The Role of Self-Help Books in Mental Health Improvement
- whereemotionsflow
- Apr 21
- 2 min read
Ffion Collins
What is a Self-Help Book:
● Non-fiction books that aim to provide readers with advice, strategies, and tools ● Meant to improve their lives and achieve personal or professional goals ● These books cover a wide range of topics, including:
○ Personal development and growth
○ Relationship skills
○ Career advancement
○ Financial planning
○ Mindset and motivation
○ Overcoming challenges
How To Actually Benefit From Them:
● Actively apply the lessons learned
● Make sure to set realistic goals
○ Don't expect overnight transformations
○ Focus on gradual, sustainable changes
○ Example: Don’t aim to go from 3 hours sleep to 8 hours in a week. Make smaller goals such as going to 4-5 hours of sleep.
● Regularly assess your progress and see how the changes you've made are impacting your life
● Explore different self-help books and authors to gain a broader understanding of various topics and approaches to personal development
What Issues Can They Help WIth:
● drug addiction
● self-confidence issues
● Laziness
● lack of motivation
● Several other things that revolve around taking positive action
Pros of Self-Help Books:
● These books often help to provide insight you may not have thought of/heard before ● They teach different methods of improvement
● You hear the point of view of someone you relate to
● Lessons apply to various situations
● Self-improvement is a good use of time
Cons of Self-Help Books:
● Self help books often aren’t personal enough for readers
○ The advice/information may be too broad
● Some people may not have time to read a book
● People who write self-help books are not always qualified
How Can They Help Your Mental Health:
● They increase your awareness of yourself and your mental health ● They teach coping tools
● They increase the normalisation and contribute to the destigmatisation of mental health issues
● They can give you a larger sense of control (knowledge = power) ● They can motivate you towards growth
1. Huff, C. (2025, April 15). 10 different types of Self-Help books. BookBaby Blog. https://blog.bookbaby.com/how-to-write/writing-inspiration/10-self-help-book-genres 2. Parsons, L. (2017, February 9). The top ten reasons to read a Self-Help Book. Life More Extraordinary: Academic Coaching.
3. Lapshin, K. (2022, May 30). The 14 Ultimate Pros and Cons of Self-Help Books | Irony of Life. Irony of Life — Konstantin Lapshin’s Personal Development Blog. https://ironyoflife.com/pros-and-cons-of-self-help-books/
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