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Books let you travel in someone else’s world where you can experience their life through their words on the paper.
This is exactly what this post has brought to you, the most effective books on mental health that will change your perception about mental health and therapy. Each and every book is special in its own way.

“Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well.”

– Mark Haddon

Pick your favorite books and go on the journey of understanding yourself and your mental health in the best way possible!

1. A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled

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In A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, Ruby Wax tells us how stress in earlier times was not that of an issue, but now it is. And she explains how simple lifestyle changes can help people live peacefully.

The author’s writing style is outrageously witty and humorous, with an amazing introduction to mindfulness. It is a happy and healthy guide to living a stress-free life by a cognitive therapist. Her way of writing about life will make you fall in love with this book.

Author: Ruby Wax

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2. Happy: Finding joy in every day and letting go of perfect

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This book provides techniques and ideas to let go of your thoughts that are bothering you. It is a practical guide on how to help yourself when you are not feeling your best. This book is a simple yet effective book to lighten up your mood and help you daily in the form of exercise to do regularly, or you can read it once and be at peace with everything.

“Whether you dip into these pages now and then when you feel you need it, or use it daily as a positive exercise, I hope it brings you much relief, joy and calm. Amen to the pen.” – Fearne Cotton

Author: Fearne Cotton

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3. (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health

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(Don’t) Call Me Crazy, is an amazing anthology of thirty-three actors, athletes, writers, and artists offering essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore a wide range of topics:

Their personal experiences with mental illness,
How we do and don’t talk about mental health,
Help for a better understanding of how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.

This book helps to layout the importance of mental health and how it affects our daily life. It has essays from people of a different race, gender, sexual orientation, career, and age, to hopefully reduce the stigma around mental illness.

Author: Kelly Jensen 

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4. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

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Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is an amazing book on something which is not a usual scenario. The author, who is a therapist herself, finds out about how a patient feels when she winds up on a patient’s seat in another therapist’s clinic. She discovers some valuable insights as to how a patient feels when he/she visits a therapist.

This book is the author’s experience of looking at therapy through the eyes of a patient. She recollects and joins the dots of her experiences as a patient with those of the patients’ she treated earlier. An extraordinary book recommended, for both people seeking professional help and for therapists.

Author: Lori Gottlieb

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5. Furiously Happy

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Furiously Happy is a book by humorist Jenny Lawson. It is about the author’s journey through her mental illness and how she struggled with mental health issues in her life. She presents her experiences through a hysterical writing style which her readers would enjoy.

Also, this book could be perceived as offensive by some people because of some illustrations presented by the author. But, overall the book is amazing and deserves a read.

Author: Jenny Lawson 

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6. The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT

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This book will not give you tools to make happy thoughts, but it is a practical guide to identify your negative thoughts and slowly erasing them forever. It provides techniques which if used, can reflect significant improvement in your mental health.

Dr Harris is a brilliant and patient teacher. This book is very relevant for all the readers, no matter where you are in your mental health journey. You are expected to follow the exercises given in the book, and the best part is you can use this book any time when you face mental health struggle in your life.

Author: Russ Harris 

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7. How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body

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This book shows a profound connection between your mind and body. Therapists and revolutionary mental health experts all over the world have always convinced people not to separate your thoughts from your physical health.

Your body is as good as your thoughts, and this book provides a lucid picture of this prevalent theory. This book has the latest information and techniques to help people with health issues to visualize and effectively use their mind to facilitate recovery from injury and illness.

Author: David R. Hamilton 

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8. Changing Minds: The go-to Guide to Mental Health for You, Family and Friends

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A kind, engaging, easy to read, and informative book. Anyone who has experience with mental health issues themselves or people they know would find this book helpful.

This book covers a wide range of mental health disorders and their treatments. You can easily recommend this to your friends and family. It demystifies mental health issues and stigma. It has been written by keeping in mind different types of readers and their interests, hence a must read!

Author: Dr Mark Cross and Dr Catherine Hanrahan 

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9. How to Survive the End of the World (When it’s in Your Own Head): An Anxiety Survival Guide

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The times we are facing now are hard, especially for those who are a little more anxious about the future than everyone else. This book has a funny genre which some people may call dark humour. But, it comes with a motto that you’re not alone whatsoever!

The author helps you to examine the impact of anxiety, and give readers some tools to fight back – whether with therapy, CBT, or with his humour that has a therapeutic touch to it. Highly recommend reading this to those who are not doing very well with their mental health in these times.

Author: Aaron Gillies 

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10. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

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This is a one-of-a-kind self-help book which is not here to console you, but to let you know and analyse that why not paying attention to trivial things in life can improve your mental health and well-being.

You can read it even for its everyday motivation and lessons to live by. The author has a simple message to give through this book, that we are all here with a limited number of f* to give, and we should not waste them on worrying about petty things in life, rather focus on what deserves our attention and time.

Author: Mark Manson 

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11. Learn to Love Yourself Enough

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This in my opinion is an amazing book for the people who had a difficult childhood, and those who have grown up with emotionally unavailable parents. This book gives surprising insights as to how your difficult childhood can create problems in your relationships and life in general.

Through this book, you will find ways to treat your childhood issues, and how to not let them guide your present life. It is easy to read and concise. Highly recommended for the people who still find themselves trapped in the adversities of their childhood. You will not regret reading this!

Author: Andrew G. Marshall

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12. You can heal your life

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This is one of the best self-help books you can find in this genre. It is intense, and the reader would have to give both his/her time and effort in this book, but the result is going to be astonishing.

This book is a blend of mental health and spirituality genres. You will be given some amazing tips and tricks to live your life in the best way possible. This book is very engaging since the author herself shares her journey and the lessons she learned along the way about life, relationships, ambitions & spirituality.

Author: Louise Hay

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So, which one of the above books would you like to read next? Do let us know!

“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”

– Jhumpa Lahiri

We’ve recently published a complete series of blog posts on COVID-19 and Mental Health. Do check it out!

Stay Mentally Sober! Keep reading books!