Self-care has become a sort of trend word.
Most self-care ways being advocated today are mostly self-care masquerading as capitalism. We are being pushed away from the easiest comfortable ways of self-care. We are constantly judged for what makes us happy.
But, we will tell you otherwise.
We will ask you to stop getting bothered by what the latest trends tell you to follow. We will advocate the age-old method – brew a good cup of coffee and find true self-care in the company of books.
A good book can help you put yourself back together when your mental framework feels like it is about to blow itself to pieces.
Books have the power to break through overwhelming loneliness without being intrusive. Books can provide an unwavering friendship when we may not have complete faith in ourselves or the people around us.
At its worst, anxiety can seem like a repetitive noise in the ears. A good book might help drown out this noise and replace it with something warmer.
Wondering which books to buy to get started on this journey of self-care?
To make your job easier, we have curated a list of the 12 best mental health books on Amazon. Let’s get started!
1. Detox Your Thoughts by Andrea Bonior, Ph.D.
Human minds are susceptible to stress, anxiety, and a myriad of other things that make us feel just all-around bad. Through this book, Bonior helps you navigate through your negative thoughts and build self-compassion. This witty and wise book is a definitive handbook for erasing self-doubt. It will also help you learn skills drawn from mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and commitment theory (ACT).
2. The Brain in Search of Itself by Benjamin Ehrlich
One of the best mental health books on Amazon, ”The Brain in Search,” is an in-depth biography of the man who is considered the father of modern neuroscience, Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
In this well-researched book, Ehrlich beautifully illuminates Cajal’s life as the man who first discovered the existence of brain cells that we now know as neurons. Through colorful and engaging anecdotes, Ehrlich manages to dive deeper into the personality of Cajal as a human, husband, and father. Give this book a try to know more about the memorable contribution of Cajal in the fields of art and science.
3. The Body Keeps the Score by Bassel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
One of the best mental health books on Amazon, ”The Body Keeps the Score,” deals with navigating through traumatic stress. With scientific backing, Dr. Bassel shows how trauma affects the brain and nervous system. He also talks at length about the life-long struggle children and adults endure while fighting trauma.
This book is bound to relate to someone who has gone through trauma. Despite not being an easy read, we can promise that this mental health book will offer you hope to grow irrespective of your past experiences.
4. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
This book by Brene Brown is all about dealing with imperfections in life. It will help you accept yourself along with your flaws and quit the continuous struggle of changing yourself to reach a perfect version. Along with sharing the story of her struggles, Dr. Brown outlines the ten steps to let go of the anxiety of being perfect. If you are searching for something to provide you with a new perspective, this mental health book on Amazon might be a great choice.
5. Feeling Great by David Burns
How are you feeling today? Down? Depressed? Anxious?
This is how Feeling Great by David Burns starts – with a self-check of your mood.
Through the course of the book, David takes on a journey of improving depression and anxiety through the adequate use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
A psychiatrist, Dr. David, shares his version of CBT called Team-CBT that might help break through the roadblocks of therapy. The book is made engaging and personalized with the real-life examples of David’sDavid’s patients.
6. An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, by Kay Redfield Jamison
”An Unquiet Mind” dives deep into the complexities of Bipolar disorder. Jamison, one of the world’s first experts in the field, pulls up her own experiences of living with bipolarity. This brings forward an all-round view of the mental illness. Written back in the 90s, when such admissions meant huge personal and professional repercussions, this book serves as proof of the courage displayed by Jamison.
Ultimately this book is more than just a memoir of moods. It is an illuminating piece written to make people aware of a highly misunderstood condition. It is also an inspirational story for people living with bipolar disorder.
7. When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön
Sometimes in our lives, when things fall apart, and nothing makes sense, we want to run away and hide from our problems. However, Pema Chödrön- a Buddhist teacher – teaches us to do exactly the opposite through this book. She takes on the ever-existing question of ”how to go on and answers it beautifully. This relatable and humorous mental health book offers meditation techniques, and personal experiences to help you familiarize yourself with life’s uncertainties.
8. Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life, by Yiyun Li
Collected over the years when Li was hospitalized for depression and suicidal tendencies, ”Dear Friend” is an unusual memoir. This book is not just about reading, it’s about thinking. It is about hope and the importance of friendships. In a long and challenging battle with suicide, Li emerges victorious with the help of her passion for her craft. This book is a classic light at the end of the tunnel story that is bound to motivate you through your hard times.
9. Learned Hopefulness by Dan Tomasulo, Ph.D.
In the difficult and tumultuous times that we live in, hope is a rarity. However, it is something that we can cultivate with time and intention. This mental health book is grounded in positive psychology. It aims to help you develop resilience and motivation. Try this one to stop ruminating on negative thoughts and hopelessness.
10. Make Your Bed by Ret. Admiral William H. McRaven
This short but all things beautiful and hopeful mental health book on Amazon is an outline of the lessons Admiral William learned in his illustrious career. He focuses on the power of little things. Using his personal stories, William teaches us several things – moving past failures, the importance of teamwork, and the need to stand up to bullies. If you want a refreshingly different self-help book, this is just the right one for you.
11. Because We are Bad by Lily Bailey review
This mental health book is a vivid journey into the mind of someone having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Lily wrote this book five years after she made it out of a psychiatric facility where she was admitted for OCD. Her humor and observation make this book an engaging read.
The modern representation shows OCD as something cool or almost charming. However, Lily will help you realize why it is a devastating medical condition. For people going through OCD, this book might be a solace and a ”you are not alone” phrase of hope. For the rest of us, it will provide a deep account of how much people having OCD have to suffer to make it through one day.
12. Lost Connections by Johann Hari
Award-winning journalist Johann Hari’s mental health book ”Lost Connections” is one of the most important reads of our times. Having spent his life dealing with depression and antidepressants, Hari was inspired to examine the exact cause of loneliness and depression.
In this book, he explores different reasons for depression – lost connection with friends and family, lost connections with hope, etc. The strength of the book is its meticulous research and fact-based approach. This book might inspire you to put more effort into your connections rather than on the worldly things we generally focus on.
Conclusion
Reading gives us a newer perspective of compassion while looking at ourselves and others. We hope this list of the best mental health books on Amazon will help inspire you to buy and start reading one immediately.
Let us know in the comment section what your favorite mental health book is?
Not big on reading books for self-care? To know about more easy and effective self-care ideas, click here.
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