Managing anxiety and stress can be a daunting task, especially for those who do not have the skills or knowledge to understand where these emotional states are manifesting from.
Anxiety and stress can interfere with a person’s mental health and well-being. Fortunately, education about new techniques to help combat stress and anxiety can help.
You are reading: Self help books for stress and anxiety
This article will provide several resources that explain the origins of stress and anxiety, as well as coping strategies from various therapeutic areas. By providing a wide range of coping strategies, we hope that everyone who reads this article can find a technique that works for them.
Before we continue, we thought you might like to download our three stress & burnout prevention exercises (pdf) free. these science-based exercises will give you and your clients tools to better manage stress and find a healthier balance in your life.
7 psychology books on anxiety
Although the terms stress and anxiety are often used interchangeably, they are responses that occur in different situations. stress occurs in response to external events (eg, an upcoming presentation at work, a change in family dynamics, or job loss) that are difficult to cope with (Canadian Mental Health Association, no date).
A person who is stressed usually knows why they are stressed and understands where changes in mood, emotions, and physical health come from.
In contrast, anxiety focuses on fear and anticipation of things that may threaten us in the future, which can be connected to stress (Canadian Mental Health Association, undated).
Often, these fears are motivated by stressful events that people have been exposed to in the past. For example, an individual may have social anxiety about meeting in large groups because they were teased as a child or had trouble connecting with other people.
These books can provide strategies and techniques on how to relieve stress and how anxiety manifests itself, as well as the biological origins surrounding both emotional states.
1. keep calm: proven techniques to stop anxiety now – jill weber
This book is an excellent resource for people experiencing symptoms related to anxiety.
categorizes the symptoms someone might experience due to anxiety (eg, worry, avoidance behavior, or panic). readers can use the index to find the specific problem they are experiencing and get specific tools to help alleviate their symptoms.
The book also provides journaling prompts with a “Drill Down” section that encourages readers to think in more detail about what may be causing their anxiety.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
2. don’t feed the monkey mind: how to stop the cycle of anxiety, fear and worry – jennifer shannon
Some of the coping strategies we use to relieve anxiety-related symptoms can actually make it worse.
shannon compares the human brain to our primate ancestors, comparing anxiety symptoms to the fight or flight response that has been present as a survival mechanism.
By categorizing three common assumptions most anxious people share (intolerance of uncertainty, perfectionism, and over-responsibility), Shannon provides cognitive-behavioral strategies that can help challenge these assumptions that cause anxious behaviors.
>
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
3. how to be yourself: silence your inner critic and overcome social anxiety – ellen hendriksen
This book focuses on helping people experiencing social anxiety issues.
hendriksen provides readers with an introduction to the different manifestations of social anxiety with case studies of people who experience various forms of anxiety in social situations.
In contrast to other psychological approaches to social anxiety, hendriksen emphasizes that people who suffer from social anxiety already have the tools to combat it.
Combating social anxiety involves shutting down your inner critic to feel more comfortable in difficult situations.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
4. anxiety relaxation: new science shows how to break cycles of worry and fear to heal the mind – judson brewer
This book focuses on the importance of identifying the science of how anxious habits are formed in our brains.
By combining the science behind anxiety with these clinical approaches, readers can understand how these techniques can alleviate their anxiety.
The book is divided into sections; One of the most relevant, Anxiety Goes Viral, describes the rising rate of anxiety-related diagnoses across the population.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
5. taking control of anxiety: small steps to make the best of worry, stress and fear – bret a. more
See Also: Maisie Dobbs – Book Series In Order
This is an excellent guide for people who need practical advice to help deal with anxiety-related symptoms.
The book provides an introduction for people dealing with anxiety, a brief explanation of how anxiety manifests itself, descriptions of different therapeutic methodologies, and easy and feasible ways to help integrate them.
The book’s final chapter is unique in that it offers a year’s worth of quotes and advice to help people manage their anxiety, no matter where they are in the process.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
6. the anxiety toolkit: strategies to sharpen your mind and get past your sticking points – alice boyes
Focused on combating anxiety in specific situations, this book provides readers with valuable information about social, work or business-related anxiety.
Each chapter has specific anxiety worksheets that readers can work through to discover what triggers their anxiety and find the most effective strategies for managing specific symptoms.
The beginning of each chapter also has a quiz in which readers can identify if the symptoms and issues discussed apply to their situation.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
7. the anxiety first aid kit: quick tools for extreme and uncertain times – rick hanson et al.
When you are feeling unprecedented levels of anxiety and stress, this book can help you deal with anxiety as soon as it manifests.
Coping strategies are classified according to the level of anxiety experienced by the person and the situation in which they find themselves.
Although the book provides traditional ways to combat anxiety, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness, it also provides strategies that are a bit more unique (eg, repeating or writing down the strangest thought until you lose your mind). its meaning).
Each strategy also lists the action steps the reader needs to take so they are clear on how to implement them.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
3 psychology books on stress
The following books are written more from a psychological perspective, which makes them excellent reads.
1. don’t worry about the little things…and they’re all little things: simple ways to stop the little things from taking over your life – richard carlson
The premise of this book is simple: there is nothing worth worrying about that will ruin your life or bring you to a point where you have difficulty functioning.
Each chapter has a title focused on a suggestion (eg, “making peace with imperfection”) and aims to provide readers with advice on how to overcome stressful emotions.
This book is a great guide to take with you if you’re going through a particularly stressful time, as it provides quick reminders on how to deal with stress effectively.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
2. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers – Robert M. sapolsky
This book combines knowledge about stress-related conditions, such as addiction, personality disorders, and anxiety, with actionable guidance to help manage stress responses.
begins by describing stress-related ailments that can wreak havoc on a person’s mental and physical health. uses real-world concepts and examples to explain more complicated medical issues that can arise from stress.
Although the book is extremely scientific and provides several research studies to support its claims, it still integrates dry humor into its explanations, making it more accessible to people who may not be specialized in medicine or psychology.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
3. the bright side of stress: why stress is good for you and how to be good at it – kelly mcgonigal
Although stress can be hard on the body, it can also help us grow and become more resilient.
mcgonigal focuses on helping readers re-educate their mindset about stress and de-emphasize the idea that “stress is bad.”
Stress has been found to have many benefits, including giving people greater focus, strengthening personal relationships, and increasing resilience to challenging situations.
mcgonigal provides readers with several brainstorming exercises to assess and reframe their mindset around stress.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
how to manage stress: 3 best books to relieve stress
managing stress is a personal process that depends largely on an individual’s circumstances and the situations or events that are causing the stress response.
These books provide a great starting point for learning more about what happens in a person’s body and mind when stressed, as well as how to relieve symptoms of stress that affect daily life.
1. the buddha brain: the practical neuroscience of happiness, love, and wisdom – rick hanson with richard mendius
This book provides guidance on how to engage in mindfulness and relaxation, detailing how these processes are connected to our neurological systems.
for example, the breathing exercises that people do during their mindfulness practice are connected to the parasympathetic system, responsible for producing a state of balance and peace.
Descriptions of how each neurological system is connected to relaxation and mindfulness practices provide evidence-based reasoning detailing why these practices work and how they can help you manage stress.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
2. the stress-proof brain: mastering your emotional response to stress using mindfulness and neuroplasticity – melanie greenberg
This book provides an overview of how your body reacts to stress so you can understand how stress manifests itself and what physical systems are activated.
The book also provides insight into the body’s biological responses to stress, specifically rumination and avoidance habits that can cause stress to constantly manifest itself.
also offers exercises in positive psychology, mindfulness, and neuroscience to give readers the tools they need to cope with stressful situations. Greenberg emphasizes that it is your response to stressful situations that changes your perspective and your approach to stress.
so it’s important to understand where stress comes from and how you can change your perspective to combat it.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
3. the relaxation and stress reduction workbook: martha davis, elizabeth robbins eshelman, and matthew mckay
This workbook presents clinically proven strategies to help readers engage in stress management and relaxation techniques.
The first two chapters are vital as they give readers the opportunity to explore the situations that cause them the most stress and their personal responses to stress.
After readers complete this evaluation, they can determine which chapters will be most helpful to their specific situation and personality.
chapter coping strategies range from relaxation exercises, time management, diet and exercise, and environmental and interpersonal stress.
This allows readers to educate themselves in a variety of domains to better address their individual situations.
See Also: The Power of Books
look for the book on amazon.
stress relief resources from positivepsychology.com
There are several resources available on our site that support healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress.
- coping with stress this worksheet is a great starting point for people experiencing stress. asks you to identify which life situations cause you stress and recognize how they can affect you. As you reflect on this, you are asked to think of healthier coping strategies that can reduce your stress.
- Changing Physical Habits Changing your physical habits is often the first step in relieving stress. This exercise gives you the opportunity to reflect on your current habits and question how they are affecting your daily life. after engaging in that reflection, you may ask yourself whether or not you want to change your habits to ones that are more satisfying.
- identifying your stress resources by knowing what resources and individuals are by your side can sometimes be extremely comforting . this exercise encourages you to list your support, including people, institutions, and strengths you can draw on during stressful times.
- one-hour stress plan this worksheet gives you the opportunity relieve stress in a short time. It’s ideal if you have multiple tasks that need to be completed, as the worksheet asks you to engage in time management strategies to help divide up the time that different tasks may take. practice that people experiencing stress and anxiety often struggle with. this worksheet allows you to weigh your decisions and encourages you to establish criteria for a ‘good enough’ decision.
- 17 stress & burnout prevention exercises if you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others manage stress without spending hours researching and preparing sessions, check out this collection of 17 validated stress management tools for professionals. use them to help others identify signs of burnout and create more balance in their lives.
- anxiety tools our article featuring 20 anxiety tools to help your clients cope is a A must read for insightful alternatives to managing anxiety. .
a message to take home
Stress and anxiety are emotional states that we all experience at certain times in our lives. One important thing you can do if you are experiencing stress or anxiety is to understand what is causing it and what response the situation is causing.
In addition to the resources listed in this article, tracking your responses to situations that cause you stress or anxiety is a good starting point for identifying where you’re struggling. Keeping a mood diary listing these situations and your reaction can help you identify which parts of your life are most demanding and where you should start relieving your symptoms.
It’s also important to know when stress and anxiety are becoming too intense for you to handle alone. If you have been struggling for a long time or are having trouble doing your daily activities, seek help from a trained therapist or counselor. if you have suicidal thoughts, contact one of the following numbers in your respective country:
- united states: national suicide prevention hotline on 988
- united kingdom: samaritans hotline on 116 123
- netherlands: suicide hotline on the netherlands on 0900 0767
- france: suicide écoute on 01 45 39 40 00
- australia: lifeline on 13 11 14
- germany: telefonseelsorge on 0800 111 0 111 for Protestants, 0800 111 0 222 for Catholics, and 0800 111 0 333 for children and young people
For a list of other suicide prevention websites, phone numbers and resources, visit this website or see Open Counseling’s list of international suicide and emergency hotlines. resources are listed by country, and you can click the “more hotlines” and “in-person advice” tabs for more help.
We hope this article gives you a starting point to help you manage your stress and anxiety. stay well and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. don’t forget to download our three stress & burnout prevention exercises (pdf) free.