
- Overcoming Anger and Irritability (Overcoming)
- Managing Anger
- Overcoming Anxiety (Overcoming)
- Overcoming Depression: A Step-by-Step Approach to Gaining Control Over Depression
- Overcoming Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Overcoming)
- The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook
Self-Esteem
- 10 Days to Great Self-esteem
- Overcoming Low Self-esteem (Self-help)
- You’ll Get Over It
- Overcoming Traumatic Stress (Overcoming Series)
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I’ll have to read more to keep my sanity
I don’t suppose blog reading counts? Or maybe the stack of unread novels waiting impatiently on my shelf?
When I am down I enjoy a good book, sometimes from the Chicken Soup series. I also like to watch a good comedy to lift my spirits
I’m not sure that overcoming neurosis really makes you happy (?) Freud himself said that psychoanalysis transforms neurotic misery into ordinary unhappiness…
That being said, I have a recommendation (and it has a really, really embarrassing, corny title): Martha Beck, Finding Your Own North Star.
It got me out of a rut and writing….among other things. Beck writes for O Magazine; she’s sort of funny and wry…and finding your “north star”, ugh, really is about getting happy
Really? Hmmm…. I prefer harry Potter!
I made a list and plan on “checking” these reads out!
Thanks for sharing.
I have a list of artist blogs that I go to when I need a pick-me-up. Happy TT.
I liked the look of number 1.
Reading anything makes me happy.
Not a self-help fan here, sad to say. When I get down, I jump on my bike or go to the gym. I’ll save my reading for some fictional fun!
I’ll take a look at some of these. Very interesting!!
I have to say your number one is mine as well. That book changed the way I think about my thoughts–if that makes any sense. Great (and helpful) list.
I’m not a big fan of psychological self-help books, but I did like “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, and It’s All Small Stuff”.
Happy TT!
Interesting theory. Not sure I buy into it, though. But it makes a nice Thursday list!
My favourite “Get over it all ready and stop calling me at 2 in the morning with your moans about being dumped by that guy I and everyone you know told you was trouble but you wouldn’t listen so it’s all your own stupid fault” (well it was something like that) isn’t on your list. It doesn’t exist but it was the title of the self help book a character in a story I read once was writing.
I wonder how you could self-help your self out of post traumatic stress? That one seems a bit of a stretch!
Love self-help books though!
Lotsa great resources! Thanks!
My list is “13 Things I Learned on my Recent Trip to Canada.”
Happy Thursday!
I have some of those books, I think. Apparently just owning them isn’t enough. Hmmmmm….
My list “Thirteen More (Possibly Scandalous) Things You Might Not Know About Me” is up.
Some of those I definitely need to read… and it sounds like a similar one is on my must-read list at my TT! =)
Sounds like a good list of reads. Which is your favorite, I wonder.
I’ve honestly never read a self-help book, but reading a good book generally does make me feel better.
Thanks for visiting my TT!
Hi there! Thanks for visiting my TT
Here’s another for the list: “Shortcut Through Therapy.”
I read a novel to unwind from learning-stuff.
I have two TTs
http://www.ravensroads.com (13 experiences I’d never have had without a motorcycle)
http://www.markeroni.com/blog/
13 reasons to tell everyone about Markeroni