There are currently over 130 million books worldwide. This large number may be overwhelming, especially if you’re thinking about the focus of your first book. You may think there isn’t any topic left to write about anymore—but there’s always something sparking someone’s curiosity. If you’re still stuck on what to write about, you can consider mental health and everything about self-improvement.
The Popularity Of Self-Help Books And Other Mental Health Books
Mental health has become one of the world’s most significant discussions. With the political climate nowadays, people have become increasingly aware of mental health issues. As a result, many have started integrating mental health habits into their everyday lives.
This growing awareness has led to the rise of the self-improvement industry. Personal coaches, motivational speakers, holistic institutes, and self-help books are part of this industry. Simply put, these products and services aim to help people better themselves, not just mentally but also holistically.
At the current rate of the self-improvement industry’s growth, experts predict it to increase by 4.8% each year. Coaching services and self-help products are the major contributors to this growth. With almost a billion dollars in sales, researchers predict an annual increase of 8% for self-help and other mental books.
Mental Health As A Book Topic
With the projected statistics, you may become inclined to write anything about mental health. Before you do so, you have to look at the books already present in the market.
One way to incorporate mental health into your book is by exploring the idea of contentment. Most self-help books claim to have tips on how to improve the quality of life. These books provide in-depth discussions about overall satisfaction and the factors affecting this state.
There are also more specific self-help books. Some may focus on helping readers improve the financial aspect of their lives. Other books help readers find happiness. Getting over a breakup and healing a broken heart is also one of the industry’s leading topics. Readers benefit much from these books because they often have step-by-step processes on how to improve their situations.
Another genre of mental health books involves specific mental disorders. Some books tread lightly on the symptoms of depression and anxiety to help spread awareness. Often, these books help their reader understand themselves and their illnesses better. The more readers are aware, the easier they can gain control of their mental health.
Other books have the complete package, from the causes of mental health disorders to possible treatment plans. These books usually promote changes in lifestyle and way of thinking as complementary treatments to mental conditions. With the tips of these books, readers can achieve overall and holistic self-improvement.
Licensed psychologists and renowned lifestyle coaches write some of these mental health books. Their level of expertise makes their books effective, and thus, marketable. So, if you’re planning on writing about mental health, make sure you have enough credibility.
Benefits Of Mental Health Books
The variety of mental health books in the market provide readers with infinite options for references. If you can think about a mental health topic, maybe a couple of books are filed under it. And the reason why people keep on buying these books lies in how it benefits the readers.
- Awareness
Mental health books bring awareness to different conditions. Some writers discuss mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, stress disorders, and personality disorders. By examining these conditions, writers can raise awareness and help avoid the stigma towards mental health patients.
Books discussing these illnesses inform readers of symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatments. These books also contain ways to deal with loved ones with these disorders. If you plan on writing about mental illnesses, make sure to consult experts. You can also gather firsthand information from survivors willing to share their own stories for accuracy.
- Complementary Treatment
Mental health books can also provide readers with complementary treatments. Through tips and suggested lifestyle changes, books can help readers throughout their self-improvement journey. Studies have also found a positive impact of self-help books focusing on specific problems.
Since some psychologists and therapists also write books, they may suggest their books as a complementary workbook. Patients will then follow these books as they progress with their prescribed medication and therapy.
- Empowerment
Self-help books not only help readers with self-improvement. These books can also teach readers how to accept their lives as they deal with everyday tasks and problems. Self-help books are also about breaking the stigma of failure and teaching compassion and consideration to oneself.
How To Write Mental Health Books
You want your book to sell, and readers are highly inclined to buy and read books from trusted sources. So, before writing about mental health in your book, make sure you are knowledgeable enough.
Research by reading books and talking to people with expertise or experience in a specific mental health disorder. You can even interview mentally healthy people to share their insights and life hacks. Just make sure you inform them of your intentions even before interviewing them.
Another way to write about mental health is by talking about yourself. If you aren’t a licensed mental health professional, you can instead write about your own experiences and journey to self-improvement. This tactic can help you grow your following, making people see you as an authority-figure in mental health.
With the increasing mental health awareness nowadays, self-help and self-improvement books have become more popular. And you can use this trend to help you start on your book. As long as your readers trust your credibility, you will indeed have a fruitful writing career.