for

books that help with anxiety

Books people return to when working through anxiety — covering the science of the worried mind, the practical CBT and ACT toolkits, and the lived experience. Companion reading, not a substitute for professional help.

These are books people in our index have publicly returned to when working through anxiety. They're not a substitute for therapy — they're often what people read alongside it.

13 books, ranked by how many of the 4,800 notable readers in our index have publicly recommended each one.

  1. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
    30 people

    Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

    Matthew Walker · 2017

    30 recommenders

  2. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
    23 people

    The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

    Eckhart Tolle · 2004

    23 recommenders

  3. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
    14 people

    Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed

    Lori Gottlieb · 2019

    14 recommenders

  4. The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma
    11 people

    The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma

    Bessel A. van der Kolk · 2014

    11 recommenders

  5. Dare to Lead
    7 people

    Dare to Lead

    Brené Brown · 2018

    7 recommenders

  6. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
    7 people

    How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

    Dale Carnegie · 2004

    7 recommenders

  7. Self Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
    4 people

    Self Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself

    Dr. Kristin Neff · 2011

    4 recommenders

  8. Dare to Fly: Simple Lessons in Never Giving Up
    3 people

    Dare to Fly: Simple Lessons in Never Giving Up

    Martha McSally · 2020

    3 recommenders

  9. Anxious People
    2 people

    Anxious People

    Fredrik Backman · 2020

    2 recommenders

  10. First, We Make the Beast Beautiful
    2 people

    First, We Make the Beast Beautiful

    Sarah Wilson · 2017

    2 recommenders

  11. Dare To Dream
    1 person

    Dare To Dream

    Girl Rising India · 2024

    1 recommender

  12. Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All
    1 person

    Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All

    Suzanne Nossel · 2020

    1 recommender

  13. Reasons to Stay Alive
    1 person

    Reasons to Stay Alive

    Matt Haig · 2015

    1 recommender

other contexts

Each context is hand-curated from the 4,800-recommender index — the books that recur most often when people who’ve been through this share what helped. methodology →