Books about depression (A Review)
As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.
Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the…
In this blog, we will discuss some of the most recommended books about depression.
Best books about depression
The Mental Health Foundation states that “In 2013, depression was the second leading cause of years lived with a disability worldwide, behind lower back pain. In 26 countries, depression was the primary driver of disability”.
You are not alone and looking for help is the firsts step towards a better life.
This is certainly a matter of public health and if you consider you are already part of the statistics and you are seeking help then these recommendations might be of assistance.
Here we will discuss the top 10 best books about depression, but first, we have to mention that there are thousands of books about depression that promises to help you get rid of depression within the last page but remember, a book is just a book if the content is not important to you or is not powerful enough to help you make a radical change in your life.
Additionally, you need to find a nice comfy chair or your personal favorite spot (e.g. a cafe or a library) to get the most out of the experience of reading the book.
Also, if you are depressed the last thing you’d like to do is read a book but self-help books about depression can actually make you change your perspective by understanding what is going on.
Some mental health books will talk about the latest research on depression and will let you understand what is going on by having a biological approach about what happens to your body and your brain when you are depressed.
Other books will approach depression by casting some hope and letting you know that you are not alone, that there are a lot of people struggling with the same condition and even will let you enter their minds and the way they actually perceive and feel depression in their own skin.
The “best” book about depression depends actually on your how you’d like to approach this condition and how you want the author to talk about the subject, not all books are meant to have the same effect so you will probably have to follow the “trial and error” method.
Luckily, you will find that one book that can help you overcome your depression, fingers crossed.
Top 8 Amazon best sellers
So let’s dive right into it, shall we?. We have chosen the Amazon Best Sellers of books about depression and here is our top 8.
This book comes in two presentations, either a kindle version or an audiobook.
It is perfect if you’d like to listen to it while you are driving to work or coming from work or if you are at home laying on your couch or your bed.
The author’s voice is very relaxing and has a soothing effect so it will probably make you feel more receptive and open to it.
This award-winning psychologist, Jonathan Haidt, the author of “The Righteous Mind”.
He will help you go through ten great ideas divided into chapters, about knowledge of several of the world’s civilizations in the light of science and what we know so far from years of scientific research.
This book is full of philosophical wisdom that may enrich and have the power to transform our lives. You can get it here.
This book can be found as a kindle version an audiobook or a hardcover.
New York Times Bestseller, in Unshakable Hope, Max Lucado unravels 12 of the Bible’s most important promises and how they can help you overcome difficult circumstances by shifting the focus from the problems in front of you to finding your lost hope.
For every problem you are having in your life, God has given you a promise.
However, he acknowledges that hope is not easy to come by these days and problems can be overwhelming, from going through a difficult time because you lost your job or maybe you have been diagnosed with cancer, have an addiction or have a mental illness, our loving God has the answers to everything we are going through. You can get it here.
This is a No. 1 New York Times Bestseller.
In this book, Jenny Lawson examines her own experience with mental health and her battle with severe depression.
She explains how it has led her to live her life to the fullest:
“I’ve often thought that people with severe depression have developed such a well for experiencing extreme emotion that they might be able to experience extreme joy in a way that ‘normal people’ also might never understand. And that’s what Furiously Happy is all about.”
Even though mental illness is nothing to joke or laugh about, she talks about her experience using humor combined with a bit of tragedy to make it worthwhile.
You can get it here.
The eminent psychiatrist David D. Burns, M.D., states that anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self-esteem and other “black holes” of depression can be cured without using drugs.
In Feeling Good, Dr. Burns describes some of the most remarkable scientifically proven techniques that will lift your spirit and help you shift the way you look at life.
You can get it here.
If you consider yourself as part of the millions of people out there caught in the happiness trap then this book is for you.
The author, Russ Harris explains how most of us go through life trying to find happiness but we instead end up feeling miserable, feeling stressed, anxious or depressed.
This book contains insights and techniques from the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, considered a very effective psychotherapy treatment.
The techniques included in the book may help you reduce stress and worry, handle painful feelings and thoughts more effectively, overcome insecurity, among others.
Click here if you want to know more!
This book presents a radically new perspective and thinking about depression and anxiety.
Award-winning journalist Johann Hari, who is a depression sufferer, started taking antidepressant medication when he was a teenager.
He was told initially that his depression was caused by a chemical imbalance in his brain.
He decided to investigate if this was true and he learned that the perspective and information we had about anxiety and depression were wrong.
He found evidence that his depression was not due to a chemical imbalance, instead most of the problems derived from the way we currently live today.
Click here if you want to know more!
Stephen Guise, the author of the book, invites us to be “imperfectionists”.
If you can relate to aiming for the perfect workout, perfect dating pattern, perfect writing, avoid making mistakes at all costs or constantly think about you could have done or didn’t do at a certain moment of your life then this book can help you become your imperfect self, to learn more, live more and laugh more.
The author points out you can discover “the lesser-known, but most damaging form of perfectionism almost every person has a simple technique to have unshakable confidence, why perfectionism hurts performance, and the rare exception where it helps, detailed and customized solutions for these five subsets of perfectionism: need for approval, rumination, unrealistic expectations, concern over mistakes, and doubts about actions, and much more”.
Click here for more information!
Journalist Johann Hari has noticed how depression and anxiety kept increasing year after year in Great Britain and in the world.
He had battled with depression from a very young age and when he explained to the doctor how much pain was he feeling he received something for temporary relief.
However, he decided as an adult, to interview the leading experts about the causes of anxiety and depression, and what could possibly solve them, he soon learned there was scientific evidence for nine different causes of depression and anxiety and the knowledge gathered offers “real hope”. Click here if you would like to know more!
Why is the blog books about depression important?
Here we have discussed about 8 of the recommended books about depression by Amazon, due to their reviews.
If you are feeling depressed and would like to get some help, starting with a self-help book is a good idea.
However, if you feel your depression symptoms get worse no matter what you do then we advise seeking professional help.
Please feel free to comment in the comments section below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about books about depression
What is the best self-help book for anxiety?
According to psychologists, these are the best self-help books for people with anxiety:
– The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook.
– The Perfectionism Workbook.
– The Stress-Proof Brain.
– The Highly Sensitive Person.
– The Anxiety Toolkit.
– The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook.
– The Worry Trick.
– Full Catastrophe Living.
Is reading good for anxiety?
Some studies suggest that just taking 6 minutes to read during the day can help reduce your stress levels up to 60%.
Considering it better than listening to music or drinking tea.
Even though reading is not a cure for anxiety, it can actually help you to feel better and distract yourself from worrying thoughts.
How long should you read every day?
Some studies suggest it doesn’t matter if you read 30 minutes or two hours but getting the habit of reading every day can help you boost your energy, improve your IQ and emotional intelligence.
However, the time you invest reading depends on how much time you have available but try to establish a reading habit.
What gets rid of anxiety?
There are some tips that can help you get rid of anxiety, here we name a few:
– Exercise regularly
– Avoid drinking intoxicating drinks
– Avoid caffeine intake
– Eat healthily
– Improve your sleeping habits
– Meditate or do yoga
– Practice breathing exercises
How Do I Stop overthinking books?
7 Books To Help You Stop Overthinking & Live Your Best Life:
– “Unf*ck Your Brain” by Faith G. Harper.
– “The Worry Trick” by David A Carbonell.
– “Rewire: Change Your Brain” by Richard O’Connor.
– “Just Eat It” by Laura Thomas.
– “Reclaim Your Brain” by Joseph A. Annibali MD.
– “Clear Your Mind” by Steven Schuster.
– “Embrace The Chaos” by Bob Miglani.
References
Mark Mason: 5 BEST BOOKS FOR DEALING WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Healthline: 12 Books That Shine a Light on Depression
Enjoyed this article? Then Repin to your own inspiration board so others can too!
Overcome Depression and Find Joy in Life Again with BetterHelp
