written by Joe Oliver
I have a soft spot for self-help.
Like many psychologists, I sometimes joke about the industry: the endless promises of transformation, the catchy titles that sound like life hacks, and the fact that it is a multi-billion pound business projected to double again by 2030. If self-help really worked, you might expect the market to be shrinking, not booming.
And yet, self-help was important in my own story. One of the first books I picked up was Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers. I remember sitting with that book and suddenly realising just how harsh and self-critical my own inner voice was. It was a quietly devastating moment, not in a bad way, but in the sense of finally noticing something I had been living inside for years. For the first time I felt both sad and awake to the way I talked to myself. That book did not fix everything, but it planted a seed that changed how I relate to my mind.
Now I write self-help too. And I think a lot about the paradox of trying to help people with a book while also knowing the limits of the whole genre.
Does self-help work?
The short answer: yes, but not as much as the marketing suggests.
Meta-analyses show that self-help and bibliotherapy can produce small to moderate improvements in depression and anxiety, especially for people with mild to moderate difficulties (Cuijpers et al., 2010; Andersson & Titov, 2014). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) self-help has similar support. Randomised trials have found increases in psychological flexibility and wellbeing when readers actually complete exercises (e.g. Fledderus et al., 2012).
Recent research by our clinical and training director, Dr Kristy Potter and colleagues tested both self-help and telephone-supported ACT for carers of people with multiple sclerosis. While both were acceptable, participants in the supported self-help group reported lower carer strain and improved wellbeing, suggesting that even brief guidance can significantly enhance outcomes (Potter et al., 2021).
A broader meta-analysis by Martin, Golijani-Moghaddam, and das Nair (2018) found that mindfulness-based self-help produced small-to-moderate reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, with stronger effects for interventions that encouraged regular daily practice. These findings add weight to the idea that structured, skills-based self-help can offer meaningful psychological benefit when people actively engage with it.
Together, these studies suggest that self-help is most effective when it goes beyond information-giving and fosters active engagement, reflection, and experiential learning, precisely the spirit of ACT and mindfulness approaches.
But there are caveats. Completion rates are low. Effects tend to fade without guidance or support. People with severe or complex problems usually need therapy. And reading alone does not guarantee doing. Behaviour change requires practice, reflection, and accountability.
In other words: self-help is helpful, not magical.
A brief history (and why the paradox is not new)
Self-help has been around long before Instagram quotes. Samuel Smiles wrote Self-Help in 1859. Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale, and Stephen Covey shaped success psychology in the 20th century. These books always combined moral lessons, practical advice, and the spirit of the age.
Today’s market has simply swapped pulpits and printing presses for podcasts, apps, and TikTok. And while we sometimes call it “Western,” almost every culture has its own traditions of practical wisdom, such as Stoicism, Buddhism, and Confucian self-cultivation. Still, the modern commercial juggernaut is driven by the United States and Europe.
The “you are broken” business model
One uncomfortable truth is that parts of the industry thrive on telling people they are broken. Many titles imply that if you just follow the right formula you will finally be enough, successful, calm, whole. It is clever marketing because pain sells.
This sits awkwardly with how I think about psychological health. In ACT, we start from the idea that you are not broken, just stuck. Life hurts, minds get noisy, but suffering does not mean you are defective. That stance is quietly radical in a market built on fixing flaws.
As authors, we face tension: how to offer hope without feeding the very sense of inadequacy that keeps the industry alive.
Reading versus doing
Another dirty little secret: reading about change is not the same as changing.
Books can give language, normalise experience, and spark motivation. But sustainable change needs practice: trying new behaviours, facing discomfort, clarifying values, and looping back when things slip. The most effective self-help resources are interactive, exercises, reflection prompts, action planning, and work even better when there is some accountability such as an email series, a group, or a therapist.
When I write, I try to make pages experiential: questions to pause with, small steps to try, and links to audio or guided practice. It is not easy, but it is the only way a book can move beyond inspiration.
When self-help is not enough
Self-help can be a powerful starting point, but it is not a substitute for therapy in every situation. A rough rule of thumb is that books and self-guided resources are most helpful when distress is mild, life roles remain mostly intact, and the reader can stay motivated to try exercises on their own. Many people use self-help effectively during life transitions, times of moderate stress, or when they want to develop new coping skills but are not experiencing severe impairment.
There are, however, clear warning signs that a person may need more structured, professional support. Persistent impairment, when symptoms are affecting work, relationships, parenting, or self-care, is one. Safety concerns such as suicidal thoughts or self-harm risk should always trigger referral to clinical care. Past trauma or complex mental health problems (for example, chronic depression, personality disorder, PTSD) often require therapy because self-help can be too generic or even destabilising. Another flag is repeated failed attempts at self-change: if someone has read multiple books or tried many online programmes and still feels stuck, they probably need a more tailored, guided approach.
One phrase I often share with clients and readers sums this up: “If you are clinging to a life raft and still sinking, it is time for a bigger boat.” Books and apps can be a useful raft; therapy can provide the sturdier vessel needed for deeper, more complex work.
The new landscape: TikTok, coaching and AI
The self-help world is changing fast, shaped by new technology and cultural forces.
TikTok therapy has exploded in reach, especially for younger audiences. On the positive side, short videos can normalise mental health struggles, teach basic skills, and encourage people to seek help. However, complex concepts are often oversimplified, and misinformation spreads quickly. It is useful for awareness but risky if people use it as a substitute for proper treatment.
The coaching boom has created a huge global market for personal development and performance enhancement. Coaching can be genuinely helpful, and it is a space where evidence-based models like ACT could add value. Yet, the field is only lightly regulated. Training standards vary widely, and hype sometimes outpaces science. For clients and professionals, it is important to ask about a coach’s background, methods, and evidence base.
Toxic positivity and hustle culture are also shaping the modern self-help conversation. Messages like “good vibes only” or “grind harder” can sound motivating but often backfire, especially for people who are already struggling. Research shows that forcing positive self-statements can worsen mood in individuals with low self-esteem (Wood, Perunovic, & Lee, 2009). Acceptance-based approaches such as ACT offer a healthier alternative: acknowledging pain, clarifying values, and taking flexible action without pretending everything is fine.
AI coaches and chatbots are the newest arrivals. Early trials suggest that conversational agents can reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms for some users (Fitzpatrick, Darcy, & Vierhile, 2017). They can be a helpful nudge or a source of quick coping strategies. However, they are not a replacement for therapy. The evidence base is still young, and there are major questions about safety, ethics, and data privacy. At best, AI tools can complement self-help and provide brief support between sessions, but they need clear guardrails before they can be trusted as standalone mental health interventions.
Our responsibility as therapist-authors
I believe we have a duty to be transparent: to write clearly about what a book can and cannot do, avoid miracle claims, and never shame people if the material does not “work.”
We can offer realistic hope, skills that help, practices that matter, while also giving signposts to therapy and further resources. And we can resist the urge to sell a fantasy of perfect lives.
Where I land
Self-help can be life-changing. It was for me when I first noticed my own self-critical thoughts on the page. But it works best when it is honest, evidence-informed, and practice-oriented. And it is not enough for everyone.
For professionals, our job is to use this tool wisely: recommend quality resources, help clients engage actively, and know when to guide them toward therapy or deeper work.
If you are interested in ACT-based self-help that aims to be practical and compassionate, I have written Activate Your Life and The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Self-Esteem.
I have also talked more about these themes on a recent episode of Life’s Dirty Little Secrets - listen and find the link on our resource hub.
References
- Andersson, G., & Titov, N. (2014). Advantages and limitations of Internet-based interventions for common mental disorders. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 61, 42–49.
- Cuijpers, P., Donker, T., van Straten, A., Li, J., & Andersson, G. (2010). Is guided self-help as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy for depression and anxiety disorders? A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative outcome studies. Journal of Affective Disorders, 125(1–3), 54–61.
- Fitzpatrick, K. K., Darcy, A., & Vierhile, M. (2017). Delivering cognitive behavior therapy to young adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety using a fully automated conversational agent (Woebot): A randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2), e19.
- Fledderus, M., Bohlmeijer, E. T., Pieterse, M. E., & Schreurs, K. M. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as guided self-help for psychological distress and positive mental health: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50(1), 63–71.
- Inkster, B., Sarda, S., & Subramanian, V. (2018). An empathy-driven, conversational artificial intelligence agent (Wysa) for digital mental well-being: Real-world data evaluation. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 6(11), e12106.
- Potter, K.-J., Golijani-Moghaddam, N., Evangelou, N., Mhizha-Murira, J. R., & das Nair, R. (2021). Self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for carers of people with multiple sclerosis: A feasibility randomised controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 28(2), 279–294.
- Martin, K.-J., Golijani-Moghaddam, N., & das Nair, R. (2018). Mindfulness self-help interventions for symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress: Review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 25(2), 82–94
- Wood, A. M., Perunovic, W. Q. E., & Lee, J. W. (2009). Positive self-statements: Power for some, peril for others. Psychological Science, 20(7), 860–866. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02370.x