Are self-help books syrupy psycho-babble or simple strategies for coping with reality? Irish bookshelves are bursting at the seams with every type of self-help book offering advice to overcome anxiety, gain confidence and cure dietary problems. But are they useful?
"The bulk of self-help books are not helpful. They are plugging into people's perceived vulnerabilities and the authors are pop psychologists who feed on people's neurosis. But it depends on the degree of problem, readers shouldn't just pick up any self-help book. If an individual has minor psychological problems, they may not be harmful but I certainly wouldn't recommend them all. If people feel they need psychological help, they should approach the professionals," advises Veronica O'Keane, consultant psychiatrist at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
What kind of prescription do people need that they are driven in a feeding frenzy towards self-help books? "They're just like Italian cookery books. Everyone wants to have one but they might never follow their instructions. They're useful for shy people but some of the wilder American ones are ludicrous. Most of them help you believe in yourself and to become fearless of trying new things," says Sally Mimnagh, book purchasing manager at Easons in O'Connell Street, Dublin, which stocks 42 shelves of such books.
Confidence is a valuable asset but can it really be bought or learned from the pages of a book? "Some claim to be fantastic at changing people's lives and that's unhelpful but the majority of self-help books contain constructive advice. People have all sorts of problems, sometimes generated by the media, and are looking for help and reassurance but these authors are trying to make money and we can't deny that," admits Dr Art O'Connor, consultant psychiatrist at Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum.
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff And It's All Small Stuff is America's biggest-selling book of 1997 and is already flying out of Irish bookshops. Its author, Dr Richard Carlson, practises his own theory as he smiles, relaxing into the armchair on a recent visit to Dublin - teaching us not to worry about the little things in life that drive you crazy. His charming, cheerful nature oozes both energy and composure at the same time. But who could be anxious as author of his 12th book, while waiting on a cut of 4.5 million sales? Dr Carlson (Ph.D) from California, "encourages people to let go of resentment, listen to your feelings and do something nice for someone else without telling anyone about it".
He denies capitalising on people's insecurities. "I can't help that the book became an American phenomena. I could get angry with the sceptics but then the tabloids would be on to me. I'm an ordinary person who has been extraordinarily fortunate that people listen to what I have to say."
Dr Carlson realises: "Everyone has a right to be angry but I'm not teaching a Pollyanna approach to life - people should see the joy in not being so bothered all the time and reduce their stress level significantly. Life isn't one big drama. Circumstances don't make a person, they reveal him or her. We're all dealt a different deck of cards but many people use the fact that life isn't fair to ruin their lives."
He discourages cluttering our minds with people's annoying habits and dissuades us from keeping score of house chores. Does it really matter that the toothpaste has dribbled on the sink because someone forgot to replace the lid, again? Smile and don't take life so seriously as these habits are the epitome of "small stuff", according to Dr Carlson. In today's rat-race his advice is warm comfort. All he wants is to be known as "a nice man, not as an author".
Psychotherapist Rhoda Draper recommends self-help books, but, believes there is conflicting information out there and "picking the right one for you is difficult". Self-concept, she adds, is the soft squidgy bit that we like to hide from others when we don't talk easily about certain subjects.
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff . . . And It's All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson is published by Hodder and Stoughton. Price £8.75.