I'am assuming many here have read their share of self help books. My question is how effective are all these self help books(and tapes/cd's) for actually helping people? I think in order for any person to be helped they must first be evaluated to find out what their particular issues are and what's needed for them. These books can't evaluate people. Many people may need to talk to an expert to evaluate their life and experiances and then work out a self help plan tailored for them. I'am referring to those books that are supposed to help people transform their lives.
The only "self help" books I have found useful, is managerial type ones...ones that talk about the four very basic types of people, ie introverts, extroverts...it was a very helpful book. I have also gone to see a counselor, because my wife said that I should...because of panty wearing and my crappy relationship with her. The counselor said almost nothing about panty wearing...but all kinds of things about the relationship, which was probably picked up on my initial session. Now getting divorced, which should have happened years ago...now was that counselling session useful??? I would have to say so..
I love self help books. they can offer you a different perspective and enhance your curiosity on a subject. you shouldn't take everything in them as general truth, but some of them make some very good points. you don't need a book to evaluate you. you buy them based on your needs.
But many people may need to be evaluated and helped according to their situation in order for them to be helped. What people can get out of books will vary because different people are coming from different backgrounds and experiances that are influenceing them. Say two people buy Tony Robbin's book Unlimited Power because they want to feel more self confident and have better self esteem etc. Well how well this book can help both can depend on why they lack self confidence and self esteem in the first place. One person may have a mild lack of self esteem because of being picked on by an older sibling. Then the other person may lack self esteem because of mistreatment and neglect coming from an drug addicted parent. The person with a more mild lack of self esteem coming from being picked on by a sibling may get more out of the Tony Robbin's book than the person whoes lack of self esteem is the result of being raised by a drug addicted neglectful parent. This person may need more than just Tony's book to overcome the problems picked up from their parent.
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I hunted around for books on my issue (PTSD) and for a few years (because I'm not rich) I got no where. I found one book that cost me over a hundred bucks, had all these professionals backing it up, and that book put me way behind where I should have been. It was really detrimental to my recovery. Then I found a book for $14.95, and that book I have read several times over. All good stuff, very accurate, very beneficial to me.
I hope you can get with a therapist with PTSD experiance so that they can deal with your particular situation accordingly. I think if books like the one you mentioned(14.95) have things like relaxation techniques aimed at PTSD then that can be helpful because those may be techniques that therapist recommend for PTSD in general. I would think someone with PTSD would need to be observed and monitored until they get better. That's another thing books can't do is observe and monitor your progress like a real therapist can.
Not always. I remember when I went to counselor after counselor, at the expense of the state (thankfully), and no luck. If anything most of them had these "ideas" of how to beat it. They failed to see that you really don't beat it, you soothe it and work with it so it will lessen. One counselor I had I saw after I was arrested in '06. She kept trying to get me to plead guilty to a crime that didn't even happen, telling me how easy being in prison is for people with PTSD. The prison cooks the food for me, they do the laundry, and I can sit around all day watching TV or reading books. Yeah, that XXXX actually held a masters degree in counseling.
One good thing about self help books I have found and I have probably read most of them is none of them ever said I ought to be in jail or accused me of something I did not do. It does depend on what your problem is and how bad you want to deal with it and get stable. I used a combination of books, one on one therapy, group therapy and just plain old dealing with and accepting myself. There was not anything in the drug store for me. For gosh sakes if you feel depressed to the point of wanting to take your own life that is probably a good sign you need more help than a book might give. Life is hard and there are a lot of hurting people out there who seek help in all kinds of ways. Don't be afraid to seek help from a profession and don't be afraid to find another one if they are not helping you get where you need or want to be. What ever you do love yourself and be gentle with your self. That is something I learned from going to the different kinds of 12 step meetings.
I have a hard time reading self help books because they all sound so goddamn cheesy. They turn me off within pages. There are some good ones, though. I try to buy the ones written by members of the medical community when they're available. But I generally avoid anything with flagrant exclamations on the cover.
SOme of them set the scene, but u have to do the work. Just reading a the book will not do anything for you
Some of my friends have even told me they're surprised I'm still alive. I'm like "really?", and they really believe that. And in a sense I am surprised as well, but it's because of all the wrecks I've been in a injuries sustained. But giving myself the axe? Hell no. I remember how the doctors had a poor opinion of my survival and rehabilitation after the first wreck. It created a level of hatred inside me. Now, same thing. Love kills, but hate lives and persists. Friends ask me "why havn't you tried killing yourself?" and I'm like "dude, you just don't get it. I die and my enemies will rejoice. I'll stay alive one second longer by any means necessary if it means that one second gives my enemies ulcers. Maybe I oughta start talking franchising with the folks that make Pepcid or something! :sunny:
