Anxiety is a mental health condition manageable with different therapies, medications, and self-help techniques — many of which a person can find in books dedicated to providing symptomatic relief.
This article explores what anxiety is, provides a list of books a person may consider, and gives information about what to look for in self-help books.
The National Institute of Mental Health states that most people experience anxiety at some point in their lives. However, for a person with an anxiety disorder, this feeling of fear or dread does not go away, may worsen, and can interfere with their day-to-day activities.
Such disorders include:
A person may wish to consider a book’s author, including their credentials and experience. They could also think about the techniques and topics that may benefit them the most.
Some of these techniques include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Aims to change a person’s way of thinking.
Research suggests that this therapy is effective in the treatment of anxiety. - Mindfulness: This technique trains a person to be present in the moment. A 2015 study examined the effects of mindfulness on students who were taking exams. The researchers found this technique helped reduce anxiety.
- Breathing techniques: By focusing on their breathing, a person may be able to calm themselves and ease anxiety symptoms.
Below is a list of books about anxiety. We have tried to include books that use varying techniques that apply to a range of mental health conditions, people, and ages.
Please note that the writer of this article has not read these books. All information presented is purely research-based.
Be Calm
This book is by a licensed clinical psychologist — Jill P. Weber. The methods within this book derive from the CBT approach.
It is a guide that includes anxiety education, encouragement, and research-based methods for reducing anxiety symptoms.
It has an average customer rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon and is available for around $9 on Kindle and $15 in paperback.
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
Therapists reportedly recommend this workbook-style guide. It uses various techniques, including:
- meditation
- mindfulness
- exercise tips
- nutrition tips
- breathing techniques
- exposure therapy
- relapse prevention
The author has 30 years of experience treating anxiety disorders. The book also claims to treat mental health conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It has an average customer rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon and is available for around $15 on Kindle and $23 in paperback.
Retrain Your Brain
This book on the CBT approach is a 7-week course that claims to help people manage anxiety and depression by teaching them practical CBT techniques. Each week builds upon the approaches an individual learned the previous week.
The author, Seth J. Gillihan, is a psychologist who treats many people with his CBT methods.
The book has an average customer rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon. It is available on Kindle for around $8 or $10 in paperback.
Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety
This book is specifically for those with social anxiety.
It aims to educate and offer techniques from various disciplines, including CBT, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It also shares real-life anecdotes to show how these methods may help.
The author is a cognitive-behavioral therapist and coach.
On Amazon, this book has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars and is available to buy for around $11 on Kindle and $13 in paperback.
Feeling Better: CBT Workbook for Teens
This book is for teenagers who experience anxiety. It uses mostly CBT techniques and features interactive exercises that target negative thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.
It also features some mindfulness and ACT therapy approaches.
The author works with children, teenagers, and parents using CBT.
This book has an average customer rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. It is available to purchase for around $11 on Kindle and $12 in paperback.
Anxiety Cures
This book is currently only available on Kindle for around $3. It aims to help a person with anxiety get to the root of their difficulties, so it may particularly help those with phobias.
It provides various tips and techniques for coping with anxiety, but Amazon does not specify any credentials.
This book has an average customer rating of 5 stars out of a possible 5.
Freeing Your Child From Anxiety
This book is for parents and caregivers of toddlers and teenagers. It shares exercises that they can implement with their children that could help them reduce anxiety and control their fears. It also covers how to handle the pressure that can come with tests and exams.
Tamar Chansky, the author, has written many anxiety books relating to children and is the founder of the Children’s and Adult’s Center for OCD and anxiety.
The book has an average customer rating of 4.6 stars out of 5. It is available on Kindle for around $13 and paperback for $16.
Hardcore Self Help: F**k Anxiety
A slightly different approach to self-help, this book is for people who find it difficult to read self-help books and would rather delve into something lighter.
As the title may indicate, the book contains many expletives and humor throughout its short 74-page length. There are many tips and practices a person can implement to tackle their anxiety.
The author is a psychologist whose goal is to break down mental health issues into plain language to make the information easily accessible.
It has an average rating of 4.4 stars out of a possible 5 and is available on Kindle for around $3 and paperback for $10.
Dare
This book provides step-by-step methods to overcome panic attacks and anxiety. It also encourages people to face situations that scare them, has a natural supplements guide, and offers techniques for confidence-boosting.
It also comes with a free app for anxiety relief on the go.
The book is by Barry McDonagh, a best-selling author who overcame his own difficulties with anxiety and panic attacks.
It has an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 on Amazon. It is available on Kindle for around $10 and in paperback for $15.
Don’t Feed the Monkey Mind
This book uses illustrations alongside mindfulness, CBT, and ACT techniques to tackle anxious thoughts. It states a person should stop feeding their “monkey mind,” which refers to negative thoughts, rather than getting rid of them completely.
The author, Jennifer Shannon, is a psychologist with over 30 years of experience in CBT and treating anxiety.
The book has an average customer rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 on Amazon. It is available for around $10 on Kindle and $15 in paperback.