Books For Anxiety + Panic
One of the most important things when you start suffering anxiety and panic attacks is that you understand what is going on. This is a list of books that helped me understand what anxiety and panic is, and gave me valuable information on how to deal with what was going on. Please understand that none of these books is going to cure what you’re going through, but they are a great resource for your recovery journey.
Some of the suggestions have affiliate links.
This is one of my favorite books overall. I actually read it before being diagnosed with anxiety. Sarah Wilson is very relatable and shares her story in such a flawless manner.
From Amazon: “Practical and poetic, wise and funny, First, We Make the Beast Beautiful is a small book with a big heart. It will encourage the myriad souls who dance with this condition to embrace it as a part of who they are, and to explore the possibilities it offers for a richer, fuller life.”
This is the first book I read after getting out of the hospital and after a lot of researching through Reddit on what to read to help me stop feeling this way. Paul David keeps it real and simple, exactly what you need when your brain is oversaturated.
From Amazon: “The book talks to you directly and is not filled with any medical jargon or churn out a bunch of techniques to follow. It gives you the knowledge to understand the condition in a deep way, so that you can take control of your own recovery.”
3. The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You
I felt really identified with this book. Dr. Aron changed my way of understanding myself and the world around me.
From Amazon: “Most of us feel overstimulated every once in a while, but for the highly sensitive person, it’s a way of life. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Elaine Aron, a highly sensitive person herself, shows you how to identify this trait in yourself and make the most of it in everyday situations.”
4. Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind
From Amazon: “Distilling more than 20 years of research and hands-on work with thousands of patients, including Olympic athletes and coaches, and leaders in government and business, Dr. Brewer has created a clear, solution-oriented program that anyone can use to feel better - no matter how anxious they feel.”
I love this book because it was written by two of the anxiety support community Instagram accounts that I love, @AnxietyJosh and @DLCanxiety. They share their story and how they were able to recover from anxiety.
From Amazon: “In Don't Feed the Monkey Mind, psychotherapist Jennifer Shannon reveals the hidden behaviors that reward our brain's built-in bias for safety. She shows us how the subtle ways we avoid what makes us anxious actually maintain our anxious mind-set, and trap us in a perpetual cycle of stress and worry. Using proven-effective cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness techniques, she'll show you how to change your behavior in small, manageable steps.”
7. Tiny Buddha's Worry Journal: A Creative Way to Let Go of Anxiety and Find Peace
Lori Deschene manages another beautiful online community that I’ve been following since before my anxiety started. This workbook has different prompts to keep you grounded and enjoying the moment.
From Amazon: “Don’t let anxiety control you. Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal lets you carve a little time for yourself every day, and gives you tools to help you improve your mood, focus on the present moment, and kindle your unique creativity.”
8. The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
From Amazon: “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook has already helped over one million readers make a full and lasting recovery from generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, specific phobias, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other anxiety-related issues. Packed with the most effective skills for assessing and treating anxiety, this workbook can be used alone or as a supplement to therapy to help you develop a full arsenal of skills for quieting worried thoughts and putting yourself back in control.”
