9 Incredible Books For Caregivers On Overcoming Fear And Anxiety.

These are the 9 best books on overcoming fear and anxiety for caregivers who are helping somone they love battle cancer.

Feeling alone and stressed out? We’ve scoured the globe for the best book (well, the best 9) on overcoming fear and anxiety that will help you feel better, fast.

Dealing with a loved one’s cancer is no small feat. There is so much for you to tackle alongside them. These books are FULL to the brim of essential strategies and practical tips to help you get through.

There are all the tests, all the appointments, various treatments, your general caregiver duties, and all the other everyday matters like housekeeping and paying bills that don’t just go away.

Plus, hopefully, a little self-care, and a few self-help books here and there.

It’s not surprising, then, that there tends to be so much fear and anxiety that go along with this journey, no matter how prepared you feel or how much support you get.

It’s a lot to take, no matter how strong you are. Panic attacks just seem to be part of the gig. 🙁

The problem is, letting those anxious thoughts and feelings linger without properly dealing with them doesn’t help you at all. In fact, it can handicap you when you’re trying to be the best caregiver you can be, not to mention keeping your head with all the things on your plate.

That’s why I’ve put this list together: all about the best books on overcoming fear and anxiety.

Whatever is specifically getting you down lately, you will find something on this list to help put your soul more at ease! That’s true whether you’re looking for something Biblically-based, spiritually based but not Christian, or based on cognitive behavioral therapy. There’s truly something for everyone.

Head’s up… If you’re drowning in the overwhelm of a cancer diagnosis, we can help you SIMPLIFY the complex issues that come with cancer.  
  • Finding the best care
  • Talking with your insurance company
  • Finding resources that will actually help
  • Dealing with the fear, anxiety, and overwhelm of this whole situation.

You can get the Cancer Combat Plan FREE here…

So without further ado, here are the anxiety books.

Best Books On Overcoming Fear And Anxiety

Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World by Max Lucado

Cover of Anxious for Nothing

Max Lucado is extremely skilled at breaking down seemingly complicated biblical concepts into a step-by-step guide that’s easy-to-understand and live by principles, and this book is no different.

Lucado’s focus in this book is on Phillippians 4:6-7, which reads:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

It’s an extremely well-known and popular passage for a reason: it seems so straightforward! But sometimes living in an anxiety-free way is far easier said than done.

That’s where this book comes in.

The description on Amazon promises that this book will help you celebrate God’s goodness, ask God for help, leave your concerns with God, and meditate on good things. This is a great book to address all different types of fears, with God by your side.

You can get a copy on Amazon…

Mastering Fear: A Navy SEAL’s Guide by Brandon Webb and John David Mann

Mastering fear a Navy Seal's Guide cover.

Now if there’s anybody who knows a thing or two about how to overcome adversity and fear, it’s a Navy SEAL.

I mean, they do things every day that are beyond the imagination of someone like me who would probably crash the car if I was surprised by an enormous spider.

Just sayin’.

Anyway, the author of the book is bestselling author and former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb who makes a significant promise: to help you make your fears work for you, not against you.

Awesome, right?

But really, I mean, this guy has jumped from airplanes, taken down hostile ships, and traveled through the mountains of Afghanistan among other things. If anyone knows how to override your panic and not let it get in your way, it’s someone like Webb.

Not only does this book help you manage fear, but it’s also full of interesting anecdotes, which I always find personal stories and real-life examples makes the lessons stick better!

Webb promises to help you change your own fears from your biggest adversary into your greatest strength.

Sounds unthinkable, but this guy certainly knows how to handle stressful situations and he knows what he’s talking about.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Dr. Susan Jeffers

Cover of Feel the fear and do it anyway.

This one is considered a classic, considering it’s been reprinted as a 20th anniversary edition. Something with that kind of longevity and a readership of millions deserves a place on this list for sure!

Just like the author of the last book, Dr. Jeffers helps you focus on not letting fear take control of your life, but instead pushing through it to get to the life you want to live. Granted, she comes at it from more clinical psychology expertise, so if that’s more your jam, this might be the ideal book for you.

Her book explores what we’re afraid of and why, how to become more than just a victim of circumstances, how to make the right decisions when you’re unsure, how to stop negative self-talk, and how to create a life with more meaning – and more!

With an average 4.5 star rating and nearly 6000 reviews on Amazon, this is a must-read.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm by Thich Nhat Hanh

Cover of fear essential wisdom of getting through the storm.

This book is written from a different perspective by a Zen master and renowned spiritual leader, so it’s bound to help you feel at peace while you’re reading. In theory anyway.

But really, this is a promising book considering Hanh’s experiences in life, like Webb. He’s had personal trials that really qualify him to tell you about how to live a life free of the limitations of fear.

This book discusses where fears come from, the path to finding peace, and tools to help be more free of that fear in our daily lives.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown

Cover of Daring Greatly

The title of this book is inspired by this amazing quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly . . . who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”—Theodore Roosevelt

Inspiring, right?

Brown’s focus in this book is, as the title suggests, about the power that comes from willing to be vulnerable and in touch with your emotional response.

Because sometimes, you want to push it all down and put on a brave face, but that’s not what you need in the long run. And it’s not what the people around you need, either.

Daring Greatly is a book all about being courageous in the face of uncertainty and being proud of being in the arena you’re in, helping you shift how you see your current situation.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

 

The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt by Russ Harris

Cover of the Confidence Gap

This book is a little different in focus than the others in that it prioritizes building your self-confidence.

That can be helpful when you’re in a situation where you feel like you’re in over your head… Like facing the cancer diagnosis of a loved one, for instance.

It’s not surprising to sometimes feel like you’re totally not equipped for what you’re facing. That’s where this book really comes in handy.

The book uses techniques from a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (a powerful therapy that is used to treat even serious disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder).

The techniques are designed to help you fix your misconceptions about what confidence is and build it up, change your relationship with yourself in the present moment, more effectively handle negative thoughts and feelings, and clarify what matters most to you so you can use that as your driving force every day, rather than avoiding the scary and uncomfortable.

This book is a good place to start if you’re looking for a powerful, actionable read with practical advice

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Brave Enough: Getting Over Our Fears, Flaws, and Failures to Live Bold and Free by Nicole Unice

Cover of the book brave enough.

Like Lucado’s book, Unice’s book is a great accompaniment to daily Bible study in order to figure out God’s word for your life, free of the restrictions of your own fear or concerns you’re not doing enough.

Because I think we’ve all found ourselves on either side of that divide at times, right?

Brave Enough is all about finding ways to learn how to be enough for yourself in exactly the position God has put you in, living confidently regardless of your challenges.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Fear: Strategies for Eliminating Fear from Your Life by Ace McCloud

Cover for the fear overcome fear.

I love that this book recognizes the power of your mind. After all, it’s when your mind runs rampant with possibilities that things tend to run amok.

I mean, seriously, read a Stephen King book and your mind does a lot of imagining, inventing, and scaring you, even though you’re totally safe.

Think about what your mind can do when faced with real potential threats!

But that’s exactly the power that McCloud recognizes and helps you use to your advantage: to put fear in its proper place so it can be overcome and stop holding you back.

This is true whether you have the stress normal to caregivers or more serious issues with anxiety disorders overall, because McCloud focuses on helping you using proven psychological techniques based on scientific evidence.

All kinds of alternative methods techniques and different forms of treatments are explored, from diet and supplements, hypnosis, modern medical interventions, yoga, and other ideas.

Whatever your current situation, you’re bound to find at least a few different strategies to help you master and eliminate fear from your life.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Joy from Fear: Create the Life of Your Dreams by Making Fear Your Friend by Dr. Carla Marie Manly

Cover image for joy from fear- joy created from flowers

If that’s not a promising title, I don’t know what is.

As we’ve seen with the other books on this list, there’s a divide between those who want to encourage you to embrace your fear and those who desire to help you eliminate it. This book, of course, leans toward the former idea.

The concept here is that fear has messages to tell you, and trying to stuff it down can prevent you from learning what it’s meant to teach you.

Instead of seeing fear as an enemy, Manly wants to help you re-frame it and see it as an ally – and maybe even a best friend.

Manly uses the term “transformational fear” in her book, which is a really powerful way to put the concept.

Get your copy on Amazon here…

Even though it’s normal to feel anxious and afraid at times in this journey, these books will help you not spend a day longer than necessary stewing in that anxiety.

Regardless of the approach you would choose to take, these are all promising, well-reviewed, and very clearly the best books on overcoming fear and anxiety, no matter what specifically you’re facing. Finding the right book off this list is up to you.

Speaking of which, if you don’t want to wait for your copy to arrive or you find you don’t have time to read, you might want to check out Audible – click here to get a major discount for the first four months and start listening right now!

P.S. IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DEAL WITH A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, WE CAN HELP YOU FORMULATE A PLAN TO SIMPLIFY THE COMPLEX “STUFF” THAT COMES WITH THIS DISEASE…  
  • Finding the best care
  • Talking with your insurance company.
  • Finding resources that will actually help.
  • Dealing with the fear, anxiety, and overwhelm of this whole situation.

We can’t control the cancer, but we CAN show you how to manage this crisis.   And it’s 100% Free. 

You can get the Cancer Combat Plan FREE here…

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