Do self-help books help depression?

“Books help those who want to help themselves.”

― Bert McCoy

Bibliophiles would agree that books really bring a change in our lives, be it a minor one or a gigantic one; a change is a change. You may read a story plot that gives you a lesson for life; meet a character that you relate to, or just see a sort of character development that leaves you bemused. Whatever it is, every book leaves an impact. 

There might stand hundreds of genres of books in a queue, but there will be those few genres which are duly loved and appreciated by the audience. A few of them that shall be named: Romance, Thriller, Murder mystery or most probably the crowning glory of the Non-fiction genre; SELF-HELPS! 

What is a self-help book did you ask? 

Self-help books, in simple words, are those books that are written to help the reader solve personal problems. In other clear-cut words, they can also be named Life Guidance books. 

A fun fact, the name 'Self-Help' itself was derived from a novel of the same name written by Samuel Smiles in the year 1859, and since then it became a branch in the huge tree of book genres. The genre is also widely known as 'Self-improvement' books which clarify the intention and the synopsis of these books. 

But the real question is; Do self-help books really help Depression? 

I mean, let's be honest, during the depression a person legit has the least amount of interest in doing any task be it eating, sleeping or working. Then why would a person want to read during this phase? 

Besides this fact, if a person does manage to convince oneself to read, wouldn't it be like telling a person going through depression that 'everything is fine', 'it is okay', 'you should see the positive' and etc. For a fact, a depressed person surely will not want to hear all of it. The state sometimes is so severe that they feel all of the bad emotions present in the world more dominantly and that too at once - restlessness, anxiousness, fear, guilt, sleeplessness, and most of all suicidal thoughts! 

Is it that easy for a person who constantly thinks about everything bad that has happened, and about hurting themselves, worst committing suicide to be okay after reading something? 

Agreed that they might help for self-growth, self-love, and self-improvement in terms of love, career and despair. But in depression, do they actually? 

If it was so easy to cure depression why would there actually be clinical treatments and psychologists? One can reckon to the fact that reading leaves an eternal impact, maybe more than hearing something, but when one doesn't read with their whole heart and attention, it never actually means anything. 

I won't say self-helps don't help at all, they do play a part, they might just make you a little more active and eager to be treated; to be all okay. But they definitely aren't the treatment themselves!

Depression, just like any other disease, requires your utmost attention, care and proper treatment. 

Self-help might be the medicine, but the therapy matters the most!

~ ***** ~ 

~ By MeeRa

(Meenal Singhal)