The Year’s Best Books For Your Mental Health
Posted on: December 3, 2021
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From Healthline to Psychology Today, publications that delve into the wonder and mystery of the human mind are as numerous as they are insightful. Count in an array of YouTube videos from renowned psychologists and the resources we have to research every aspect of human relationships are truly astounding. But wait — I haven’t mentioned full-length books that take up shelf after shelf in bookstores and libraries. The selection is not only impressive, but can be overwhelming.
That’s why a recent article in Men’s Health is so helpful. The 20 Best Mental Health Books to Read in 2021 is a collection of best sellers as well as valuable books that have flown under the radar. It’s also a list that is particularly timely, given the emotional scenarios people have faced over the last two years. “The Covid-19 pandemic only heightened some of these feelings for a lot of people,” writes Emilia Benton by way of introduction to the list, “leading many to pursue mental health care for the first time now that they had the ability to do so remotely. Whether or not you’ve found that helpful resource yet, we’ve curated a list of some of the best mental health books that may prove to be additionally helpful on your journey. These books include everything from scientific analyses, stories of people’s real-life experiences and memoirs, covering topics like anxiety, depression and even racial injustice.”
Of course self-help is no substitute for professional counseling if you have a mental health problem, but many books can help you determine if you should reach out for professional help. With that in mind, peruse the following list and see if any titles sound intriguing to you. Or find short summaries of each book in the Men’s Health article.
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
- Hope and Help for Your Nerves: End Anxiety Now
- Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions
- Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt, Failure, and Other Everyday Hurts
- It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle
- Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – and Keep – Love
- The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- This Is Depression: A Comprehensive, Compassionate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Understand Depression
- We’ve Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health
- The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple: 10 Strategies For Managing Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Panic, And Worry
- Be Calm: Proven Techniques to Stop Anxiety Now
- How to Change Your Mind
- Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity
- Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present (Mental and Emotional Abundance)
- Heavy: An American Memoir
- If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?
- Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World
- Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking
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Disclaimer: The screening tests and videos that are linked on this web site are not designed to provide diagnoses for the various clinical issues. They are intended solely for the purpose of identifying the symptoms of the issues and to help you make a more informed decision about seeking help. An accurate diagnosis for these clinical issues and other psychiatric disorders can only be made by a physician or qualified mental health professional after a complete evaluation. If you have scores that indicate that you meet criteria for these issues or think that you may be at risk, please contact a mental health professional or your physician.