Self-Help Books: The Pursuit of the Unattainable?

he adult world can present us with unprecedented challenges which destroy our pursuit of happiness. We have all been the unfortunate recipients of difficulties like work-related stresses or faced the painful demise of a relationship. Although these occurrences are fundamental to the lived experience, a narrative through which such hinderances are deemed pathological has been reinforced, and the selfhelp book has been placed on a pedestal offering the ‘cure’ to your numerous problems.

With the criteria for psychological disorders frequently too specific to constitute a diagnosis, in conjunction with the waiting lists and referrals required to be seen by the appropriate medical service, the mental health crisis truly is a crisis where by professional treatment can seem inaccessible. The availability of the self-help book in contrast is very appealing. Walk into any bookshop and you will be guaranteed to find at least one guidebook offering a vague answer to any predicament fuelling your distress. Even booking a GP appointment to review my antidepressant dosage takes approximately a month to arrange, so the commercial alternative to professional attention is undoubtedly appealing.

Self-help books are made even more alluring through their broad translatability to a general population. It seems anyone can feel seen or represented in some form by authors shining a light on a multitude of quandaries. Whilst this may attract a more substantial audience, readers are given the illusion of a guaranteed resolution to their issue, in addition to adopting the belief that they are somewhat deviant from the norm if non-complicit to the script laid out in front of them. Just as we would not expect a doctor to prescribe antibiotics as a treatment for anaemia, or the same dosage regardless of tolerance and severity, there should not be an underlying expectation of a one-size-fits-all approach to mental health.

I do not wish to demonise self-help books in comparison to other mental health treatments, but rather highlight their possible limitations when unreliably sourced or used independently. Studies do support a benefit of trustworthy self-help books when used in conjunction with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) when treating depression. It is also not uncommon for those accessing outpatient eating disorder services to be given self-help resources to refer to in between appointments. It is worth bearing in mind however that such resources have been carefully selected, and readers are given the space to engage in a dialogue whereby more personal factors are addressed through talking therapies.

Meta-analyses of self-help literature have been conducted in an attempt to further understanding with regards to the potentially harmful content presented in the scope of their pages. Through such reviews, five recurring falsehoods have been identified:

1. Your anger will subside through venting.

Whilst the expression of emotions should certainly be encouraged, there is little evidence to support venting as a means of diminishing anger. Venting can be a useful process for many, but is unlikely to independently reduce anger. Voicing concerns and frustrations to trusted figures in conjunction with working to identify the source of these emotions is more likely to provide a sense of longer-term relief than concentrating solely on the effects.

4. Low self-esteem can be raised through the practice of selfaffirmation.

As much as we may hate to admit it, we feel good about ourselves when we receive external validation. Like self-affirmation, this alone cannot be utilised to raise self-esteem, but it is often a contributing factor. The overemphasis of one specific quality reiterated in the pages of these books seemingly fails to acknowledge the nuances surrounding human cognition.

2. Directing your thoughts onto the positives of a situation will promote feelings of happiness when you are miserable.

The empirical evidence pertaining to this actually supports an oppositional hypothesis, whereby taking the time to contemplate and accept negative emotions may be more beneficial than using positive ideologies to suppress them.

5. The key to a successful relationship is the ability to communicate through utilizing active listening.

3. Your goals can be achieved through visualisation and optimism.

Studies are generally supportive of the beneficial outcomes of visualisation, alongside a mindfulness to potential obstacles and barriers feasibly encountered. Self-help narratives tend to instigate an overreliance on visualisation, which may worsen the impact of failure.

Active listening is indeed a quality which should be encouraged through interacting with friends, family, and partners; however, the motivations behind active listening can sometimes present themselves as too forced to feel genuine. Studies have demonstrated that couples maintaining a healthy relationship often do not engage in active listening, but rather prioritise being earnest through communication.

Self-help books do serve a function as a guide to some and appear too impersonal to others. Regardless of your stance on their effectiveness, if your experiences or feelings are overwhelming, you will likely find the most benefit from seeking help beyond the self.