Read a book or take an online course!
Self-help books and online programs can be useful. There are several online courses on how to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression. I will mention a couple of them that I would highly recommend in the next sections. The good thing about the books and courses is that they can be done at your leisure and from home. The downside is that they provide general instructions and are not tailored to your specific needs. You may also prefer to talk about your problems with a person face to face rather than trying to solve them on your own. Nevertheless, you can give them a go if your anxiety or depression is mild. I recommend seeing your local doctor if your psychological symptoms are severe and debilitating.
Headspace is an online course of meditation. There is evidence that meditation can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Meditation basically means turning your attention away from distracting thoughts and focusing on the present moment. Meditation is practised in different forms including Mindfulness and Yoga. Headspace teaches meditation in ten sessions. It comes as a mobile app too. Read more about it Here
MoodGym is an online course of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). MoodGym is proudly Australian and is developed at the Australian National University. CBT is one the most popular forms of talking-therapy. The core idea is that you feel unhappy because of negative thinking and unhelpful behaviour. CBT helps you to change negative thoughts and to develop good coping skills. Read more about this course Here
This Way Up is developed by experts at University of New South Wales. This website provides specific courses for depression, anxiety, social phobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a couple of other issues. Each course teaches you how to use mindfulness and cognitive-behavioural techniques to tackle a given problem. Unlike the previous two websites, it is not free and you have to pay something around $59 for each course. Please read more about these courses Here.
Mind over Mood
A classic self-help book on cognitive behavioural therapy with practical tips on how to conquer depression.
The Happiness Trap
A book to deal with depression, based on a talking-therapy know as acceptance and commitment therapy.
Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness
The title is quite descriptive. This book teaches you how to conquer social anxiety.
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook
A bestselling book on how to deal with anxiety disorders using cognitive behavioural techniques.
The Body Keeps The Score
A trauma expert explains the effect of the traumatic stress and how to work through it.
Break Free From OCD
The book helps to understand OCD and provides practical ideas on how to conquer it.
The Power of Now
This is a popular book on how to live in the moment rather than stressing about the past and future.
The Miracle of Mindfulness
This is a bestseller by a Zen master; and includes practical exercises on mindfulness.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder
This isn't a self-help book but I've listed it here as it's essential in treatment of borderline personality disorder.
The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome
The title is descriptive enough. This an informative handbook on Asperger's Syndrome and how to deal with it.
Hold Me Tight
This book teaches you how to develop a secure relationship using the principles of emotionally focused couple therapy.
Why Marriages Succeed or Fail
I recommend this book if you want to improve your relationship and family life.
The Courage to Heal
An inspiring self-help book for women who were sexually abused as a child.
Victims No Longer
This is a great classic book for men who are recovering from sexual abuse as a child.
The Explosive Child
A book on how to deal with a difficult child. I recommend it to parents who have a child with challenging behaviour.
Your Defiant Child
Another great book that provides practical tips on how to manage an oppositional, defiant child.
The Grief Recovery Handbook
This book can be a great help to recover from grief, divorce, and other forms of loss.
The Last Lecture
An inspirational book by a university professor who was diagnosed with terminal cancer.