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Living with anxiety and other mental illnesses

What books have helped you with your mental health?

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avatar exit

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21/05/2019 at 23:50

It's not a sales pitch, but has anyone else read the above book by Bessel Van Der Kolk ? I found it extremely useful in describing what is going on within our brians and bodies to cause mental illness, particularly PTSD and depression and anxiety, and why the symptoms and behaviour we express are happening.

I suppose someone would have to be comfortable reading some biological and other technical terms, and some harrowing case studies, to get the most of it, but it does offer a lot of information on what has helped people and why. Some really amazing, actual, cures too, especially from EMDR. That has helped me a lot too.

Medication is treated as necessary sometimes, but considered too hit and miss, and too easiy resorted to by the medical profession, hence the book really, looking deeper. Some might think some of the suggestions are too ''new agey'', and that's also understood to be fine, as different personalities respond to different approaches, but the book covers the reasons why the suggestions have worked, through lengthy case studies, for some people, thus offering the reader the insight needed if they were to find something that worked on the brian / mind and body in a similar way. 

One quote I read today, '' It's like a log-jamb in a river, one you can remove one big log, the rest gradually falls apart, allowing the river to flow freely'', was an 'aha' moment for me, as I had my first real, commited, congruent, counselling session in 45 year last week and was feeling progressively better, one and a half steps up and only one down, a day, in mood and outlook. I still cry about the past and panic about the future, but I can feel that is coming from the goodness in me, so slowly I start to feel better in myself, knowing that good is there, that I am not my mistakes or my ilness.

 

 

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avatar JosephineO

JosephineO

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22/05/2019 at 14:33

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avatar JosephineO

JosephineO

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Last activity on 15/07/2024 at 09:21

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989 comments posted | 76 in the Living with anxiety and other mental illnesses group

6 of their responses were helpful to members


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@Comber Thank you so much for sharing this with us, it is wonderful that you're being mindful and working hard on your mental health.

Have any other members read this book? Did you find it useful? Do you have any books that helped you? @Stumpy‍ @StumpyDavies‍ @Tigger.co.uk‍ @Quoth_the_Raven‍ @eloumol‍ @sophiesmum‍ @Sammy240‍ @Bethxx‍ @Kimarianatyson‍ @WinterSky‍ @Goldengloss‍ @icecream‍ @Liamk01‍ @VeggieGirl‍ @LeeBee‍ 

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Josephine, Community Manager


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2019-05-22 14:33:03

avatar icecream

icecream

22/05/2019 at 17:23

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avatar icecream

icecream

Last activity on 25/11/2021 at 18:19

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15 comments posted | 15 in the Living with anxiety and other mental illnesses group


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shot the damm dog by sally brampton , iv read it 3 times its like reading your own tale of mental illness, 

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t cairns


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2019-05-22 17:23:32

avatar Tigger.co.uk

Tigger.co.uk

23/05/2019 at 09:38

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avatar Tigger.co.uk

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Last activity on 22/05/2025 at 18:10

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768 comments posted | 118 in the Living with anxiety and other mental illnesses group

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I dont have any books that has helped me with mental health as I have lived with mental health all my life I have seen things that people wouldn't believe would be from a young age till now and I'm 65 on the 1st of June I've seen straight jackets that my dad was in hearing women scratching screaming at doors  ,nurses with large hats rows of keys round there waist ice baths that my dad had to be in e c t that he had to have to send shock waves to his brain seeing him being held down when he tried to kick off and having to be locked in so people could not get out I've seen it all that is why I have scars now thank goodness hospitals are not like that now it is getting better but there still is more to do now it's more noticed before it was lunatic asylums now it is known as mental health care so it is improving but we still have a long way to go maybe if my dad was in the now he might have been a voluntary patient instead of a certified patient you never know he could have come home instead he fell out of his hospital window and died so I will never know lots of love to you all love tiggs 

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D M A


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2019-05-23 09:38:45

avatar JosephineO

JosephineO

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23/05/2019 at 10:22

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avatar JosephineO

JosephineO

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Last activity on 15/07/2024 at 09:21

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989 comments posted | 76 in the Living with anxiety and other mental illnesses group

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@icecream‍ Thank you for sharing your recommendation, that book sounds very interesting.

@Tigger.co.uk‍ I am so sorry to hear about your father. As you said, it is good that mental health services are becoming more humane and informed. Hopefully the NHS will continue down this road. Thank you for sharing emoticon heart

Do any other members have a book that helped them or made an impression on them? Please share :)

@Prudent_princess‍ @hayley64‍ @stupot‍ @skipp204‍ @nbickmore6‍ @richard0804‍ @Mickymally‍ @Rae2305‍ @KitKat999‍ @Debs6660‍ @Janny67‍ @Crackaig‍ @Roxbruno‍ @Jane34‍ @Carnoustie man‍ @mellyboo21‍ @Rainbow72‍ 

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Josephine, Community Manager


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2019-05-23 10:22:25

avatar WinterSky

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28/05/2019 at 12:40

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The Bell Jar; Girl Interrupted; Shoot the Damn Dog; The Quiet Room; Prozac Nation - off the top off my head helped because they were semi/autobiographal or fictionally acurate accounts and identifiable.

However, I find a lot of self help books too preachy. I have a stack of self helps that I give up on before I’ve read them. One size doesn’t fit all. Only last night, my companion and I were discussing someone’s account of their anxiety on bbc2 tv. My friend said that it didn’t describe his anxiety. It didn’t describe mine either but then his anxiety is different than mine too!

 

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JEA xxx


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2019-05-28 12:40:34

avatar icecream

icecream

18/06/2020 at 16:48

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avatar icecream

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Last activity on 25/11/2021 at 18:19

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15 comments posted | 15 in the Living with anxiety and other mental illnesses group


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ya I don't do the self help books ,find them very abc, when mental health is not a abc illness . I read shot the damm dog whilst in hospital ,and don't know why just kinda reading my diaries .....

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t cairns


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2020-06-18 16:48:14

avatar Courtney_J

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01/07/2020 at 17:34

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Hello everyone, 

How are you doing? emoticon cute

Have you read any of the books mentioned here? What books have helped you with your mental health? 
@Raindrops‍ @Vickyrichardsbrum‍ @Bubblesrolo16‍ @DorotaS‍ @Jonolco‍ @Janais‍ @sarahX‍ @Vanessa1967‍ @PoppyFlux‍ @Halfpint70‍ @InsanityBeforeDawn‍ @LinaKaneva‍ @Amathyst‍ @Dempsey3‍ @Lovelyjen‍ @twinzie‍ 

Feel free to share here, we're all here to help and support one another!

Take care,
Courtney

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Courtney_J, Community Manager, Carenity UK


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2020-07-01 17:34:50

avatar Tigger.co.uk

Tigger.co.uk

02/07/2020 at 11:36

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avatar Tigger.co.uk

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I dont need to read any books as i have lived with depression all my life with my dad he was skitzoprenic, psychotic, paranoid all rolled into one, i was diagnosed with Post traumatic trauma depression and anxiety because of seeing my dad like it ,going through life as a child being bullied, plus one  violent marriage ,one life threatening session, and many other things and plus all my illnesses i have been on different medications, had counselling many times ,had one with lights racing ,hypnosis therapy ,now im waiting for talking therapies, so i don't need to read any books or have anyone telling me about mental illness because i know more than some of them also i am a member of mind ,have helped with research from kings college London Tiger 

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D M A


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2020-07-02 11:36:28

avatar sophiesmum

sophiesmum

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02/07/2020 at 14:40

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avatar sophiesmum

sophiesmum

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*POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING DUE TO THE LAST PART OF MY POST IS ABOUT A BABY*.

I haven't read or seen any books about depression. plus I don't know if I would read them as I prefer to read fiction books like my favourite Dorothy Koomson book which is called "My Best Friend's Girl".

which is an awesome book as it has loads of different parts in it like happy, sad, romantic and other areas.

it is also true in a way for me as my best friend of over 20 years became a mum for the first time over two weeks ago to a beautiful baby girl.

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TJ Bennett


What books have helped you with your mental health? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/the-body-holds-the-score-2833 2020-07-02 14:40:52

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