When self-help books become toxic

A lot of the time the first step when you start getting into self-development and growth mindset is to read self-help books which is a great idea at first glance..but there are moments when reading these books over and over can become toxic and actually cause more stress.

In this post we will see some of the negative effects of self-help books and why you should read them with moderation.

Negative sides of self-help books

1. Addiction

When you can’t find the solution you are looking for in a book you might be tempted to buy another one and do this over and over. You might become obsessed with always being productive, to improve, to be healthy. This can lead to irritability and frustration.

2. “Never enough” feeling

Some self-help books promote an unrealistic life and some even tend to blame individuals’ mindset and lack of effort which create a feeling of guilt.

3. Toxic positivity

Some self-help books promote toxic positivity. Toxic positivity happens when you think that every aspect of your life has to be “perfect”, you should be happy and positive at all times. Trying to maintain a positive mindset can be beneficial  but as humans it’s not possible to suppress negative feelings. To find the right balance you need to acknowledge all your emotions and feelings positive and negative.

Instead of helping individuals, these books lead to stress and anxiety. If you want to learn more about toxic positivity I wrote an article about it: Toxic positivity: how to avoid it ?

4. Simplified solution for all

Writers don’t know their audience’s personal needs. Keep in mind that the goal of this industry is to sell books to a large audience. What works for someone might not necessarily work for someone else. This can lead to frustration and negative self-criticism.

Be aware that not all self-help books are going to actually help you. There are many great books but some are offering simplistic solutions to problems that might be more complex.