Today I want to share my favorite books about mental health with you. These books have really helped me when I have gone through hard times.
Reading is one of the best things you can do for your mental health.
This is because of either increasing your knowledge about mental health and being more comfortable with the topic or finding someone you really relate to that makes you feel less alone.
These are the best books to read when depressed. And remember that you are not alone. You can chat with these therapists online for free at any time.
13 of the Best Books About Mental Health
I think that no matter what you’re currently going through, there’s a book for that. And everyone has their personal preference as to which books are best for them.
That’s why I put together this reading list based on the different levels you may be at.
Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, self-love, being more mindful, or just need simple reminders that you’re doing just fine, this booklist of the best books about mental health is for you.
Some of them teach you how to journal and meditate, others are fictional, but all of them provide inspiring and helpful ways you can start improving your mental health.
I will also update this list as time goes on, and feel free to let me know what other books you enjoy reading!
Radical Self Love by Gala Darling
If you are at a point where you don’t believe in yourself and aren’t sure what your purpose is, Radical Self Love walks you through this.
Gala Darling talks about her previous experience with an eating disorder and struggling to fully accept herself.
Now, she has written a book and travels all around the world teaching other women how to love themselves! She’s learned the best, most practical ways to focus on self-love so you can begin to live your best life.
Let it Out by Katie Dalebout
If you’re interested in learning how to journal your way to self-discovery, Let it Out by Katie Dalebout will teach you how to do that.
Discovering in her darkest hours that a journal is the greatest tool in finding your purpose, healing yourself, and creating the life you most desire, Katie has assembled the remarkable tools and insights that will elevate your life and get you “unstuck”—for good.
Rising Strong
I am definitely biased towards Brene Brown – especially Rising Strong – because it was what gave me hope during a moment of desperation in my life.
I felt alone and scared and didn’t think anyone knew what I was going through. This book does and it just validates all of the crap that’s going on in your head.
Brene Brown talks about getting into the arena and getting your ass kicked, and she’s right alongside you the whole time.
This is what one of the reviewers on Amazon had to say about it, which is 100% true about this book:
“Reading through Rising Strong gave me valuable techniques to draw on as I work through those experiences. It’s helped me work through some tough emotions and behavior patterns and provided me a way forward. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with some life-changing struggles, who needs some guidance on how to move forward, but also to anyone who wants to improve how they work through difficult situations.”
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Just Listen is a fictional book by author Sarah Dessen. It’s a coming-of-age story that talks about a lot of relatable topics, like eating disorders and dealing with perfection.
One of the readers on Amazon says, “It deals with issues most people wish to ignore as too intense or unpleasant and I learned a lot from it. I found this novel a surprisingly enjoyable and rewarding read”
Give this one a read the next time you want to dive into the fictional world with a relatable feel.
Anxiety & Phobia Workbook
This workbook is absolutely full of worksheets and chapters on overcoming anxiety.
I always recommend this to anyone who struggles with anxiety, because it goes over everything that causes anxiety.
It teaches you how to practically overcome it and how to identify your own triggers.
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook is one of the most popular workbooks in mental health and many therapists recommend this to their patients.
The Grass Is Green Enough
The Grass Is Green Enough is a guided journal that walks you through complete acceptance. How often do you think “If only I had this, I’d be happy”?
We as humans will always believe the grass is greener on the other side. But, no matter where you’re at in life you can learn to enjoy what you already have.
With inspiring quotes and affirmations, this guided journal walks you towards positivity and happiness in your own life.
Life Inside My Mind
Your favorite YA authors including Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, and more recount their own experiences with mental illness in Life Inside My Mind, a raw, real, and powerful collection of essays that explores everything from ADD to PTSD.
Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get out of bed? Not the occasional morning, but every day? Do you find yourself listening to a voice in your head that says “You’re not good enough,” “not good looking enough,” “not thin enough,” or “not smart enough”?
Have you ever found yourself unable to do homework or pay attention in class unless everything is “just so” on your desk? Everyone has had days like that, but what if you have them every day?
You’re not alone. Millions of people are going through similar things. However, issues around mental health still tend to be treated as something shrouded in shame or discussed in whispers.
It’s easier to have a broken bone–something tangible that can be “fixed”–than to have a mental illness, and easier to have a discussion about sex than it is to have one about mental health. Learn more about Life Inside My Mind here.
Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health
What you put into your body impacts your mental health.
From too much coffee or sugar to eating foods high in sodium. These can all contribute to feelings of anxiety and/or depression.
Learn how what you eat can improve your mood you can begin to feel better in your everyday life.
Adventures for Your Soul
This book teaches you how to break out of old habits that aren’t serving you anymore.
Drawing from her own transformational experiences, Shannon Kaiser’s program utilizes an empowering process that encourages you to go on adventures for your soul so you can:
• Achieve your goals
• Remove limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging patterns
• Feel freedom from fear and live with purpose and passion
• Be unapologetic about your innermost desires
• And make happiness your natural way of life
If you’re ready to stop letting fear hold you back and to change your life, Make it Happen is a great book to read.
Lara Casey talks all about how to live on purpose and awaken yourself.
Make It Happen is for
women who find themselves worried, anxious, and completely overwhelmed by the constant chase for perfection
those seeking the courage to jump into a new venture
working women who are struggling to “do it all”
weary wives and moms looking for relief from burning the candle at both ends
anyone who dreams of a life lived not by accident but on purpose
Meditations To Heal Your Life
Meditating does wonders for your mental health. And best-selling author, Louise Hay provides a meditation for any situation you are currently going through.
This book is so helpful when it comes to quieting the voices in your head and reducing anxiety.
Kate Allan is the author of You Can Do All Things. I found her through her popular Instagram page dedicated to animal drawings that provide words of encouragement to anyone struggling with mental health.
I recommend following her on Instagram and picking up her new book filled with affirmations and mindfulness techniques to help with anxiety & depression.
I LOVE this book because it’s light-hearted and is a good reminder to not feel ashamed of what you’re going through.
The Bell Jar
Last but definitely not least, the Bell Jar! I know this isn’t the happiest book for me to recommend, but I do think it is a great one.
The Bell Jar is a beautiful book written by the late Sylvia Plath, who herself struggled with mental illness.
This book gives you a real look into the perspective of someone truly dealing with mental health issues and provides dark humor to anyone who can relate.
I only recommend this book to those who aren’t deeply struggling with depression. Sometimes books like these can feed into your depression, making it worse.
So only read this one if you feel ready to, where your world around you is stable and you feel good about how things are going.
Read these books about mental health above if you are going through a difficult time, and save the Bell Jar for a lighter period in your life.
Guess what topped our self-care gift guide this year? Some pretty awesome, thoughtful gift ideas, that’s what!
Whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else, self-love is always a good starting point for anyone.
It’s 2019 going into 2020, and if you don’t emphasize self-love, you’re missing out on a lot of things. It’s the movement, it’s everywhere these days.
And if you personally know someone who deserves to be pampered, this is the perfect self-care gift guide for you to choose from.
Self-Care Gift Guide – The Most-Wanted Items Of 2020
Here, I have rounded up a list of amazing self-care gifts that will motivate you to treat yourself with love.
The best part about this is everything will be kept under $200!
1. Little Book of Mindfulness
If you know someone who loves reading books, give them this book as their self-care gift this year.
With 5-10 minutes of practice per day, you can be assured that whoever is receiving this book will be able to focus on letting go of their stressful thought.
Mindfulness is the new thing these days and finding hours to have that special me-time is very important.
This book is definitely one of the best in this self-care gift guide.
You can fill in the dates and you have fun prompts like “things I learned today” or “the moments that made me laugh today”.
Little things like that can really change your mood. Self-care is really one of the best things you can do for yourself.
5. Ceramic Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser
For people who have sensitive noses and those who love the art of aromatherapy, get them this minimalist-looking Vitruvi Stone Diffuser.
It comes in four different color options but my personal favorites are the ones in black and terracotta colors.
Each of these high-quality oil diffusers is carefully handcrafted with ceramic and can contain up to 90ml capacity.
You can set the setting to 3 hours of continuous usage or 7 hours of interval settings.
The choice is yours. What makes this one of the best gifts in this self-care gift guide is the fact that it’s a BPA-free plastic water reservoir.
6. Premium Subscription to a Self-Care App
Have you ever heard of the Shine app? I love the free version and it makes daily self-care so easy to focus on.
If you get the free version of the Shine app, you will get a motivational message on a weekday basis.
But if you want, you can get your loved one the annual premium subscription as their self-care gift this year.
Premium access includes challenges to help you overcome insomnia, productivity problems, burnout, and more. On top of that, you get access to more than 500 meditations!
7. A Subscription To FabFitFun
There is just something extra special about getting a giant box of surprise self-care items on your doorstep every season. That excitement is exactly what FabFitFun delivers.
Four times a year, they send a beautiful box packed to the brim with the best beauty, lifestyle, home, and tech items for women.
Everyone is loving The Business Boutique Goal Planner 2020: Your Personal Guide to Getting Results. I have it, I love it, and think it is the best planner ever created.
Yes, it has all the calendars, reminders, and scheduling space you could ever need, but it also offers so much more!
It actually includes a full year of goal-crushing tips and coaching. It’s a big book. packed with a ton of useful content.
There are many ways to reduce social anxiety. You do not have to ‘just get on with it.’ You can actually overcome it.
Social anxiety is a very common thing, and it’s definitely possible to overcome it. That means deciding to go out and do things that scare you, despite how anxious you’re feeling.
With the Holiday season of celebrations and social gatherings approaching, now is the best time to practice these 10 ways to reduce social anxiety.
Soon you will hit the scene with confidence, and dang it, you may really have a good time, too.
10 Ways To Reduce Social Anxiety
I know, learning how to overcome social anxiety is tough. Situations that involve large groups or public speaking can make it worse.
When you give in to the anxiety and avoid these situations, the anxiety continues to grow. Then you’re eventually left feeling trapped.
The fear becomes too much to handle, and staying home instead of going out into the real world sounds like the safest option.
You might still feel anxious at times, but knowing the right techniques to push through it will make you believe in yourself more. And sometimes seeking helpwhen you need it. This in return builds up your confidence.
Which gets stronger, and then you’re able to trust yourself more and your social anxiety lessens. I have a few tips on how to start overcoming your anxiety so you can feel confident again.
Your thoughts are powerful. They can and will convince you of anything if you let them.
Think you’re going to look stupid in front of the boy you like? That thought turns into fear, which turns into anxiety.
What you need to do is challenge that thought.
Okay, so you might look stupid in front of a boy you like. What’s the worst that can happen? Does that guy think you’re stupid?
First, if he’s that judgemental, he’s not worth your time. Second, the feeling of looking or acting stupid is all in your head.
Most people don’t notice the same things you do. We are our harshest critic.
You can easily beat yourself up for not saying the exact perfect thing. Give yourself a break, take a step back, and don’t let that thought take over. Practice thinking rationally.
The moment you allow your thoughts to control you, you’ll start to avoid the situations that trigger anxiety. Which means it will only continue to grow and get worse.
2. Talk to More People
You don’t have to go up to a complete stranger and force yourself to be super uncomfortable.
Instead, practice talking to your friends or family. Think about questions you can ask them, more about their life.
As you’re doing this, try not to think about you. Focus on other people.
It sounds weird, but usually, we get so wrapped up in our own thoughts, we forget how other people are doing around us.
And if you can ask other people questions, you’ll learn more about them and you might be able to relate to them more.
Anxiety can sometimes make you feel incredibly alone. And talking to other people doesn’t always seem like the right thing.
But, focusing your attention on others will create a stronger bond with you and other people. It will also give you a different perspective on what other people are dealing with.
Everyone has problems, fears, and insecurities. If you can learn more about other people close to you, you can start to see that you’re perfectly normal.
3. Practice Relaxation Methods
When you start to feel anxious, your heart begins to race and your breathing shortens. It’s partly why we go into panic mode.
Your body is so tensed up, you forget to breathe properly and you literally feel like you’re in danger. Yoga, meditation, and breathing are great ways to slow it all down.
Meditation isn’t for everyone, that’s why yoga might be a better solution because it allows you to fully focus on each movement.
Also, having a breathing regime to focus on when you have social anxiety can help calm you down.
The next time you feel anxious, take a step back.
Imagine a clock in your head coming to a stop. Everything around you is stopping for a second, allowing you to catch up.
Take deep, long breaths and focus on calming your body down. This will help you regain control over your reactions, and lessen your anxiety.
4. Set Achievable Goals
To overcome anxiety, it’s a good idea to set some realistic, S.M.A.R.T. goals.
Think about how your social anxiety is holding you back. Do you avoid doing something because it makes you too uncomfortable?
Are you sick of feeling scared of things that most people aren’t scared of? If you want to work on your anxiety, then write down some things you want to try that cause anxiety.
For me, I always wanted to go to the gym. But, thinking about trying to use the weight machines when I had no idea how scared me too much.
I didn’t want to look like an idiot. I was too worried about what other people would think of me.
Eventually, I forced myself to go and figure it out. It wasn’t easy, and at first, it was awkward. But, I looked around and saw that most people didn’t care what I was doing.
Once I realized this and kept going to the gym, my anxiety went away. Setting realistic goals for yourself and taking action can be a great way to overcome your social anxiety.
Anxiety doesn’t feel good a lot of the time, so finding any positives in it can be impossible.
But, it’s not all bad. Believing anxiety is only bad will make you feel worse for having it.
With anxiety comes a deeper understanding of yourself and other people. You’re more aware of things around you, like social cues, people’s emotions, and body language.
It’s almost like a superpower. Being hyper-aware is difficult because it’s easier to just not care.
But, you’re probably a really good friend that listens well and knows how to have a deeper, meaningful conversation.
Think about what good anxiety can bring and keep that in your mind. Anxiety doesn’t have to be so black & white.
6. Eliminate Safety Behaviors
Safety behaviors are what we use as a shield to protect us from anxiety.
Anxiety is unpleasant a lot of the time. It makes sense that you’d want to find something to make it a little easier to deal with.
But, safety behaviors are just a crutch that tricks you into thinking you’re “safe”.
And they only help for a small amount of time. They do nothing to get rid of the fears associated with anxiety.
And if you rely on a safety behavior to get you through anxious moments, you’ll never learn how to build the confidence to properly deal with anxiety on your own.
Some examples of safety behaviors are:
Avoiding a harmless situation that makes you anxious
Seeking constant reassurance from others that you’re doing ok
Using a substance (like alcohol or drugs) to make a situation bearable
Over-preparing for a situation so you can avoid anxiety from coming in
7. Stay Mindful
Always work on staying in the present moment.
Be aware of what is around you. Anxiety will take you to a completely different reality if you let it.
Practicing mindfulness is a great way to think about what is real, vs what is made up in your mind.
Try to take 10 minutes every day (preferably when you’re anxious) to take a step back, shut your eyes, and think about the now.
Perfection isn’t real. You can’t predict how every situation is going to go. Pleasing everyone isn’t possible.
Making mistakes in life is inevitable. And trying to avoid every mistake will make it so much harder to swallow when it does happen.
Perfectionism makes social anxiety worse because you’re always trying to be aware of everything.
Work on letting go of trying to be perfect.
This will allow you to accept yourself for who you are, flaws and all. It will take work to let go of those things, but it will allow you to relax more and enjoy your life more.
9. Don’t Let Your Fears Hold You Back
Once you let your fears stop you from doing things, you begin to make your anxiety stronger. I know how scary it is to do something when your fear is crippling.
Even if it’s something you really want to do, if you’re too scared to do it, you’ll come up with an excuse not to do it. Fear is like a bully.
Threatening something bad will happen to you if you don’t listen to it. Unless it really is a situation that is putting you in danger, the fear forming in your mind isn’t real.
When I finally decided to face my fears and go to the gym, my anxiety diminished. And that’s because when you’re in a fearful situation, at first it’s scary.
But, when you sit in it and look around long enough, your anxiety will fade. You get bored eventually, and are so used to being in that moment that it’s not scary anymore.
I’ve had moments where I just couldn’t deal with my anxious thoughts on my own.
Sometimes, you aren’t capable of handling it all by yourself. And that’s OK.
When you have no idea where to start, talking to a professional can help a lot. If you let someone guide you in the right direction, you’ll reduce your social anxiety faster.
It’s similar to taking a class to help teach you more about how to sew.
Therapy is about giving you the proper tools to know how to deal with anxiety. So that eventually, you will know what to do during those moments.
I know that it’s sometimes weird going in and talking to a therapist. That’s why I always recommend using BetterHelp.
BetterHelp matches you with a licensed therapist who has professional experience in teaching you how to get through social anxiety.
The cool part is you can connect with your therapist any time you need to.
If you have any questions throughout the week, you can just shoot them an email or a message, and they usually get back to you within a day or two.
When I used to go to in-person therapy, it was only once a week, which sucked when I really needed to talk to someone.
I would also sometimes forget what I needed to talk about, and end up remembering later and would have to wait another week to talk about it again.
BetterHelp is there for you when you really need it.
It takes practice, but these clever ways to reduce social anxiety really can help you become more calm and confident in social situations. And the more you practice it, the less anxious you will become.
Do you have more questions about overcoming social anxiety? Leave them in the comments below!
This amazing guide contains the history of the ancient practice of fermentation and the science behind it.
The Noma Guide to Fermentation is a simple foodie gift guide for a food nerd but with every chapter, you get to learn about fermentation and how it is used throughout the world. A very good gift for food lovers who appreciate food technique!
3. Coffee Decorating Stencils
Calling all coffee lovers in the back! This holiday gift is a must-have for someone who adores coffee life it’s the world’s best thing.
With 38 different professional art stencils, you get to create your own patterns anytime, anywhere. These coffee decorating stencils are easy to clean and food-approved.
Besides, what better food gift to give to a coffee lover than decorating stencils? They get to enjoy their drink, and at the same time learn how to draw in their cappuccinos or lattes.
4. The Moosewood Cookbook (1974)
What better way to learn and appreciate food recipes than learning what inspired older generations to cook seasonal, healthy, and simple food?
The Moosewood Cookbook will show you how to cook worldwide dishes such as Gado Gado, Indonesian Rice Salad, Zuccanoes, and many more. Get this cookbook for your food lover friend.
5. Classic Mortar & Pestle
This one makes it to our holiday foodie gift guide because we all know people who love guacamole and want to make it from scratch.
Besides, this Authentic Mexican Molcajete is not only for a Mexican-loving household. I’m pretty sure if you love cooking Asian food too, you will need one of these.
6. Homemade Apron
You can also give a homemade apron to your favorite foodie. They are unique, useful, and stylish. So, what’s not to love about a homemade apron?
You can find homemade aprons on Etsy or if you love creating something, you can attempt DIY-ing one for your favorite foodie.
7. Handmade Wooden Salad Server Set
Do you want your favorite foodie to serve salads in style? I included this wooden salad server set in my holiday foodie gift guide because I know how important and satisfying it is to eat salad using something handmade.
I love this handmade wooden salad server set because it’s environmentally friendly and made of Acacia wood. The true definition of eating green while “feeling green”!
8. Monthly Wine Club
What better way to celebrate a wine lover than giving them a monthly subscription to a wine club? California Wine Club made it to our foodie gift guide for the holiday season 2019 because I love what they offer.
They have a few different monthly wine subscriptions. I like their Signature Series wine club. It features 2, 3, or 4 bottles of highly-rated California wines each month.
Members get $1 ground shipping to most states on every case and half case wine reorder, plus VIP Touring and Tasting at any of the artisan wineries they feature.
==> Get an Extra Gift Month on Gift Purchases of 3 Months or More from 11/25-12/6 with this link
Easy Ways to Start Living Your Life to the Fullest. All too often we try to do the bare minimum just to get by in life. And if you struggle with anxiety, you know this feeling well.
You just want to make it through the day. Living in survival mode is not the best way to live the rest of your life.
Sometimes it’s necessary, but it shouldn’t be the only way you decide to live. When you’re dealing with anxiety, you don’t have to give up everything you enjoy to manage it.
I get that it’s easier to just succumb to the strong feelings and thoughts inside of you. The ones that make you believe you don’t deserve anything good, and that you’re destined to suffer the rest of your life.
Easy Ways to Start Living Your Life to the Fullest
A lot of people believe they have to conquer anxiety and depression, making it disappear forever before they can finally enjoy their life.
This way of thinking can lead to a lot of disappointment because if you are prone to feeling anxiety, you will feel it again.
It just means you’re more aware of what’s going on in your life. Life will knock you down more times than you can count.
Sometimes it will leave you feeling very tired and unwilling to move forward.
But, you can choose how your life turns out. You deserve to have the life you’re always thinking about. The one you want but are too afraid to go after.
Too many people ignore how they really feel in order to do what they have to do to survive.
They aren’t living a life they particularly like, but they take the safe route because it makes the most sense. And they don’t want to let other people down either.
This causes a lot of distress and unhappiness when you choose to ignore what it is that you truly want. When you always live in survival mode just trying to get by. There is sooo much more to life than that.
Think about these things when you’re feeling anxious as a reminder that there is a purpose to your life. And when you start filling it with meaningful things, you’ll start to thrive.
As you think of your own things that make your life fulfilling, tune in to the latest HerPaperRoute Podcast episode, which illustrates 30 easy things you can do, to live a more fulfilling life.
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Adventures for Your Soul
