The topic is bibliotherapy for chronic pain. The following was taken from the website psychoptions.com\bibliotherapy.htm. Bibliotherapy refers to book therapy or a list of books that may be helpful in understanding a newly developed problem, a diagnosis, or a suggestive treatment. Knowledge is power and the more you understand, the better you will be able to place your problem in perspective and inquire about it or discuss your concerns with mental and medical health practitioners, as well as concerned family members. The following is a list of resources from Psychoptions that may help you understand your own problems or those of your loved ones or family.  In many instances, reading is a first step in the process of understanding our behaviors or illnesses. Also, several self-help books may actually help us help ourselves when a problem is straightforward and not so serious as to require professional help. Please realize that this section has been prepared for your convenience and ease of access in educational and supportive materials. No one book is recommended over another, and there are likely many other fine books available on the following topics. This is not required reading but rather suggested reading. Hopefully you will find something of value in the following selections. Enjoy! 

     The topics listed include:

• Anxiety.
• Borderline personality disorder.
• Cancer.
• Chronic illness/pain.
• Communication.
• Depression.
• Geriopsychiatry (depression/dementia/caregivers/elder rights).
• Grief/loss (death/divorce/widowhood).
• HIV/AIDS.
• Manic depression (bipolar).
• Medications/psychiatric drugs.
• Nonfiction self-expiration.
• Obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Posttraumatic stress disorder.
• Schizophrenia.

     Under the section of chronic pain and illness, the following books were mentioned. The Chronic Pain Control Workbook; a Step-By-Step Guide for Coping with and Overcoming Pain, Second Edition, New Harbinger, 1996, by Ellen Catalano. This book uses psychological techniques in a practical, rational approach, incorporating charts, diagrams, and illustrations for controlling pain through exercise, stress management, medications and support groups. 

     The next book that is mentioned is: Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired (Living with Invisible Chronic Illness). W. W. Norton, 1994 by Paul Donoghue written by two psychologists who suffer from chronic illness and for those suffering from chronic illnesses such as crones, colitis, lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and IBS, etc.  A practical book with techniques for dealing with an illness that is not visible to others and therefore often misunderstood.  

     The next book:  After the Diagnosis; From Crisis to Personal Renewal for Patients with Chronic Illnesses. Ulysses Press, 1995, Joanne LeMaistre, PhD. Shortly after her clinical training in psychology, Dr. LeMaistre was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and so began her journey from crisis to renewal, including working with others with chronic illness. Dr. LeMaistre draws on her personal situation and professional expertise to help individuals in her family to cope with a chronic illness.

     Next is Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome (a survivor manual), New Harbinger, 1996, by Devin J. Starlanyl, teaches the individual to identify trigger points and how to cope with the chronic pain, sleep problems, and includes a multitude of resources and information.    

     Next is Mastering Pain; a 12-step Program for Coping with Chronic Pain. Valentine Books $19.95, by Richard A. Sternbach. Sternbach is the director of the pain clinic at Scripps Clinic and provides a program for pain control (sports injuries, back problems, migraines, arthritis, and etc.). It discusses analgesics; analgesia; relaxation, and biofeedback, positive reinforcement in a training program for confronting pain.

     Another website goes over a book entitled, Review Essay: The Psychology of Bibliotherapy for Pain. This is an older book but still could be quite helpful.

     The next book is from a website called, overcoming.co.uk, entitled, “Overcoming Common Mental Health Problems One Step at a Time”. Bibliotherapy is discussed in this article. The first books on "prescription scheme" were set up in Cardiff in 2003, based on the work of psychologist Dr. Neil Frude. He makes use Bibliotherapy, “An alternate way of making phychotherapy available to people with mild to moderate mental health problems”. Talking about the establishment through Wales and then across the rest of the UK, Professor Frude wrote, “There is a good positive evidence for the use of bibliotherapy involving employing high quality books. The result of several studies have demonstrated powerful bibliotherapeutic effects, and there is little doubt that such an approach is likely to be cost-effective. Bibliotherapy also has certain advantages over medications, including:

• High patient acceptability.
• More immediate effects than some... (particularly antidepressant) medication. 
• No rebound effect when treatment comes to an end.
• Tendency for continued improvement over time.
• Lower relapse rates.
• No appreciable adverse side effects.
• No adverse reaction with medication or other forms of treatment.
• No danger of overdose.

1.   Social Anxiety and Shyness. 

2.   Low self-esteem. 

3.   Panic. 

4.   Bulimia Nervosa and binge eating, and

5.   Anxiety. 

They note the most popular overcoming titles are: 

1.   Low Self-Esteem.

2.   Depression.

3.   Anxiety. 

4.   Social Anxiety and Shyness. 

5.   OCD. 

6.   Anger. 

7.   Panic.

8.   Childhood trauma. 

9.   Bulimia Nervosa and binge eating, and

10. Traumatic stress.

Next is an article from psycnet.apa.org. This is a psych article entitled, “Self-help Treatment for Insomnia (Bibliotherapy With and Without Professional Guidance).” They note that 54 adults with primary insomnia were randomly assigned to a self-help treatment (a cognitive behavioral bibliotherapy (BT), BT with weekly phone consultation, or a waiting list control (WL) group. Treated participants were mailed six treatment booklets at the rate of one booklet per week; one half of them also received minimal professional guidance through a 15-minute weekly phone consultation. The WL group members continued to monitor their sleep during this period. Participants in both treatment groups improved significantly on the main outcome variables (total awake time and sleep efficiency) at post-treatment, whereas WL participants remained unchanged. The addition of weekly phone calls slightly enhanced improvement at post-treatment. However, both treatment conditions were comparable at follow-up. These results suggested BT (bibliotherapy), with or without minimal professional guidance, is an effective approach for treating primary insomnia.