October 2025
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    I’ve been struggling lately. Lots of anxiety attacks, feeling super dissociated and sluggish. I can’t seem to get out of bed to do anything and I’ve been oversleeping a lot. My social battery’s at zero, and I’ve been becoming more aware of old trauma too, which has been heavy. I really want to bring about some change and feel happier before my uni starts again. Any book recs that could help me feel grounded, motivated, or just a bit more like myself again?

    by 1234nowait4321

    3 Comments

    1. brusselsproutsfiend on

      I’m sorry you’re going through this. I hope things get easier soon.

      **The books that have helped me the most with trauma:**

      Every Memory Deserves Respect by Deborah Korn – talks about EMDR therapy which I found invaluable for dealing with pasta trauma

      The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation and Distress Intolerance by Matthew McKay

      PTSD Sourcebook by Glenn R. Schiraldi

      The Mindful Self Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff

      Retrain Your Brain by Seth J. Gillihan

      Coping Skills by Faith G. Harper

      The Negative Thoughts Workbook by David A. Clark

      Chatter by Ethan Kross

      Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Sarah M. Winston

      The CBT Deck: 101 Practices to Improve Your Thoughts, Be in the Moment and Take Action in Your Life by Seth J. Gillihan

      **Some more options:**

      Dissociation Made Simple by Jamie Marich

      Hell Yeah Self Care by Alex Iantaffi

      Self-Directed DBT Skills by Kiki Fehling

      Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation by Suzette Boon

      Complex PTSD From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker

      The Complex PTSD Workbook by Arielle Schwartz

      A Practical Guide to Complex PTSD by Arielle Schwartz

      Complex PTSD From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker

      A Practical Guide to Complex PTSD by Arielle Schwartz

      The Great Book of Journaling by Eric Maisel

      The Anxiety Toolkit by Alice Boyes

      Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer

    2. I’m gonna say something crazy here but I think you should avoid books and get out there around people. Books are beautiful things, but they can also be a way to disassociate if you’re feeling that down. Start with small ways to get outside, get some sun, go to a cafe, do a consistent thing every day that forces you out and to be talking to people. Maybe it’s even just going to the library once a week. Once you get that into your routine, then I’d recommend re-reading something you love. Hang in there! <3

    3. If you’re looking for nonfiction, consider Already Enough by Lisa Olivera. For something light, cozy and grounding that’s fiction, check out We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida.

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