Stressed-out Britons snap up 3m books on self-help
STRESSED Britons are increasingly resorting to self-help books in an effort to cope with their daily lives.
More than three million self-help books were sold last year, an increase of 20 per cent from 2017.
The sales boom means self-improvement and popular psychology is one of the fastest-growing genres in the publishing world.
Author Suzy Reading said: ‘Over the past ten years or so, there’s been a shift from psychologists just studying mental illness, and more on to what makes life worth living.
‘At the same time, people are more aware about mental health issues and wellbeing, so these books can help them.’
The psychologist and mother of two, whose book The Self-Care Revolution: Smart Habits And Simple Practices To Allow You To Flourish is among the top titles of the year, added: ‘Of course, there is always room for using a therapist to deal with traumas and conflict.
‘But it is good that people can work on things with books. These books can help open people’s eyes.’
The sector now accounts for £30 million of book sales a year in the UK, boosted by self-help guides by celebrities, including Russell Brand, Ruby Wax and Fearne Cotton.
Keira O’Brien, of The Bookseller magazine, said a sub-genre of authors was appealing specifically to men.
She added: ‘It is almost like male readers are looking for guidance or reassurance on how to be a man in a post-MeToo world.
‘It’s a noticeable skew which has never really happened before.’