BLUF
Self-help is a multi-billion dollar market, and while there’s nothing wrong with seeking ways to improve yourself, self-help is not a cure-all—it may do more harm than good.Summary
This article by Mark Travers, writing for Forbes, makes the following points:
- A recent study showed that those who consumed self-help books showed above-average signs of stress.
- Many self-help books promote a one-size-fits-all approach to mental health.
- The goal of self-help book authors is to sell books.
- The content is often oversimplified and provides false hope and meaningless praise—toxic positivity.
References
References from the Web:
- NOV 2020 Why Self-Help Books aren’t Worth Reading and why they Are—Medium
- SEP 2021 The industry rakes in billions each year but does self-help actually work?