(Illustration: Mai Tran)
Oakland, CA — This past year, I noticed a big increase in my self-confidence. And I owe a lot of that to the books I read.
When my doctor told me I had depressive symptoms, she recommended that I see a therapist. The few times I talked about my depression to family and friends made me uncomfortable. So the thought of bringing up my deepest, darkest thoughts to a stranger terrified me.
I tried to find an alternative solution. It started with a spontaneous trip to the library where I picked out a few self-help books with appealing covers. I wasn’t expecting much.
But, to my surprise, I learned a new strategy to cope with my depression from each book, and saw my mental health significantly improve. These tips were simple, like taking breaks from social media or writing down three things that made me happy daily.
Self-help books became my silent therapist. There were no fears of judgment — just meaningful advice. Seeing a therapist is an important option for many people, and I haven’t written it off. But for the time being, self-help books have been transformative for me as a way to better my mental health.