Bibliotherapy: Freeing Yourself From Depression, Anxiety,
Stress And OCD
by Karen Hastings
If you feel that you could manage your depression, anxiety, OCD or stress
if only you had the tools, then why not try a good self-help book. This is a
cheaper option for those who cannot afford private therapy or give those
waiting to see an NHS Cognitive Behavioural Therapists (CBT), the foundation
to begin to manage their own mental-health.
There is wealth of self-help books out there and it can be overwhelming
deciding which ones will be most useful. I regularly prescribe reading and
practical exercises taken from self-help manuals as part of CBT and NLP
treatment at my therapy practice in Hertfordshire. In this article, I list
and describe some of the books that I have found most useful in relation to
specific problems, in a bid to make choosing the book for you a bit easier!
For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
My book of choice is "Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - A
self-help guide using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques" by David Veale and
Rob Willson. This book is a clear and practical step-by-step guide to
regaining control of your OCD and your life! The book contains a CBT
approach that is specifically aimed at OCD. This is very important since
some CBT approaches used to treat other problems such as anxiety and
depression can be unhelpful when applied to OCD. This book is applicable to
OCD in it's varying forms, e.g. for those who experience pure obsessions,
for those who carry out internal mental rituals and for those who display
compulsive behaviours. What I like about this book is that it is very frank
and can help to show the person with OCD that they need not be ashamed of
the content of their intrusive thoughts, images and urges. Some of the
people I work with using CBT in Hertfordshire, have found that they need
help in applying the book from a therapist.
For Depression
I recommend " The Cognitive Behavioural Workbook for Depression"
by William Knaus. This book combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy,
Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy and common sense in an easy to follow
format that includes practical exercises that can help you find your way out
of a depressive state. By practising the techniques presented in the book,
you can learn the skills to defeat depressive thinking. The book takes into
account all factors related to being depressed that can make any action
difficult and gives you tips on how to deal with procrastination, lack of
energy and motivation.
I also recommend "The Mindful way Through Depression - Freeing Yourself
From Chronic Unhappiness" by Williams, Teasdale, Segal and Zinn. Mindfulness
is a technique that has its origins in Buddhism but that is used without any
religious connotations within the field of cognitive therapy to help people
learn to break the cycle of mental habits such as rumination and self-blame
which perpetuate depression. Mindfulness involves disengaging from this type
of mental activity. This book is written in the format of a program and
includes a CD to follow of guided mindfulness meditation practices.
Mindfulness techniques are very useful for anxiety and OCD disorders
also.
For Anxiety and Stress
A useful book that I use with people seeking CBT therapy, Hertfordshire
is "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund Bourne. This is a really
comprehensive book that gives step-by-step guidance in overcoming anxiety
and covers various factors including relaxation and meditation skills,
exercise, coping with panic, dealing with negative self-talk and irrational
beliefs, visualisation, self-esteem, medication, nutrition and more.
Finally a book that it more general but useful for anxiety, depression or
stress is "Mind Over Mood - Change the Way you Feel by Changing The Way You
Think" by Greenberger and Padesky This is a simple to follow book that
really targets illogical and irrational thinking styles that drive
depression and anxiety. It includes worksheets to follow.
Finally, its important to remember when considering a book to begin
self-help that like therapy, self-help books and the exercises they direct
you to do, must be practiced diligently and consistently in order to work.
About the author:
Karen Hastings is a NHS experienced mental health occupational therapist,
Master NLP practitioner and hypnotherapist. Karen uses CBT, NLP and
hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire (near
Aylesbury) visit
http://www.karenhastings.co.uk
|
add
link