Self-help books can be a useful tool in the overall picture of successful treatment. They can be used alone but shouldn’t substitute for treatment options like talk therapy and medication. We recommend sourcing books authored by licensed medical and mental health professionals. These experts have the training and experience to bring evidence-based techniques to the general public. The best books on depression use easy-to-follow and engaging language that resonates with you. Here is a list of the best books for depression, according to experts. An important benefit of understanding depression is being able to explain it and discuss it with friends, family members, and health care professionals. One of the most effective antidotes to depression is having an understanding and supportive community. This book aims to be a guide on the path out of a debilitating illness. Price at time of publication: $18 The book addresses depression in two ways: simultaneously decreasing depressed feelings while increasing positive feelings to bring faster relief. Price at time of publication: $20 Dr. Tomasulo addresses this problem head-on by helping people identify their strengths, begin practicing from a place of hope, and challenging the self-deprecating voice of depression that lives in depressing thoughts. Price at time of publication: $17 Dr. Gillihan uses a holistic approach to help readers identify patterns of thought that are holding them back from their goals and to move them toward feelings of happiness and purpose, helping them achieve their desired goals in both work and family life. Price at time of publication: $16 Dr. Luciani’s approach argues that healthier thought and living habits can lead to happier feelings. Price at time of publication: $15 Price at time of publication: $28 Price at time of publication: $20 Price at time of publication: $15 Price at time of publication: $18 Psychotherapist Sally Winston teaches how to take back control of your brain and quickly curb intrusive thoughts from ruining a good day or a good night’s sleep. Price at time of publication: $18 Price at time of publication: $19
Expert Advice
While it’s helpful to hear perspectives on depression from a spectrum of people, it’s often best to choose a book penned by a mental health expert. A mental health expert is someone who has been medically trained, has personal experience working with many types of people with depression, and has likely put in thousands of hours into the topic.
Helpful Techniques
Walking away from a book more equipped to understand, handle, and help cope with depression means that your time was well-spent reading those pages. Books written by credentialed mental health practitioners often contain a handful of effective techniques to help with the above. What’s more, many of these techniques are based on science and research, which means they’re evidence-based versus opinion.
Why Trust Verywell Mind
As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 15 years of experience working with clients who struggle with mental health issues, Mary K. Tatum, MS, LMHC understands the importance of finding quality resources and techniques that work for each person. Not everyone will have the same kind of healing journey, so having lots of options to choose from is vitally important to creating a lifestyle that combats depression symptoms. Generally speaking, reading any sort of book may help you feel better. It can help you feel calmer, take your mind off stressors, and even has long-term benefits related to memory and cognition. Further, a study published in the Mental Health in Family Medicine found that consistent reading improved mental health and had antidepressant effects. That said, books aren’t considered a treatment for depression, nor is it a replacement for speaking with a therapist. Also, reading books about depression—even if you’ve personally never felt depressed—can help you empathize with others who do experience depression. This can strengthen your relationships with those you care about and help you understand what depression is from a more nuanced point of view.
