Before choosing any self-help materials, you should first have a clear idea about what you want to improve about yourself. Books, CDs, and videos are all great self-help materials, and some self-help information can also be found on the Internet. Friends and doctors may be able to recommend self-help products, but you should also make sure that they are easy to understand and come from a trusted authority on the subject. Many self help resources may also be targeted toward a particular gender, age group, or religion.
Any self-help materials you try should focus on an area that you are looking to improve about yourself. Self-help resources that are not targeted toward your specific problem will usually do you no good. For example, a childless person will usually find a parenting self-help book rather useless.
You should then decide which type of media you want your self-help materials to be in. Self-help books are very popular, for example, and these can be found in book stores and libraries. Movies and CDs are another option. The Internet is also full of self-help resources, and many of them are free.
When choosing the best self-help resources, you may want to ask trusted individuals for advice. Friends and family members who have dealt with similar problems may be able to recommend an excellent self-help resource, for instance. Your doctor or self-help support group may also be able to recommend materials.
The best self-help materials for you, however, will largely depend on your personal preferences. Make sure that they are easy for you to understand. Flip through self-help book and read a few pages, if possible, to make sure that you like the author's writing style. If you are a more lighthearted person, for instance, you may not benefit from a self-help book that is completely serious.
You should also consider where the self-help resources come from. The best self-help materials are typically written by experts in their fields. A psychologist specializing in depression, for instance, would usually be able to write a credible self-help depression book.
Many self-help materials are geared toward a specific type of person. Self-help resources may be targeted toward either men or women, for instance. Self-help materials are also available for different ages groups, from children to teenagers. Christian self-help resources may also be beneficial to spiritual individuals.