Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie Smith (2022)
Tips and tricks to help your maintain mental health and deal with challenges.
Laura’s Rating: 3/5 Stars
Plot: Dr. Julie Smith shares some of the basics of mental health, ways to reframe your thinking, and other tips and tricks for dealing with common problems.
Opinion: I like the concept of this book. Most of the information is pretty basic stuff, but still interesting and full of important reminders. I have this issue with a lot of self-help type books, where I often think they would work better as an article or something shorter form. The information is good, but it’s repetitive and drawn out for the sake of making it book length. I found myself listening intently to some chapters, but checked out and bored during others.
Here’s a few pieces of advice I found helpful that also sum up some key points in the book:
Try to distance yourself from negative thoughts or feelings to provide perspective, rather than simply trying to ignore them.
Don’t apply your own values to others. We can have a rule for ourselves like “always be on time”, but when we apply that expectation to others, we’re disappointed when they don’t meet it.
Mindfulness and meditation can be helpful in creating clarity of mind.
Slow change is sustainable change. Aim to make good decisions, not perfect ones.
Repeat healthy behaviors to establish them as easy paths for your brain to take (i.e. brushing your teeth is second nature.)
I think the chapter on supporting someone was one of the most helpful. A lot of us don’t know how to support someone going through a tough time and this gave helpful and practical tips. One thing I disliked was that I feel like the author oversimplifies the concept of anxiety. She really only focuses on social anxiety and stereotypical situations, rather than other uncomfortable feelings like frustration that can be brought about by anxiety.
Overall, this book felt like Therapy 101. It’s basic, but informative. I think pieces of this book are valuable, but I’m not sure this is the most efficient way to get that information.
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