Table of Contents
What’s the problem with self-help books?
There are two main problems with self-help books: 1) they can ingrain the message that there’s something inherently wrong with you, and 2) they overemphasize the self. Keep reading to learn about the problems with self-help books and the self-help genre as a whole. The self-help book genre contains nonfiction books written with the intention of instructing the reader on how to solve a problem or improve an area of their life or providing other guidance. We continue to be formed and reformed throughout life by our subsequent relationships, so another person – a therapist will probably have more of an impact upon us than a book. This makes therapy a more powerful tool than a self-help book. What is a self-improvement trap? Many of us are drawn to the idea of self-help when our inner critic tells us we aren’t good enough. If we buy into this negative self-talk, it can quickly turn into a story in our mind that we believe. Self-help therapies are psychological therapies that you can do in your own time to help with problems like stress, anxiety and depression. They can be a useful way to try out a therapy like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to see if it’s for you.
Are self-help books as effective as therapy?
There are similarities between going to therapy and reading self-help books. Both help people become better versions of themselves, live happier lives, succeed more and learn about life. With that having been said, reading too much self-help literature can encourage an obsession with ourselves and with our inner life, and, in such cases, our thinking is apt to be more like anxious rumination. Mental health books cannot replace therapy or treatment, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition. But they can be a helpful add-on to your healing journey. Nietzsche is indeed one of the favourite philosophers of the self-help literature and movement. Engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve concentration, minimize frustration and anger, increase happiness, improve energy, and more.
Who buys self-help books?
Currently baby boomers are the primary consumers of self-help services. According to Goodreads, while three-quarters of overall readers are women, 62.5% of self-help books readers are also women. The majority of self-help book authors are men and have a larger readership among women than men. On Goodreads, roughly three quarters of readers are women. In our analysis, 62.5% of the reviewers of the most popular self-help books were women. What Percentage Of People Read Self-Help Books? Approximately 85% of the rich read more than two education, career, and self-improvement books per month, while 15% are reading something they can use at home. According to NPD Group, the self-help industry has exploded in recent years: by 11% from 2013 to 2019, with U.S. sales of self-help books growing annually up to 18.6 million volumes. Self-help title numbers nearly tripled during the same period, from 30,897 to 85,253. This industry was worth $10.5 billion as of 2020. There are two main problems with self-help books: 1) they can ingrain the message that there’s something inherently wrong with you, and 2) they overemphasize the self. Keep reading to learn about the problems with self-help books and the self-help genre as a whole. Self-help books cannot take the place of a fellow human being who is trained and dedicated to guiding you through tough times and transforming you into a better, happier version of yourself. Therapy provides more value than self-help books.
Why novels are better than self-help books?
Fiction is born of imagination, and in turn, it fosters imagination. Self-help is normally born of experience or research. It’s a summary of lessons from the author’s personal life, or from his work. Don’t get me wrong, these things are absolutely important. While this only describes some self-help, it points to some of the real problems with the self-help industry: little to no quality control, profit incentives to overpromise and oversimplify, and an excessive focus on selfishness and happiness. Recent research in neuroscience suggests that you might look to the library for solutions; reading literary fiction helps people develop empathy, theory of mind, and critical thinking. When we read, we hone and strengthen several different cognitive muscles, so to speak, that are the root of the EQ. What is a self-improvement trap? Many of us are drawn to the idea of self-help when our inner critic tells us we aren’t good enough. If we buy into this negative self-talk, it can quickly turn into a story in our mind that we believe. For an industry worth billions, self-help is relatively young. However, its roots go back further than you think—to founding father and polymath, Benjamin Franklin.