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Book Recommendations

coffeetalks3723 January 16th, 2022

Any book recommendations that can help with mental health?

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TreaureSeekers3 April 15th, 2022

I would suggest books like fear the fear and do it anyway, fern cotton happiness, happy mind happy life by Dr Ranghan and toxic personalities. Those are good

peixuan April 15th, 2022

hi @coffetalks3723! Really glad u asked for help. Here are a few book recommendations, that provided insights when I struggled to understand my emotions and grappled with anxiety/mental health. Hope you may benefit from them too! ☺️


1. When breathe becomes air by Paul Kalanithi

A biography of a neurosurgeon battling his life and stage 4 lung cancer in his late 30s. The book talks about the uncomfortable topic: the challenge of facing death and the meaning of life.


2. Reasons to stay alive by Matt Haig

A true story from the author who shared his journey on how he had a breakthrough from mental illness and learn to live again. To a certain degree, the story is like a personal diary that sheds light of the real issues when dealing with depression.


3. Retrain your brain: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy workbook in 7 weeks by Seth. Gillihan, PhD (an ongoing read)

This is a good exercise book, that helps me to pay careful attention to my thought patterns and how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are interconnected with each other as a cycle. This guidebook helps to point out the trigger points of what prevents us from experiencing the peace and compassion that we need most towards ourselves.


Currently, I am onto another book by Stephen Grosz titled "The examined life | How we lose and find ourselves." The book covers the theme of loss and pain in 3 to 5 pages length short stories, from a psychoanalyst experience with his patients. You can check this out too if this interest you 🌱.

1 reply
fruityPond7887 April 17th, 2022

@peixuan (Spoiler Alert!) I read "When Breathe Becomes Air!" It was such a beautifully written book. Didn't his wife finish it because he passed before he could? The book had me in tears by the end, especially since he left behind his daughter. 😞

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TryingTBH2021 April 15th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini.

It helped me loads to understand my depression, and even though the ending is not that realistic, it's the right kind of hopeful. I needed that.

The audiobook is available in youtube.

It can be downloaded via Z-library for free.

1 reply
TryingTBH2021 April 15th, 2022

@TryingTBH2021

TW: suicidal ideation

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gracefulUnicorn8093 April 15th, 2022

I’d say “the Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. She talked about how she fixed her habits and improved her (and her family) life by setting small little goals to work on every month. For those like me, whose first language isn’t English, it’s quite easy to read too. Her book will make you think and reflect yourself.

totally worth to read

BruceWayne05 April 15th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723

The Bible



Bajabassist2 April 15th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723

I've been reading Turn Your Pain into Art by Ariel Bloomer. Technically it's a memoir, but she has dealt with severe depression and has some pretty interesting and helpful tips on how she was able to learn to love herself through the process of making music(she's got a kickass band, btw. Highly recommend!) I'll put a general trigger warning as well; she does talk about self-harm, but isn't descriptive about it and its only for a couple short chapters.

Prachi9876 April 15th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723

Mindset by Carol Dweck

loneplanet117 April 15th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723

The happiness trap - russ harris

enthusiasticTortoise6681 April 17th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723 the toa de ching

danielioan April 19th, 2022

@coffeetalks3723 Carl Jung's books.