Do self-help books can help to be happier

People are turning to self-help books, when they realize that their life needs a change, which is impossible without personal growth. But most faced with such works by chance. For example, once when he saw a book on the shelf Carnegie (Dale Carnegie) or another popular psychologist, read a couple of paragraphs. And gets on the hook.

Freedom Elizabeth (Elizabeth Svoboda), journalist and author of the book "What makes a hero?", He describes his familiarity with the book Morgan Scott Peck (Morgan Scott Peck)«Neprotoronnaya road"" Plagued by the usual school problems: bullies, unreliable friends, chronic unpopularity among the guys - I was intrigued by this statement psychiatrist from Connecticut that suffering can be a noble and even necessary, until you will be going from strength to meet my problems facing the face. "

When we avoid logical suffering, which is the result of what we are facing problems, we also avoid the growth that we need to address these issues.

M. Scott Peck, an American psychiatrist, publicist

Someone finds solace in the poetry of Rilke (Rainer Maria Rilke), or the Bible, while others - in the books Peck, who believed that discipline - is the path to growth and happiness.

In the US among teenage girls very popular book "Return Ophelia». Its author, psychologist Mary Pfeiffer (Mary Pipher), tried to convey to readers the idea that every - without exception - she must appreciate yourself and that appearance is not decisive for the whole life.

What do the books Peck and Pifer? They are made to feel that each person can find their own path to happiness.

Studies confirm that the books for self-development can save the reader from a depressive mood and change ingrained ways of thinking. In many patients the so-called knigoterapiya acts as beneficial as psychotherapy or medication like "Prozac".

In an ideal world, according to psychologist John Norcross (John Norcross) from the University of Scranton, books for self-development would be appointed early in the course of psychotherapy. Medicines and other methods of intensive therapy would remain a last resort, pripasonnym for more serious cases.

Patients with psychosis, suicide, critical cases you should immediately send to the professionals. But why most people do not start with the book?

John Norcross, a psychologist

History of the genre

In all cultures, there exist a book with tips on how to live a moral and a busy life.

For example, in the ancient Upanishads emphasized the need to treat others with tolerance and respect. "For those who live generously, - says one of the provisions of the book - the whole world is one family".

Jewish thinkers who wrote the Old Testament in the VII century BC, advised to choose the path of limitation of pleasures and strict adherence to God's commandments.

Or recall the widespread treatise Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero) «on duties"Roman politician who wrote in a letter to his son. Cicero advises young Mark to focus on the implementation of commitments given to others even if It requires a lot of sacrifice, and warns to stay away from short-term pleasures.

The man is the highest evil, pain, of course, can not be brave, and the person who accepts the highest good pleasure - abstained.

Cicero

But such books for self-development, as we know them today, appear by the middle of the XX century. And the most popular of these, of course, "How to Win Friends and Influence People"Dale Carnegie's. Prosperous Western economy has grown an entire generation of adventurers who are obsessed with the idea of ​​using the maximum and show off their talents. And the sea of ​​books on self-development marked this transition.

Personal influence, and self-knowledge suddenly become in high demand, so there are new books that promise to tell the simple way to achieve change.

Some of them were based on a conscious change habitual patterns of thinking. In the 1950 best-seller lists headed "Power of Positive Thinking"Norman Vincent Peale (Norman Vincent Peale), who promised that when you change your inner monologue, and improve your quality of life.

Think positively, and you bring in motion forces that will help achieve positive results.

Norman Vincent Peale

Medicine or deception?

Modern self-help books can be divided into two categories. In the first group - the book, based on scientific research. It passed time to unfettered books like "How to Win Friends and Influence People" or "Neprotoronnoy roads", which largely reflected the personal views of the author and not the specific scientific theory. They were replaced by others, such as: "Well-being: the new mood therapy"(1980) by David Burns (David Burns),«How to learn optimism. Change the view of the world and their lives"(1991) by Martin Seligman (Martin Seligman) and"Flexible consciousness: a new perspective on the psychology of adults and children"(2006) DUEK Carol (Carol Dweck). In each of these books, the author cites as examples of one scientific study after another to substantiate its recommendations for changing behavior.

"Self-help" Many of today's non-fiction books also declare any idea in the spirit. In the book, Malcolm Gladwell (Malcolm Gladwell) «David and Goliath: as outsiders winning favorites"(2013) presents a study explaining how people can turn their weaknesses (dyslexia, children's injuries) in strong.

However, along with books from a scientific basis, were those that vparivayut unproven and sometimes even crazy recommendation. The best-selling book "Secret"(2006), the writer Rhonda Byrne (Rhonda Byrne) states that our thoughts send vibrations into the universe, and therefore can affect our lives. Good thoughts, as stated in this theory, lead to good results, while the poor create trouble.

Of course, such a "sellers of happiness" can not be trusted and the popularity of some of the book does not guarantee that it will help you to change.

In 1999, the University of California (Los Angeles) conducted an interesting study. Students, who represented himself high marks prior to testing, spent less time to prepare and gain less points than those who are not engaged in self-suggestion.

And in 2009, a psychologist from the University of Waterloo Joan Wood (Joanne Wood) found that people with low self-esteem began to feel worse after you started parrot positive judgment about themselves. Thus, the power of positive thinking, which is imposed in books like "Secrets", in fact, turns out to be just a mirage.

Knigoterapiya - remedy for depression

Several recent studies indicate great potential knigoterapii, as it can help to bring positive changes in life. Of course, if the basis of the book are proven principles.

People depression, According to research by the University of Nevada, we feel better while reading the book "Well-being: the new mood therapy." Participants in the group experiment with knigoterapiey noted a significant improvement in mood than in subjects who received "usual care", including prescriptions for antidepressants.

Psychologist John Norcross is in favor of the idea that some patients can help the right books for self-development is better than antidepressants or other psychoactive medications, with no side effects such as blunting of emotions, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction.

Antidepressants are prescribed too often. This is especially true of moderate disorders, which, as we know, knigoterapiey amenable to treatment. We support knigoterapiyu. So you start with the least expensive but the most accessible materials.

John Norcross

Norcross has developed a method for evaluating the effectiveness of self-help books. He studied a group of more than 2500 psychologists, asking them to assess the effectiveness of the books that are read by their patients. "Well-being" was on top of the list with an average score of 1.51 on a scale from -2 (worst book) to 2 (best book). Individual autobiographies, including "Visible darkness"(1990) by William Styron (William Styron) and"restless mind"(1995) Kay Jamison (Kay Jamison), gained nearly as much. Perhaps, because they not only offer the specific coping strategies, but also help to suffering from affective disorders to understand that he is not alone.

What conclusion can we draw from this? Readers need to carefully approach the selection of books for self. Books must fulfill the stated promises. By the way, Norcross found no direct correlation between the popularity of the book and its effectiveness, so do not judge superficially, relying only on the volume of sales and the "stellar" advertising.

Knigoterapiyu is likely best done under the supervision of an experienced physician - one who can help the reader to assess how good she or other method, and give advice on how to apply the recommendations set out in the book, in practice, or assign a more serious treatment if needed.

We are all trying to find their own path to human happiness. References should also lead us, that's why you should only trust proven tips. In the words of Franz Kafka (Franz Kafka), «book must be the ax that can cut through the frozen sea within us." Literature should be able to awaken in us something extraordinary.