Self-help books for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) act as guides for people with PTSD to work on their recovery on their own and beyond whatever other treatment they may be receiving. Many PTSD self-help books act as workbooks that engage the reader by having him or her respond to questions and complete exercises, but many also include information about different kinds of trauma that cause PTSD and what is known in the research community about the disorder.

Continue on to learn about specific PTSD self-help books, including The PTSD Workbook.

What Is The PTSD Workbook?

When searching for books on PTSD self-help, the PTSD Workbook is the book that will come up the most. But what is it and how does it make a difference?

Written by Mary Beth Williams and Soili Poijula, The PTSD Workbook outlines techniques used in the field to manage and intervene upon PTSD symptoms. The book is written from a cognitive behavioral therapy perspective but is reader-friendly with easy-to-follow therapy techniques.

True to its title, the book not only provides information about PTSD, but also engages the reader by having him or her respond to questions and participate in exercises outlined in the text. This is done to provide the reader with a better understanding of how PTSD is affecting him or her while also providing tools to address the negative effects of PTSD.

The third edition, published in 2016, features new sections about PTSD in veterans, the mind-body component of PTSD, and the link between cortisol and adrenaline and how it plays into PTSD. Updates have also been made to reflect changes made about PTSD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition.

5 Other Self-Help Books for PTSD

There are many good books on PTSD self-help, some of which offer the same workbook-style and guidance as The PTSD Workbook. Here a few other self-help books that are worth checking out.

1. The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook by Glenn R. Schiraldi is another popular selection in self-help for PTSD. It covers a wide range of self-help techniques and alternative treatments to help people with PTSD better understand the disorder, identify triggers, and find a path of recovery that works for them.
2. I Can’t Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors, written by Aphrodite T. Matsakis, aims to help those with PTSD cope with symptoms and find empowerment. In addition to this, the book highlights related issues such as substance abuse and depression.
3. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence — From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith L. Herman helps those reading it understand trauma survivors and has helped trauma survivors coping with PTSD from abuse in their own recovery through its analysis of abuse through a political lens.
4. The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Klok looks at the impact of trauma on the brain, the psyche, and the body. The book explores how and what treatments can make a difference for those with PTSD.
5. Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine provides exercises focusing on bodily sensations in relation to trauma and how to work through them.

How Can PTSD Self-Help Books Help Me?

Including these kinds of books in your recovery journey can make a difference in how you respond to PTSD and its symptoms while also eliciting a better understanding of the disorder as a whole. Since they provide both information and guidance, PTSD self-help books can help make sense of what otherwise might feel like a chaos of emotions, experiences, and symptoms.

What should you do when you live with a jealous husband or wife? Advice on how to deal with a jealous wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend.

Being involved with an overly jealous romantic partner can be extremely difficult. An insecure partner can be intrusive, invasive, irritating and annoying. And if you want to deal with an insecure lover effectively, it helps to understand the nature of the problem.

Chronic jealousy is often caused by being anxious about love and intimacy, that is, having an anxious-ambivalent style of attachment. Such individuals are constantly worried that their romantic partners do not love them and that their partners will eventually abandon them. Ironically, extremely jealous individuals often behave in ways which make their fears come true.

Ineffective Ways of Dealing with a Jealous Partner

Most people handle an overly jealous partner in a way which makes the problem worse. When a partner is jealous, they often behave in ways that are controlling, manipulative, invasive and overly needy. When partners behave this way, the natural response is to pull back, withdraw, and reassert one's autonomy and independence, which usually involves some secrecy and deception.

For instance, if a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, calls ten times a day checking to see what you might be up to, the natural response is to avoid such calls, returning them less often, and being secretive and evasive when answering such questions. Again, it is normal to try to hide things from partners who are overly inquisitive or from partners who have a difficult time dealing with the truth.

The problem, however, with using secrecy and withdrawl to deal with a jealous partner is that such responses only create more anxiety on the part of the individual who is already suspicious and jealous. As a result, jealous individuals act in ways which are even more disruptive (i.e., more phone calls, snooping, invasive questions, pouting, and so on). Very quickly, the following pattern becomes the norm: jealous individuals become more jealous while their partners begin to hide and conceal more of their activities, thoughts and feelings. Over time, this pattern of behavior can become a source of conflict - pulling many couples even further apart. And if this pattern is not broken, partners often turn to someone outside of their relationship for love and understanding.

How to Deal with a Jealous Lover

A better way to deal with an insecure and overly suspicious partner is to deal with their fears and anxieties directly.

Talk to a Partner about their Fears and Anxieties

It helps to let a jealous partner know that he or she can talk to you about his or her feelings; that you will listen to a partner's fears and anxieties and try to understand where he or she is coming from. Try not to dismiss or discount jealous partner's feelings (i.e., "Not that again... You are crazy... Where is this coming from?"). Discounting a spouse's feelings only makes that person feel more misunderstood and it does not help solve the problem.

On the other hand, there are many benefits to be gained if you can get a jealous lover to talk about his or her feelings and make sure that he or she feels understood. People who are able to talk about their feelings and problems, in a supportive environment, often move beyond such feelings and worries more effectively.

Be Available and Responsive

It is also important to be available and responsive to a jealous partner's needs. If you are there when you partner or lover needs you (i.e., you answer the phone), doing so helps to calm a partner down. If you consistently demonstrate to an insecure partner that you can be counted on, over time, a jealous partner will become more trusting and less suspicious. This is not easy to do, because it takes a lot of energy and often you will have to resist the urge to withdraw from an overly demanding husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend.

Reassure a Jealous Partner

It also helps to consistently remind an overly jealous partner that you love him or her, that you will be there, and that you will work through problems together.

Finally, it helps to keep in mind that while it is possible to help an insecure lover become more secure, such changes do not happen over night. It helps to think about dealing with such problems in terms of months and perhaps years. And in many cases, counseling is often needed.

Editor's Note: Much of the advice on this page is drawn from Bowlby, Ainsworth, Shaver and Hazan's work on attachment theory.

Video game rehab exists to help those who have become addicted to video games. Like all addictions, gaming addiction can ruin lives. Gaming becomes increasingly excessive, and it takes control of a gamer’s life. Consequences can be dire, including school failure, loss of employment, loss of friendships and other relationships, and declining physical and mental health (Gaming Addiction Symptoms: How You Know You’re Addicted). Because of this, gaming addiction treatment centers are springing up worldwide to provide video game rehab and help gamers reclaim their lives.

Video Game Rehab: Obstacles and Frustrations

Gaming addiction is hard to break, especially when someone is trying to do it on his or her own. While kicking the gaming habit is indeed possible without formal video game rehabilitation, it can take longer and be a bit more difficult. Unfortunately, finding treatment centers for gaming addiction isn’t easy.

Obstacles prevent people from participating in video game rehab programs. Some treatment barriers include:

• High demand as the number of people addicted to gaming is consistently rising
• Low availability and long waiting lists because, while treatment centers are springing up worldwide, there simply aren’t enough
• High cost, with some gaming addiction treatment programs costing tens of thousands of dollars

What if you don’t want to go to a treatment center and would rather see a local psychologist or other mental health professionals? Doing this is an option. While it wouldn’t be a worthless endeavor and you’d work on weakening your addiction, there are frustrations with seeing a therapist for video game rehab.

Many psychiatrists don’t fully acknowledge gaming addiction. Despite growing evidence through valid research, some professionals simply don’t take gaming addiction seriously. They don’t believe that gaming can become a real issue (What is Gaming Disorder? Symptoms, Causes, Treatment).     

Some do believe, correctly, that people can become addicted to gaming; however, they don’t know how to properly treat it. Gaming addiction is a new concept. As more and more addictive games, especially online games classified as massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGS), are produced and more people play them, addiction is increasing. Research has demonstrated that gaming addiction is a real problem, but research in how to treat it is still catching up.

Treatment centers for video gaming addiction are staffed by professionals who do understand gaming addiction and have specialized in treating it. Despite the obstacles and frustrations, such centers are usually successful in breaking the addiction for good. Specific activities and approaches make these centers effective.

What Happens Inside Video Gaming Addiction Treatment Centers

Two main types of treatment centers exist: Wilderness camps and rehabilitation centers. Both types focus on

• Weaning people off gaming; some, like the Bradford Reginal Medical Center in Pennsylvania, do this immediately with a 72-hour detox experience
• Developing insight into what is missing from their lives
• Learning how to socialize
• Engaging in activities and exercise programs
• Replacing gaming with different positive, healthy, and fulfilling activities
• Individual therapy
• Group therapy

Most therapeutic approaches to video game rehab involve cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT has been shown to decrease symptoms of gaming addiction as well as other challenges someone faces, such as depression or anxiety. CBT also helps reduce thoughts and behaviors connected to gaming. Because of this, people are likely to increase life satisfaction.

The most important part of video game rehab is to go beyond merely stopping the addiction to replacing gaming with other activities and passions by developing a purpose and increasing self-esteem. Treatment centers exist to help people make this happen.

The High Cost of Video Game Rehab and Gaming Addiction Treatment Centers

Unfortunately, recovery comes at a price. The Bradford Reginal Medical Center’s gaming rehab program costs $14,000 for 10 days. A retreat center for Internet addiction called reSTART charges people a whopping $22,000 for a 45-day stay. Those who need to stay longer pay an additional $420 per day.

Worse, this expense is completely out-of-pocket for gamers (or their parents). Because gaming addiction is not yet an official diagnosis recognized in medical or psychiatric manuals, insurance won’t cover treatment.

This may change in coming years, though. The authority on medical conditions is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), produced by the World Health Organization. The eleventh edition, the ICD-11, will be released in 2019, and it contains a new condition called gaming disorder. Further, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition DSM-5) includes gaming addiction as a condition for further study and possible inclusion in the next edition.

The important takeaway is that it is possible to become addicted to video games, and it is possible to overcome the addiction. There are treatments for addiction to video games available already, and video game rehab will become more accessible as studies continue to show the damaging effects of excessive gaming.

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What makes you jealous? Discover what causes jealousy and then learn how to handle jealousy.

Anyone who has ever been in a serious relationship has probably felt the green-eyed monster creep into his or her thoughts at one time or another. Ah, jealousy. It can cause insecurity, detachment, and, often, just plain immaturity. No one wants to admit that they are a jealous person, and, admittedly, some people are better at curbing their jealousy than others. But, as much as we try to fight against it, sometime you just can't help but feel it. What's worse is that jealousy can often make you act out against your partner even if your partner is innocent and has no idea why you are angry or, worse yet, it can foster your own low self-esteem.

Whatever the reason, whether valid or not, jealousy can be a huge factor in a disconnection between couples. Sometimes it is flattering when a relationship partner gets a little jealous, but a boost to the ego is a far cry from the fights and resentment that can come from real, hidden jealousy. This sort of jealousy is never a good thing for a relationship and communicating your own jealousy to your partner without sounding irrational can be tricky. The question remains: How can you learn to recognize jealousy and deal with it without jeopardizing your relationship?

Jealousy is Sparked from Insecurity

The closer you become with your partner, the more you have to lose by breaking up. If you are not aware of your own qualities or not confident in your own attractiveness as a relationship partner, insecurities can develop. If your insecurities are not addressed with your partner, they only fester and grow. It is true that there is a small percentage of jealousy that comes from a valid feeling, but, most of the time, jealousy comes from personal insecurities that have grown because of lack of communication.

If your own insecurity or low self-image makes you think badly of yourself, you often begin to wonder what your significant other sees in you. You will start to question why your partner would want to stay with you and fear that he or she will inevitably meet someone "better". The fear that your partner will wake up one day and realize there is someone better out there can lead to suspicion on your part.

When suspicious thoughts begin to enter the mind of an insecure person the green-eyed monster will begin to rear his ugly head. You may find yourself questioning your partner's actions or becoming too needy of your partner's time and attention. If you don't discuss your insecurities with your partner, questions may begin to fill your head. Why does he always come home later on Tuesday nights...who is he seeing? Why does she always talk so much about that new co-worker...does she like him?

Because these questions and the motives behind them (your own insecurities) are not brought to the forefront, you may start to see problems that aren't really there. If suppressed long enough, often a jealous person will "flip out" when, in reality, their partner has done nothing wrong. A friendly conversation can look like flirting or a hug may seem to go on a little too long even though it is innocent. And, unfairly to your partner, you will overreact in anger or heavy emotion.

How To Prevent and Let Go of Jealousy

So, how do you prevent these thoughts from flooding your mind or from even occurring at all? The first thing you need to do is open the lines of communication with your partner. Tell your loved one calmly and openly that you love him or her but, because they are so important to you, you are feeling anxiety or insecurity about the relationship. Chances are your partner will reaffirm how much he or she loves you and you both can discuss the reasons why you are with each other. Unless there is a bigger problem that requires legitimate worry (in which case it is a good thing you started talking!), admitting your fear of losing your partner will open up a door of communication that can actually bond the two of you closer together. If you sense jealousy from your partner, learn to offer reassurance about your relationship more often.

After you have communicated your feelings with your partner, you will better understand the reasons why your partner has chosen you and be far less likely to second-guess your partner's intentions. You will be reassured of the fact that your significant other is in a relationship with you because he or she loves you, not because they are waiting for someone better to come along. You love your partner, and, your partner loves you. It's that simple. When you stop wasting your time thinking of reasons why your partner will leave you, you can start to understand the many reasons why your relationship is stable and satisfying for the both of you. If you can admit that you are someone worth loving, you can focus on building and strengthening the love between you both.

Stop being depressed. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were that easy? Feeling sad? Just stop. Feeling down on yourself? Just stop.

To stop being depressed is about more than saying “stop,” but it doesn’t have to be a complex process (How Not to Feel Depressed: What’s the Secret?). In fact, for many people, the best approach to wellbeing is one self-help tool: working on thoughts. Don’t wait to start enjoying life. Use these thought-based self-help tools now and stop feeling depressed.

Stop Feeling Depressed by Changing Your Thinking

The nature of depression is harsh. Depression involves an almost constant focus on negative thoughts and experiences. Much of how we feel is a direct result of how we think and interpret both ourselves and our world.

Believing that negative and pessimistic thoughts are facts contributes to depression. Using the tools of a healing approach known as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a big part of how to stop being depressed now. While engaging in mental health therapy with a professional who practices CBT can indeed be beneficial, CBT can also be used as a powerful self-help approach for depression, with tools designed to help you notice and change your thoughts and thus helping stop depression.

Use This List of Thought Traps as a Tool to Stop Being Depressed

Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches us that we all have automatic thoughts, thoughts that just pop into our mind seemingly out of the blue. With depression, these thoughts are overwhelmingly negative and pessimistic, and they fuel depression by decreasing self-worth and zapping energy and zest for life.

These automatic negative thoughts are called cognitive distortions, thought traps, or twisted thinking. Knowing what these distortions and traps are will help you recognize when your thoughts are negatively distorted. Catching your negative thinking is a tool that will begin to work immediately and help you stop being depressed.

There are many thought distortions. Among them:

• “Should” statements - These are rigid rules that depression imposes on you or the world in general. Life should be a certain way; I shouldn’t have said that. Etc.
• Mind-reading - Mind-reading is assuming you know what others are thinking, and you just know they think poorly of you.
• All-or-nothing thinking - Also called black-and-white thinking, this is the tendency to see the world, and your place in it, in extremes. Thinking that you’re worthless because you’re not perfect is all-or-nothing thinking.
• Name-calling - This is beating yourself up with harsh labels and believing that those labels are true.
• Tunnel vision - Another name for this one is discounting the positive. Here, depression causes narrow, restricted thinking and makes people see the world through a darkened lens. When we see more negative than positive in ourselves and in the world around us, we naturally feel depressed.
• Catastrophizing - In catastrophizing, we make mountains out of molehills. Everything seems terrible and disastrous; problems seem like they have absolutely no solution.

Use these as tools to help you recognize your thoughts, and you’ll begin to stop feeling depressed.

Stop Feeling Depressed with These Thought Tools

You’re not powerless. Once you are aware of your automatic negative thoughts, you can begin to work on your thoughts and stop being depressed.

Different CBT specialists word concepts a bit differently from each other and offer tools with varying amounts of steps. Despite individual differences, the essence of these thought tools is the same. Use them to change your thoughts, and with them, your feelings.

The thought tools that will help you stop feeling depressed include the following actions:

• Become aware of your thoughts, of what your mind is telling you.
• Identify those thoughts. Are you catastrophizing? Shoulding? Listen to what your thoughts are saying.
• Interrupt your thoughts. Challenge them. Replace them with thoughts that are more accurate. (No, I am not a worthless idiot. I made a mistake, but that’s not who I am.)
• Repeat

Your own thoughts contribute to your feeling depressed, and they are also powerful tools to stop being depressed. You don’t have to wait until you feel a little better to start using them. If you want to stop feeling depressed, start using them now (The Best Way to Deal with Depression).

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Are you having difficulty effectively communicating your wants and needs to your husband, wife or relationship partner? Here are tools to help you communicate better.

Most people agree that the ability to effectively communicate with others can have a huge impact on interpersonal relationships. Learning how to say what you mean in a way that others will understand can eliminate many stresses on relationships. Take a look at our favorite tips for general communication, communicating in disagreements, and communicating about sex.

In General Communication

• Be Aware of Non-Verbal Signals. Our body language (e.g., facial expressions, posture, eye contact) all change the meaning given to our words. Our voice expressions (e.g., tone, volume, rhythm) all show the feeling in our words. Work to match your non-verbal communication with what you are saying so that your message carries the meaning of what you want.
• Listen. Indicate that you are paying attention by nodding your head or using brief statements. Do not interrupt when you are listening. Let the speaker finish speaking before you jump in. Keep an open mind and be non-judgmental.
• Paraphrase and Ask Questions. Repeat back what you think you've heard someone say and use summary statements. Ask questions to clarify statements. These techniques help you to avoid misunderstandings.

In an Argument or Disagreement

• Delay Your Reactions. Don't jump to conclusions. Give yourself time to process what was said and understand the speaker's feelings before you respond. Wait until you have all the information before you make inaccurate assumptions.
• Don't Make Generalizations. Be specific and direct. Concentrate on this particular personal issue. Do not change the subject, stick to the issue until it is resolved.
• Use "I" Statements. "I" statements help to express your own feelings, attitudes and desires. Using these types of messages will avoid putting the other person on the defensive. Saying statements such as "I am feeling unhappy..." allows you to express your feelings without criticizing the other person.About Sex
• Discuss Abstinence, Sex, and Safer Sex. You have the right to decide whether or not you want to have sex, and you should discuss this decision either way. If you decide not to have sex, talk about this with your partner. If the other person does not respect your decision, then he/she is not respecting you. If you decide you might want to have sex, plan a time to talk about what you want before you are intimately involved. Be honest about your sexual history and your sexual health. Discuss and make mutual decisions on your safer sex options. Go together to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
• Seek Clarification. If you are getting mixed messages about what another person wants, especially if it is during sex, ask about these messages. It can be sexy to ask someone what she/he wants — be specific. If someone isn't sure whether they want to do something or not, assume the answer is no and stop. It is okay to wait until you are sure.
• "NO" Can Be Said Many Ways. "No" never means "maybe" or "yes." Silence is not consent — if your partner is not responding, stop and ask whether what you are doing is okay. To give consent, a person must be physically and mentally capable of making the decision — if a person is unconscious, intoxicated, or under the influence of drugs, she/he cannot give consent.

Parkinson's disease and depression are incredibly common, but that doesn't make them easy to live with. Depression can occur as the result of the emotional challenges of Parkinson's disease as well as from chemical changes in the brain or medication side-effects. Depression in Parkinson's disease can be treated much the same as for the general population, with some exceptions. Let's explore everything we know about Parkinson's disease and depression, including causes, symptoms and treatments.

What’s the Link Between Parkinson’s Disease and Depression?

Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition caused by the loss of dopamine cells in the brain. As many people know, PD causes motor symptoms such as tremor, rigidity and slowed movement, but it can also be responsible for dementia, psychosis, anxiety and depression.

It is estimated that over 50% of people with PD will experience depression at some stage. Common symptoms of Parkinson's disease depression include:

• Loss of interest in hobbies and day-to-day activities
• Low energy
• Diminished libido or sexual functioning (see "Parkinson’s Disease and Sex Issues: Libido, Sex Drive")
• Sleep disturbances, such as nighttime waking or insomnia
• Change in eating habits, such as eating too much or too little
• Not wanting to socialize or interact with others
• Feeling tired all the time
• Irritability
• Persistent low mood and apathy – not seeing the point in anything
• Pessimistic feelings or views about the world
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide, known as suicidal ideation

If you experience the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease depression, it’s important to report them to your doctor so you can access help and support. Parkinson's can take its toll physically and emotionally, but there is no need to suffer in silence. Depression is common in those with and without Parkinson's disease, and there are plenty of ways to treat it.

What Causes Depression in Parkinson’s Disease?

No one knows exactly what causes depression in Parkinson's disease. Scientists say it is unclear to what extent apathy and depression in Parkinson's disease are caused by degenerating nerve cells in the brain (specifically the loss of dopamine), or whether medication side effects or other factors could be to blame.

People with PD tend to be more isolated and less mobile than the general population, which can cause low mood. Others have financial struggles and concerns about their Parkinson's prognosis which could also contribute to their decline in mental health.

One study reported by England’s National Health Service found that depression was more common in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that depression has less to do with chemical changes or lifestyle factors, and more to do with the emotional adjustment of having PD. However, the same study found that levels of apathy and anxiety tended to increase as Parkinson’s progressed.

Parkinson’s Disease and Depression Treatment

All in all, there are several possible reasons why depression is so prevalent in Parkinson's disease. Your doctor will look at your symptoms and work with you to determine a treatment plan. This might include:

• One-on-one therapy or counseling
• Antidepressant medication, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Dopamine agonists, which are known to treat Parkinson’s disease but also have antidepressant qualities
• Parkinson’s disease support groups
• Parkin's homeopathic therapy, such as massage, meditation or acupuncture
• Lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising more or taking up gardening
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), if your depression or motor symptoms are severe

If your doctor believes your depression is caused by medication, then your current prescription may be withdrawn or replaced with an alternative. Sometimes, changing your medication may result in a worsening of Parkinsonian symptoms such as rigidity or tremor. If this is the case, your doctor will discuss this with you so that you can make an informed choice about your future treatment.

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Sexual dysfunction is one of the most dreaded and least talked about complications of diabetes.

True enough, erectile dysfunction or ED (formerly called impotence) is three times more common among men with diabetes. And women with diabetes are twice as likely as those without the disease to experience some types of sexual problems. But there is good news about the treatment of sexual problems today.

Often, such difficulties are temporary and easily solved. In this Diabetes Forecast special section, we bring you up to date on the latest research and most promising treatment options. We describe the three different oral medicines for ED, as well as a variety of self-help and medical approaches for women's sexual problems. And we explore how psychological and emotional health can directly affect sexual functioning and enjoyment for both men and women.

Finally, we offer help with what may be the most difficult, and the most essential, step in solving sexual problems: talking openly and honestly with your partner. Our 10 tips for talking about sex can help you and your partner face sexual problems together and make a great start toward reclaiming your sex life in a positive and loving way.