Books That Will Help You Manage Your Anxiety

Can reading actually help you manage depression and anxiety?

We often find ourselves trapped in the cage of our own thoughts, Everyday fighting a battle Procrastinating rather than living in the present.Our thoughts have more Impact on our mental health than we can imagine. Studies show that consuming content that is relevant can actually calm you. Here are some book recommendations that can help

The Stress-Proof Brain Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness : By Melanie Greenberg

The author of this instructive book claims that in addition to adding new neurons, our brains are also capable of growing the regions that affect how we experience stressful situations. Additionally, according to Dr. Amsellem, the strategies detailed in the book are “easy to digest and put into action.

“The combination of neuroscience, mindfulness, and useful practices is popular with readers. According to one reader, “a scientific explanation of what is stress, what causes stress, and how it affects your body was explained in layman’s terms.” Some were motivated to use the strategies because they were aware of how the brain reacts to stress. 

SELF-COMPASSION: THE PROVEN POWER OF BEING KIND TO YOURSELF : BY KRISTIN NEFF

Not an original idea. People have been hampering self-esteem for a couple decades now. But Neff is the first psychologist to conceptualize an alternative metric for self-esteem. People with high social self-esteem are able to accept their insecurities flaws and move forward cherishing them 

This isn’t exactly a novel concept. Self-esteem has been criticized for a few decades now. However, Neff is the first psychologist to propose a different self-esteem measurement. 

People who have self-compassion can handle setbacks, are able to forget their mistakes, are able to accept their flaws and insecurities, and persevere despite them.

Pay no attention to how corny this title is. When someone tells you to “hey, don’t be so hard on yourself,” self-compassion provides the solution and the how-to. In this book, Neff makes the case for self-compassion as a more accurate indicator of psychological health and outlines the research that led to this conclusion. How can we develop compassion for ourselves? How can we forgive ourselves when we mess up and fall short of our own expectations?

Never Good Enough: How to Use Perfectionism to Your Advantage Without Letting it Ruin Your Life: By Monica Basco

Also read : How Plant Based Diet Can Improve Your Life? Scientifically Proven Benefits.

This book is a great favorite of Dr. Hendrickson’s. This is the finest book I’ve read on how to identify perfectionism and how to use it without allowing it spill over into attitudes and behaviors that can actually limit you, according to the author. “Perfectionism is the heart of social anxiety,” she claims.

One reader said that the book helped them work with who they are because “[it] does a good job of making perfectionism into a positive quality, at least some of the time.” “I feel like I don’t have to be as hard on myself as I have been,” another person said.

The Highly Sensitive Person: By Elaine Aron

The 1996 blockbuster that entered the bestseller category mostly due to word-of-mouth, according to Dr. Hendriksen, host of the award-winning podcast Savvy Psychologist, is still the go-to book for persons with extremely sensitive nervous systems. She claims that in addition to providing information, “Dr. Aron offers readers self-care, helpful tips, and a boatload of validation.”

The book gave many people a first-time feeling of being understood. “Never has an author reframed such a deep and intrinsic part of myself that I’ve often felt insecure about into what now feels like one of the most substantial pieces of my being,” one said. Another person remarked, “It helped me understand some of my experience, which has changed the way I see things and behave.”

Detox Your Thoughts, Quit Negative Self-Talk for Good and Discover the Life You’ve Always Wanted: By Andrea Bonior

This new book by licensed clinical psychologist Andrea Bonior, Ph.D. is highly recommended by Marni Amsellem, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist with expertise in helping clients manage their anxiety and depression. It provides useful, tested methods that can assist those who are prone to anxiety in changing their unfavorable thought patterns. 

It offers “great information in an enjoyable way without being overly technical,” one reader said. This book is not about combating negative thinking, according to another critic. It involves embracing it and then overcoming unfavorable ideas.

The Worry Trick, How Your Brain Tricks You Into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do about It: By David A Carbonell

The psychologist and author deserves praise from Dr. Lombardo for illuminating the inner workings of the anxious brain. “The first step to overcoming worry is having the explanation — presented in easy-to-understand language — as to why worry can happen,” she says. The reader can use the solutions provided by Dr. Carbonell to lessen anxiety and regain control of their lives.

This book saw anxiety as a normal brain function. It “Frees up lots of space to live and enjoy, rather than obsessively seeking perfect mind control—which cannot happen because of the design of the mind,” according to one reader.

The Anxiety Toolkit : Strategies for Fine-Tuning Your Mind and Moving Past Your Stuck Points By Alice Boyes

You might wish to read this book if you frequently overthink events and picture the worst case scenario. Don’t discount the author’s “basic” recommendations just because some of the tips seem obvious (consider meditation): There is a reason why so many people “prescribe” these instruments, according to clinical psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D. “Just because something doesn’t sound complex doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t powerful.”

What readers appreciate: “It’s professionally written but doesn’t drown the reader in mumbo-jumbo,” one reader said. Another person praised the language’s “gentle and uplifting” tone.

Mindfulness Workbook for Panic Attacks: Healing Strategies to Reduce Anxiety, Manage Panic and Live in the Moment: By Lauren Maher

Anyone who experiences panic attacks should read this just released book, according to Dr. Durvasula, especially young adults who have witnessed an increase in anxiety disorders since the onset of the pandemic. “I really appreciate Maher’s holistic approach to anxiety, her skill as a clinician, and her focus on not ‘judging’ your anxiety,” the patient says.

This book “does an excellent job of demystifying what can be a truly frightening experience,” as one reader put it. Additionally, it “addresses so much more than panic attacks,” said another.

Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live: By Emma Reed Turrell

People-pleasing is a common coping strategy for persons with social anxiety, and this just released book, authored by a self-described recovered people-pleaser, offers practical advice on how to look after yourself in addition to looking after others. “The author gives extremely relatable examples,” claims Dr. Hendriksen. It definitely spoke to me and my patients, too. People adored the idea that prioritizing your happiness actually makes you a better friend, parent, or lover in addition to making you happier. One reader said, “This has made me rethink how to express my opinions, ask for things, or, you know, just laying out my boundaries in a way that’s healthy, direct, and clear.”

When Panic Attacks: By David D. Burns

Chronic worriers often walk around with a nervous feeling in the pits of their stomachs because they’ve convinced themselves that their fears are manifesting. In reality, though, their fears are nothing but false narratives — and this author provides 40 techniques designed to make them disappear. “A year’s worth of shrink sessions are packed into each of his books,” Dr. Hendriksen adds. Lots of things to try, so you’re bound to find at least one that you find helpful. “He brings some humor to the table,” said another. Another pointed out that it was helpful to people with even a small amount of anxiety.

FEELING GOOD, THE NEW MOOD THERAPY : BY DAVID BURNS

 Godwin’s 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.

That’s 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, you’d 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 can’t get one for some reason, this book is the insta-recommendation.