Self-help 'makes you feel worse'? Well, duh...

[myrathi]

Here are a couple of quotes from the end of [the article] I read that I feel are probably the most useful, by way of a summary:

"...positive thinking can help when it is part of a broader programme of therapy."

"...self-esteem [is] based on a range of real life factors, and ... counselling to build confidence - rather than telling yourself things

Comments

[shweta_narayan]

More than that, I think -- when people feel helpless, they want to be trying something. Anything. So long as it's within the range of possibility. Getting a book seems so much more in the range of possibility than setting up regular, scheduled, expensive therapy appointments. Especially when you're already down. And if that book doesn't work, well, maybe it was just not the right book, and the next one...

We know human behavior works this way.
So does the industry.
So do all the quack industries.

See, I remember being tried on multiple "alternative" asthma remedies before I was old enough to say "Nuh uh, not doing it unless I understand the rationale behind it and can make an educated decision about the pros and cons." Because my mum did know that what the doctors were giving me wasn't good enough. And she felt helpless, and wanted me to be better, being a dear mum. And here was something! So she tried it. Because it's better to try something than nothing, right