Washing hands, wearing masks and using sanitizer can protect us to fight Corona Virus physically. But, what about the mental trauma caused by the lock down? In these hard times of isolation and social distancing, books can save our day and help us to stay positive. Books have always been a man’s best friend. From telling us stories to guiding us in our lives, books heal us. It’s like a magical wand that helps us to solve our problems, if not, reading books at least gives us the strength to deal with it. Isn’t it? During this lock down, it’s essential that we look after our and our loved one’s mental health. So here is a list of seven books to read in this quarantine for mental health-
Contents
- 1 Psychiatry of Pandemics: A Mental Health Response to Infection Outbreak
- 2 400 Friends and No one to Call: Breaking Through Isolation and building Community
- 3 Let’s Be Calm: The Moral Health Handbook for Surviving and Thriving During a Pandemic
- 4 My age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the search for Peace of Mind
- 5 The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It
- 6 Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
- 7 Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy
Psychiatry of Pandemics: A Mental Health Response to Infection Outbreak
by Damir Huremovic
Pandemics not only have a severe impact on our physical health but also on our mental health. It’s important that we learn how to deal with a pandemic mentally. This book is a combination of emergency mental health response utilized by disaster psychiatry with clinical aspects and expertise on infectious diseases mental health which is developed by consultation- liaison psychiatry. It discusses about various pandemics ranging from Plagues of ancient times to the recent ones like HIV and Ebola. It not only deals with the mental health aspects of such catastrophes but also speaks about quarantine and isolation related trauma, survivor mental health, community and cultural responses, emotional epidemiology, and mental health concerns in the aftermath of disasters. It would act as a guide for all the medical professionals who are the warriors in this fight with Covid 19.
400 Friends and No one to Call: Breaking Through Isolation and building Community
By Val Walker
As humans we are social animals and it’s difficult to live in isolation. Isn’t it? While we stuck at our homes, few of us are lucky to have friends and family with us, but there are people who are alone. Perhaps this book could be a ray of hope for them. In Isolating times, we are not only lonely, we are also ashamed because our society stigmatizes people who appear to be without support. Val Walkers lonely experience after a major surgery teaches her to befriend loneliness and move out from it. While recovering, she found her voice and developed a plan for people who lack social support, not only to heal from the pain of isolation, but to create a solid strategy for rebuilding a sense of community. This book helps us to open our hearts and minds to others who are trapped in isolation. It is an insightful book teaching us to befriend our wider community, building a safety net, and fostering our sense of belonging. Indeed, it could be a survival guide in these difficult times.
Let’s Be Calm: The Moral Health Handbook for Surviving and Thriving During a Pandemic
by Alex Bruce
Wouldn’t we all be at a better place if we had a handbook with tools to remain positive and hopeful? This 75- page handbook is an easy read which includes skills to meditate and has certain tips for resilience. In these unprecedented times, it’s a reminder for good health and overall well-being. One should definitely read it during the lock down to remain hopeful.
My age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the search for Peace of Mind
by Scott Stossel
Anxiety is disturbing, it might be even more in this period of isolation. In this book, Scott Stossel bravely writes about his own long-standing battle with anxiety and helps the reader to walk with him without horrifying them. One can learn about the medical, cultural, philosophical, and experimental perspectives of anxiety through this. It throws light on various psychotherapies, medications, and other treatments that have been developed over a period of time to counteract it. It is a learned, humorous, empathetic and inspirational read about a delicate subject.
The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It
by David Carbonell
David Carbonell is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders. With this book, he will assist us to deal with anxiety and break the cycle of worry. The Worry Trick comprises of techniques that will help us to trick what underlies our anxious thoughts, instead of, avoiding or resisting them. This book is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). It is a resourceful book which helps us to trick our anxiety and remain calm.
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
by David Burns
Don’t we want to wake up and feel good about ourselves every day? We all want to have high self esteem and get rid of the guilt that holds us back. Don’t we? Well, if your answers are yes, then this book is definitely for you. Apart from showing the importance of our thoughts, it enlightens the readers to cure depression without drugs. Besides, it consists of several exercises that will help us in introspection. Furthermore, it answers numerous questions like what causes the mood swings and how to overcome addiction to love and approval. It also contains several exercises for reader’s introspection.
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy
by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
We have lost many lives due to Corona virus. Though we can’t get our loved ones back, we can definitely learn to move on. Right? Sheryl lost her husband, Dave Goldberg in 2015, at the age of forty two. She was left alone with her two children. The book is combined with Sheryl’s grief and Grant’s research on resilience. Additionally, it includes feature stories of people who have recovered from personal and professional hardship. One should read this book to learn how to be compassionate,communicate with people who are under extreme stress, how to support them the way they want.
Sheryl writes, “ Dave’s death changed me in very profound ways. I learned about the depths of sadness and brutality of loss. But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface and breathe again.” Eventually this book acts as a practical guide for anyone trying to build resilience in their own lives, communities and companies. It is definitely a book that one shouldn’t miss.
Happy Reading!
