Sometimes you get to a point in your life where you need some help. You may turn to the people around you, but you begin to realize that the type of help you need is the type of help others can’t provide you with. So perhaps you will be on the lookout for a good self-help book. You’ll want the book that can provide you with the most help, and there is often a large number to choose from.
Here is a list of what to look for in a self-help book and how to choose the best one for you.
1. Look for a book that focuses on a limited range of problems. The books that tend to rank the highest are the ones that have only focused on a specific disorder.
2. Look at the author credentials. When purchasing a self-help book, you’ll want to get a book that has information that is scholarly and backed well with research and knowledge. Most times, the books ranked the highest are often written by doctors and professors.
3. Avoid the books that have claims that are too good to be true. This is a common thing that’s stated and should be something that is well known to everyone, but it’s especially important when it comes to you helping yourself. For example, if a book claims to banish your anxiety problems forever, don’t get sucked in too easily. Unfortunately, a book cannot be guaranteed to provide you with relief from anxiety, or any other social issue, forever.
4. Is the book you’re looking at based on scientific evidence? This is often hard to tell right off the bat, but know that the books that are ranked highest usually have some sort of data and experiments involved to back up the credibility.
5. Look for a book that helps you monitor your progress. Having this type of guidance and help allows you to see how far you’ve come, which is something wonderful within itself. You can visually see and feel how far you’ve come and how much you’ve changed since the beginning of your self-help journey.
6. Flip through the book and see if it ever discusses the chance of relapse or any setbacks. Only about half of all the self-help books published allude to a sense of setbacks or a relapse and how to bounce back from them.
7. Does the book discuss when you should seek professional help if need be? Sometimes you can’t always help yourself. If you get to that point, it’s important that you get the help you need from someone who specializes in your problem.
There are a large variety of self-help books out there to help you along your journey of helping yourself. It’s key though that you purchase a book that can provide you with the most help and guidance you can get. Don’t go for those books with flashy covers and sayings just because you like the look of them. If need be, look into each book and provide yourself with the best chance of being “healed.”