Self Help Material

Percy · #1 9th March 2023, 16:55

What's your experience of self help material? Has it been helpful or is it a waste of time?

Personally i've found some self help material has been very helpful in changing my mindset, others have been a complete waste of time and money and have amounted to nothing more than pseudo science.

Are there any self help books material you'd particularly recommend?

Ronnie_Pickering · #2 9th March 2023, 17:28

Dare: by Barry McDonagh I thought was a good one.

Dougella · #3 9th March 2023, 17:34

The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris (based around ACT therapy)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happiness-T.../dp/184529825X

Percy · #4 9th March 2023, 17:49

I'll look into those

Percy · #5 10th March 2023, 19:37

I picked up an excellent book on social anxiety recently

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Redface-Lea...%2C115&sr=8-27

Percy · #6 12th March 2023, 19:51

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Confidence-...%2C266&sr=8-15

Has a section about over riding social anxiety

Percy · #7 13th March 2023, 16:15

Does no one else have an opinion on self help?

Percy · #8 13th March 2023, 16:50

Hi Nanuq

I've done a quick amazon search for blushing but there's nothing coming up. Perhaps a general social anxiety book will help.

Percy · #9 14th March 2023, 17:51

I had hoped to start an in depth discussion about self help but no one seems interested

Dougella · #10 14th March 2023, 18:10

^ Do you mean self help specifically geared towards SA or more self help in general?

Percy · #11 14th March 2023, 18:13

Both really, i just assumed that people here would have experience of self help material

Dougella · #12 20th March 2023, 15:34

Have you ever read "Diagonally Parked in a Parallel Universe"?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diagonally-.../dp/0967126509

That was the most recommended self help book about social anxiety that I remember hearing about when I first started looking into it.

Jen. · #13 20th March 2023, 15:59

I haven't read many, but I found this one pretty good: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073Y6W5YM Well, the first half is interesting and motivational, but then it just goes on and on about the same thing until it ends.

I don't think self help is much different than professional help anyway - that's basically just someone else attempting to teach you how to help yourself. It's probably why so many people do things like a short CBT course and leave it disappointed, because they approach it thinking they're going to be fixed by someone else, rather than it being all about them working on themselves.

Percy · #14 20th March 2023, 16:16

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Change-Your...6-2f427a1f01a9

This is quite a good no nonsense book

Percy · #15 20th March 2023, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dougella

Have you ever read "Diagonally Parked in a Parallel Universe"?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diagonally-.../dp/0967126509

That was the most recommended self help book about social anxiety that I remember hearing about when I first started looking into it.

I've just this second ordered it

Percy · #16 20th March 2023, 16:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen.

I haven't read many, but I found this one pretty good: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073Y6W5YM Well, the first half is interesting and motivational, but then it just goes on and on about the same thing until it ends.

I don't think self help is much different than professional help anyway - that's basically just someone else attempting to teach you how to help yourself. It's probably why so many people do things like a short CBT course and leave it disappointed, because they approach it thinking they're going to be fixed by someone else, rather than it being all about them working on themselves.

Thanks Jen, i'll look into that one.

You're right self help like professional help requires action and needs the participant to actually work on themselves rather than be fixed by someone else.

Dougella · #17 20th March 2023, 16:22

^^ Oh that was written by John Bird the founder of the Big Issue! He'd certainly know something about changing your life as he was homeless at one point and obviously was able to get out of that situation and go on to help a lot of others.

Percy · #18 20th March 2023, 16:27

I've recently ordered his biography

Pink*Lady · #19 23rd March 2023, 17:39

The Chimp Paradox is on my to read list. Has anyone read this? I'm also going to order the above books.

choirgirl · #20 23rd March 2023, 17:45

Yes it's good, it did help me w ith social anxiety.

Percy · #21 26th March 2023, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pink*Lady

The Chimp Paradox is on my to read list. Has anyone read this? I'm also going to order the above books.

I liked the Chimp Paradox, an interesting way of looking at how the brain works

Pink*Lady · #22 27th March 2023, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Percy

I liked the Chimp Paradox, an interesting way of looking at how the brain works

I'm looking forward to reading this.

Percy · #23 27th March 2023, 14:13

It'll be a good read i'm sure

Percy · #24 2nd April 2023, 18:05

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Introvert-S...s%2C371&sr=8-1

This is quite good

Percy · #25 10th April 2023, 22:37

Does anyone know of a good book for stress?

Aelwyn · #26 11th April 2023, 12:57

If you wanted to try the mindfulness approach, Jon Kabat-Zinn's https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wherever-Yo.../dp/0749925485 is very good . I haven't read any of his other books yet, but I find him quite impressive - practical and down to earth.

Percy · #27 11th April 2023, 15:14

Thank you Aelwyn, i'll look into that

Percy · #28 11th April 2023, 15:24

Any other stress book recommendations will be well received.

Laurel · #29 11th April 2023, 15:32

this is trending on Hotukdeals

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/how...dships-4118309

Don't know if any good

Aelwyn · #30 11th April 2023, 20:45

Further to my post above, this Kabat-Zinn book seems to be more specifically aimed at stress: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Full-Catast...ks%2C93&sr=1-3 I haven't read it but have heard it is good.