Raise your hand if you LOVE the world of self-help or as some like to call it, self-improvement! I know I do!
When it comes to anxiety, going to therapy is my top recommendation for overcoming and managing your worries and fears. It can be comforting to share your struggles with a caring and skilled therapist who understands and who can guide you through the maze of anxiety.
However, not everyone is able to go to therapy… This is where self-help comes in. Good self-help books are also very useful and can help you find ways to relieve and manage your anxiety.
Below are my top recommendations for anxiety self-help. Whether you are working with me or another therapist, these books can supplement the work you are doing in therapy. If you are working with a therapist, be sure to discuss the book you are reading with them. I’d recommend that you take your book with you to your sessions.
Or, if you are tackling your anxiety on your own, these books are full of evidence-based (a fancy phrase for “proven”) information and tools.
A word of caution…
In order to get the most out of your reading and actually see results in your life, it is important that you not only read the information and understand it, but that you do the exercises and apply the skills.
Just like in therapy, information and understanding is only going to take you so far in managing your anxiety, but consistent application of the tools and skills you learn will get you to the other side.
Remember, it takes time to learn, practice, and benefit from new skills. So be patient and keep your hopes high! You can do it!
My Top Recommendations for Anxiety Self-Help Books:
Thoughts and Feelings, Fourth Edition, Mckay, Davis, and Fanning
Panic Attacks Workbook, Carbonell
The Worry Trick, Carbonell
The Mindful & Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety, Forsyth and Ebert
The Mindful Way Through Anxiety, Orsillo and Roemer
Calming the Rush of Panic, Stahl and Millstone
Please note: I am NOT an affiliate of any kind and receive NO compensation should you purchase a book.