Anxiety is one of the most pervasive mental health issues in the world. It can affect anyone, no matter their age or background. The physical symptoms of anxiety are well known, but what about its other effects?
Anxiety can impact your relationships, your productivity, and even your enjoyment of life. That's why it's so important to be aware of the ways you can help with anxiety.
Reading is one way to do this. Books open up worlds that we would otherwise never get to experience! But reading about anxiety is not just for fun; there are some books that can actually help you understand and manage your anxiety better. We've compiled a list of our favorite books on anxiety and hope that they'll help make your journey a little easier!
While it may seem like medication or therapy is the only way to treat anxiety, books can also be an important part of coping with the condition. By providing insight into causes and ways to manage various aspects of anxiety, books can help you see your situation in a new light and take control over your life.
- “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook” by Edmund J. Bourne
This book is a classic in the field of psychology and has been used effectively to help people cope with anxiety for decades. It offers step-by-step techniques for overcoming anxiety, including relaxation techniques, breathing exercises and challenging thoughts that feed anxiety. It's a comprehensive book that takes you through every aspect of anxiety and helps you understand why you feel the way you do. If you're looking for a resource to help you really dig in to your anxiety and make a change, this is one of the most helpful books out there.
- “Anxiety: Panicking about Panic” by Reid Wilson
This book is written by an expert in the field of anxiety treatment, so it's backed by years of research and practice in methods that are proven to help people overcome their fears. The book focuses on panic attacks specifically, which many people say also helps people with generalized anxiety as well. The author's approach is a bit different from other books as he argues that avoidance actually fuels anxiety, so he focuses on teaching people how they can confront their fears instead of avoiding them.
- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The book begins with a brief preface that introduces the book as Tolle’s experience as a young man, who went through an episode of depression and suicidal thoughts. He then describes how he experienced a sudden awakening, which led him to write this book.
The central premise of this book is that we live in the past or the future, but not in the present moment. However, only the present moment exists. Past and future are illusions that don’t truly exist. These illusions are the main cause for suffering. Thus, Tolle suggests that learning to live in the present moment is essential for overcoming suffering and pain.
He also argues that people only suffer because they have identified themselves with their thoughts and emotions. If you are not your thoughts and emotions, then who or what are you? You are pure consciousness.
- The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
The Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions. It acknowledges that at times, it can feel impossible to gain control over the voice in our head. This book offers a solution: the development of higher consciousness and awareness of your inner dialogue. Through this awareness, you can become “untethered” from negative thought patterns.
- The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed To Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown
In the book, Brown seeks to dispel the myth that vulnerability is weakness. She believes vulnerability is a sign of courage. With this book, she hopes to help readers embrace their imperfections and live wholeheartedly. As a researcher, Brown uses her expertise in social work to back up her ideas with science.
- The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams by Deepak Chopra
I found this book a few years ago, and it's the one that got me into reading as a form of relaxation. I've read it twice now, and have it open on my Kindle every time I travel. It's a short book, but it's packed full of wisdom about how to find peace. I think the reason I like it so much is because it doesn't just tell you what to do to feel better, but also gives you practical advice on how to do those things. It has become the standard bearer for me when I'm looking for new books on wellness, because if they don't measure up to this one, they're usually not worth my time.
- You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay
Louise Hay is a bestselling author and leading self-help guru. Her book, You Can Heal Your Life, offers a number of practical steps you can take to change your thinking patterns.
One of the first things she recommends is using affirmations to change your perceptions about problems in your life. These positive statements can provide you with more confidence and help you reframe your views on life events.
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I've read this book and I can recommend it to anyone who is trying to deal with anxiety. Every time I have read this book I have found something new in it that I didn't see before.
The story is about a shepherd boy named Santiago who has a recurring dream about finding treasure at the pyramids in Egypt. He decides to sell all of his sheep and he goes on a journey to find this treasure.
On his journey, he meets many people who teach him wisdom, like an Alchemist. The Alchemist teaches him that we need to follow our dreams and our hearts and be true to ourselves. This is an important lesson for people who are dealing with anxiety because I believe that when we are true to ourselves, when we are living the life we want to live, then anxiety will not be as much of a problem for us.
This book also reminds us of how important our dreams are and how we should never give up on them. Santiago meets many people in the book who try to get him to give up on his dream but he never does and he ends up finding his treasure in the end because he believed in himself and he followed his heart.
- Worry Less, Live More: The mindful way to let go of anxiety and create more joy by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D
Worry Less, Live More is a guide to mindfulness written by two psychologists who use this technique in their own practices as well as with patients. The book offers mindfulness-based strategies for coping with anxiety and worry; it also includes practices and meditations that you can begin incorporating into your life right away.
- Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven C. Hayes
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life takes a similar approach to You Can Heal Your Life, but also offers some additional strategies for dealing with anxiety. The book focuses on mindfulness as a way to deal with negative thoughts, which can help you feel calmer and more centered day-to-day.
Hayes also emphasizes acceptance when it comes to anxiety, so that you don't get overwhelmed while working through it. By accepting how you feel, you'll be able to identify ways to work through it instead of repressing the problem or trying to minimize it in any way.
If you're looking to start reading more, there are plenty of reasons why reading is a good idea — increased vocabulary, better concentration and more. It can also help with making you feel less anxious, as long as you pick the right book. So that's what we did. We went through hundreds of books on Amazon and found the best reads for someone who wants to read to feel less anxious. Here is our list.
