PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a mental condition caused by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. The people affected by it often face difficulty adjusting to their daily life activities. In the United States, around 12 million adults experience PTSD each year according to the National Center for PTSD. We have made a list of the 11 best PTSD books that can help you and your near and dear ones to deal with its aftereffects.
The symptoms of PTSD can be very persisting even after many years of the event that caused it. The symptoms may include flashbacks nightmares and severe anxiety. However good self-care and proper knowledge about how to deal with PTSD can do wonders to heal the impacts of the diabolic mental condition.
The List of 11 Best PTSD Books
We have made a list of the 11 best PSTD books that can help you to get out of all sorts of mental traumas such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, OCD, and other mental illness.
1. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma By Bessel Van Der Kolk
Everyone has been a victim of trauma in some way or the other in their life. It could be the aftermath of war, molestation, or mental and physical abuse of any form. Dr. Bessel in this book shows how the survivor’s brain and body’s ability to feel and respond to emotions are compromised leading to displeasure and disengagement. The book contains simple yet scientifically creative methods to rekindle the brain’s neurophysical activity. A variety of neurofeedback, games, meditation and other training explored in the book by Dr. Bessel shows the perfect scientific way to get life back to a normal rhythm.
2. What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing By Oprah Winfrey, Bruce D. Perry
More often than not we end up blaming ourselves for everything that we do. The way we question ourselves may not be the right thing to do.
In the audiobook, Dr. Perry and Oprah Winfrey talk about human behavior and their experiences in life. Exposure to trauma and vulnerability during childhood may be responsible for our present behavior. This book resonates with a unique method of studying our experiences and trauma to make us stronger for the future ahead,
3. The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture By Daniel Maté
In this book, the author has pointed out how the western world has over-emphasized the importance put on physical health while ignoring mental health issues. Daniel Mate has composed a healing guide for total healthiness that considers both the bodily fitness and mental stability of people and society. The Myth Of Normal is Daniel Mate’s most impressive work which he has co-authored with his son.
4. The Myth of Normal: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle By Mark Wolynn
This book is based on the idea that our trauma and anxiety are not mere results of bad experiences faced in our lives. But these mental troubles have been passed down to us genetically from our parents and grandparents. Writer and therapist Mark Wolynn have narrated his Core Language Approach which helps you to intervene in your trauma through visualization, imagination, and direct dialogue. This transportive approach to treatment has outshone many conventional medical attempts to fight back trauma.
5. Healing Through Words By Rupi Kaur
This unique book by best-selling author Rupi Kaur takes the reader on a relaxing walk into the world of poetry. One can heal their pain and suffering by simply indulging in a poetry writing exercise. It is a book through which one can visit their mind to express oneself and their vulnerabilities.
6. Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health—and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More By Christopher M. Palmer MD
To solve a problem you need to know it first. Amidst the global mental health outbreak the need for people who can help others and themselves is on the rise. In this book, Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Chris Palmer explains how brain cells react when they are subjected to risk factors. The author shows that metabolism has everything to do with all sorts of mental conditions. In the book, Dr. Palmer provides the latest solution to fight all your mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD by affecting metabolism.
7. What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma By Stephanie Foo
Despite having the perfect life by the age of 30, Stephaine Foo realized she was living with
complex PTSD which gave her panic attacks. Her childhood abuse was causing negative effects on her present life. For this reason, she decided to treat her condition while writing all the findings and solutions down.
This book records the journey of Foo in which she has met numerous psychologists and therapists. The book accounts for Foos’s visit to her homeland to study immigrant trauma and her family origins. The book is a powerful collection of the author’s experience. She explains how she has learned to live in synchronization with her inherited trauma to become a strong woman.
8. Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself By Melody Beattie
The core message the author has for the readers in this book is that human beings can only help themselves. Melody in this book has written about those people who have lost themselves in trying to attend to the needs of other people. This book teaches how to stop getting indulged in toxic relationships and create healthy boundaries. The author shares life stories, and reflections to help the readers break the negative loop. She has designed effective exercises to help people trapped in codependency get out of it and become more self-aware and self-caring.
9. This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More By Dr. Uma Naidoo MD
This amazing book gives a special insight into treating mental conditions with the help of eating the right food and avoiding the wrong ones. In fact, certain foods can trigger trauma while others can minimize the aftereffects. The book explains how the right food can help treat various mental ailments such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and others. It has science-based findings, food recommendations through expert analysis, and 40 delicious healthy recipes that would cure the pain of the mind. Thanks to Dr. Uma’s triple expertise in psychiatry, nutrition, and cooking.
10. Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog By Bruce D. Perry
In this book, the author discloses how trauma affects young children and how they can get out of it. Being a child psychiatrist Dr. Perry has had the experience of helping children who have faced trauma in their life. They have faced adversaries like kidnapping, witnesses to a murder, and victims of family violence. Dr. Perry has collected a set of cases in which the victims express their willpower courage and strength to overcome their perils. The success strategies are well explained by Dr. Perry himself to inspire the readers of the book to positivity. What happens to a child’s brain chemistry and physiology has been explored well by the writer. A medication of love and nurturing applied by Dr. Perry shows the reader how to heal the ones in pain.
11. Happy Days: The Guided Path from Trauma to Profound Freedom and Inner Peace By Gabrielle Bernstein
If you want to be someone who wants to start each day without any anxiety then Gabrielle Bernstein will show you the way through her book. The key to doing so is to channel your past trauma into your biggest strength. The book covers the reasons causing your trauma, 9 transformative techniques to generate peace of mind, a mindset shift practice, and a way to visit the mental space that scares you and shed light on them. Gabrielle makes you well-supported throughout the book so that you know that you are not alone. The book by a spiritual teacher shall take you on a guided path of peacefulness and bliss.
You may also read: The 13 Best Anger Management Books
CONCLUSION
So, that was your 11 best PTSD books to manage your stress after trauma. If you have read the list you are on the right track for yourself and others. These books will help people living a life of hardship due to the anxiety, stress, and panic induced by PTSD. In fact, each of the books has its special techniques to deal with mental trauma. Get the ones you think would be of the best help sooner than later to be a positive change-maker in the lives of people and yourself.
Niloy Sarkar is an enthusiastic book lover who likes to read and write. His love for literature came early during his boarding school days in Darjeeling. Also, he loves to conduct research on topics related to crime, society, and development. He dreams of writing novels and scripts that would be worthy of Hollywood movie adaptation someday.