How I Quit My Self-Help Book Addiction
Admitting it is the first step to recovery
We all come with baggage. Like many of you, I have a range of issues including a crappy childhood, a bad marriage, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorders, low self-esteem, and impostor syndrome. I’ve discovered I also have an addiction. I’m addicted to self-help books.
It all starts innocently enough. You feel empowered by acknowledging the problem and you’re ready to tackle it. Sure, therapy is an option, but that’s expensive and you’re limited to their hours. Why settle for one counselor when you can have dozens of therapists providing advice at all hours?
So one self-help book becomes two, which then becomes dozens of books stacked on the nightstand or displaying brightly in a Kindle library. The bookcase is a shrine to authors with doctorate degrees in A-Topic-That-Solves-Your-Problem.
Sound familiar? You, my friend, are addicted as well.
It’s all very enticing, like any addiction. You begin reading a few here or there when your schedule permits. Sometimes you put one down and start another. Each one has some nugget of truth that provides clarity into your life. Like a bump of cocaine, it’s never quite enough to resolve your issues.
