Self-help Books | 21 books you must read to understand yourself

Life can be very challenging, and a good self-help book will not only help you find your way out of a crisis, but it will also teach you to become a more resilient person. There’s a reason why self-help books fly off the shelf in all bookstores. They are like a friend you can rely on; they hold your hand and support you during difficult times.

Note: Mental health is not to be taken lightly, and it is better to seek professional help or therapy. This article is only for the additional support you may need as good self-help books. It is not a solution in place of getting actual therapy or medical aid that is required.

Without further ado, let us delve into some of the best self-help books available in the book market!

What to do when misery and stress drop by

You know how you are told, ‘never overstay your welcome?’ Well, the same applies here.

Try and gain some insight on how to recognize signs of decline and begin to take baby steps towards facing your difficulties head-on.

Yes, people say it takes a village to raise a human, but sometimes, everyone in the village has their hands full. Asking for assistance can be daunting; that’s where self-help comes in. Be your caretaker and if you are unsure of how to begin, turn those pages and read!

Apart from that, podcasts give you direct access to the conversations between great thinkers. Then you’ve also got audiobooks and e-books, and there are quite a few paths that lead to tools of self-improvement. 

Visit a real wonderland: a bookstore!

Do yourself a favor, pick a day when your workload is light and pay a visit to a bookstore close to you. If your bank balance is low, then make a sharp turn and head for the local library instead; you know, those quiet public places that don’t charge you for sitting down and reading a book! 

To make this process a bit easier for you, mentioned here are a few different lists of self-help books authored by people who do recognize the power of a self-help book and put them together with specific needs in mind.

Self-help books for students

1. How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
2. The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
3. Think straight: Change your thoughts, change your life by Darius Foroux 
4. The attention revolution: Unlocking the power of the focused mind by B. Alan Wallace
5. The last lecture by Randy Pausch
6. Falling forward: Turning mistakes into stepping stones for success by John C. Maxwell
7. Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity by David Allen
8. Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the rich teach their kids about money that the poor and middle class do not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
9. Lean in: For graduates by Sheryl Sandberg
10. There is nothing wrong with you by Cheri Huber
11. Atomic Habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones by James Clear

The books mentioned in the list above focus on a variety of areas where self-improvement is possible. Each of those authors has spoken about instances in their lives, methods that they have employed and are tested. These may or may not have worked out for them, and thus, they have extracted the lessons from the experiences.

How will these books help?

If you’re looking for convincing reasons to read, then look no further. The top 10 self-help books for students or young adults that have been listed above will cater to your needs, as-

• The authors of these books come across as individuals who have lived their lives according to certain values that they believed.
• They seem to have clarity about all that they have learned in life.
• The authors are more than willing to share their findings. 
• They did it intending to have others benefit from the same.

Additionally, these authors simply empower their young readers to take charge and make alterations in how they live. Some areas they cover are-

• Communication techniques
• Overcoming obstacles
• Turning failures into stepping stones
• Taking baby steps with behavior modification
• Changing habits
• Learning how to focus on things that require attention
• Analyzing, reflecting, organizing, and getting rid of clutter
• Productivity and time management
• Job applications and salary negotiations
• Breaking unhelpful and harmful patterns 

Self-help books for depression

1. Understanding depression: What we know and what we can do about it by J. Raymond DePaulo
2.  What happened to you: Conversations of trauma, resilience, and healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
3. Bird brain: Comics about mental health starring Pigeons by Chuck Mullin
4.  Mind easing: The three-layered healing plan for anxiety and depression by Bick Wanck
5.  Everything begins with asking for help: an honest guide to depression and anxiety, from rock bottom to recovery by Kevin Braddock 
6. Perfectly hidden depression: How to break free from the perfectionism that makes your depression by Margaret Robinson Rutherford 
7. Feeling good: The new mood therapy by David D. Burns
8. Happy, okay? Poems about anxiety, depression, hope, and survival by M.J. Fievre
9. Shoot the damn dog: A memoir of depression by Sally Brampton 
10. This is depression: A comprehensive, compassionate guide for anyone who wants to understand depression by Diane McIntosh

There is a variety in terms of writing styles, which encompass humor, art, foul language (to get some release/relief), historical facts, medical facts, legitimate treatment methods, and the very real-life experiences that each author has had.

This makeup is for some deeply informative books for familiarising someone with depression. They are also helpful to those who have a loved one who deals with it.

Key takeaways

• For any individual who has made it this far, you’re doing amazing!
• These book suggestions are a great place to start, but they are not to be a substitute for therapy.
• Acknowledging that you need help is the first step. Actually, attempting to seek sources of aid is half the battle, so great job, you’re halfway there! What follows this depends on how willing you are to make changes.
• Admittedly, it isn’t always down to choice because many things are absolutely out of our control. The journey of even finding the right book for you and reading through it is a form of self-care.
• We must emphasize this again. These books are only here for additional support and are not meant as a substitute for therapy. Take your time and seek professional help when you are ready.

That’s all for now! If you have any more questions or suggestions, you can drop a comment below or reach out to us.

Liked this blog? Read: Books to read | Top 5 fiction books every college student must read!

FAQs

1. How many self-help book categories are there?

Answer- Five in all, they are step-by-step, progression, recovery, exercise, and component-based.

2. Will it help if I get self-help books to read?

Answer- It is always better to seek professional help from a practicing mental health expert. Self-help books also help us realize or understand things about ourselves that we may not have paid attention to before.

3. How to read a self-help book effectively?

Answer- Read it at a pace that you find comfortable, take time to understand and absorb the text and apply it to your own life in a way that doesn’t cause further anxiety. Remember to be patient and gentle with yourself.

4. What is considered the best self-help book?

Answer- How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is considered the best self-help book with over 700,000 ratings and averaging 4.21 stars. 

5. What should I read instead of self-help books?

Answer- In case you are not a fan of reading self-help books, then you can try reading classic novels. Research shows that classic books can boost brain power and improve your quality of life. But this is a personal choice, and you should read or listen to books that make you feel better.

6. Do successful people read self-help books?

Answer- Yes, around 85% of rich people read more books on education, career-related, or self-improvement books per month.