for

books that help with depression

Books people return to when working through depression — covering the lived experience, the cognitive techniques, and the long quiet practice of staying. Companion reading, not a substitute for professional help.

These are books people in our index have publicly returned to when working through depression. They're not a substitute for therapy or medical care — but they're often the books people read alongside it. If you're in crisis, please reach out to a professional or a crisis line first.

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

  1. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
    19 people

    The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

    Michael A. Singer · 2007

    19 recommenders

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
    11 people

    When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

    Pema Chodron · 2000

    11 recommenders

  5. Daring Greatly
    10 people

    Daring Greatly

    Brene Brown · 2012

    10 recommenders

  6. Tiny Beautiful Things
    9 people

    Tiny Beautiful Things

    Cheryl Strayed · 2022

    9 recommenders

  7. Lost Connections
    8 people

    Lost Connections

    Johann Hari · 2018

    8 recommenders

  8. The Bell Jar
    7 people

    The Bell Jar

    Sylvia Plath · 2006

    7 recommenders

  9. Darkness Visible
    4 people

    Darkness Visible

    William Clark Styron · 1990

    4 recommenders

  10. 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

  11. Darkness Visible
    1 person

    Darkness Visible

    William Golding, with a foreword by Nicola Barker

    1 recommender

  12. 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 →