The Best Abuse Self-Help Books 2025

1. Please Stop Laughing at Me : One Woman's Inspirational Story (Paperback)

The author shares the cruelty that was heaped on her by her classmates when she was labeled a freak in high school, describing what it meant to be an outcast among one's peers and her struggle to overcome the torment. While other children were daydreaming about dances, first kisses, and college, Jodee Blanco was trying to figure out how to go from homeroom to study hall without being taunted or spit upon as she walked through the halls. This powerful, unforgettable memoir chronicles how one child was shunned--and even physically abused--by her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is an unflinching look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent disaster, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community. You will be shocked, moved, and ultimately inspired by this harrowing tale of survival against insurmountable odds. This vivid story will open your eyes to the harsh realities and long-term consequences of bullying--and how all of us can make a difference in the lives of teens today.

While other children were daydreaming about dances, first kisses, and college, Jodee Blanco was trying to figure out how to go from homeroom to study hall without being taunted or spit upon as she walked through the halls. This powerful, unforgettable memoir chronicles how one child was shunnedand even physically abusedby her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is an unflinching look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent disaster, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community. You will be shocked, moved, and ultimately inspired by this harrowing tale of survival against insurmountable odds. This vivid story will open your eyes to the harsh realities and long-term consequences of bullyingand how all of us can make a difference in the lives of teens today.

2. The Please Stop Laughing at Me . . . Journal : A Safe Place for Us to Talk (Hardcover)

The author shares the cruelty that was heaped on her by her classmates when she was labeled a freak in high school, describing what it meant to be an outcast among one's peers and her struggle to overcome the torment. Maybe you're a kid struggling to fit in and you feel like nobody understands what you're going through. (Or maybe you're the parent of a lonely, bullied child who's tried everything to get your son or daughter to open up, with disappointing results. Or an educator concerned about a friendless student.) This is your first step toward finding your way back to yourself. Jodee Blanco, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Please Stop Laughing at Me . . ., designed this fresh and innovative journal to help you draw out of silence to a place of renewed self-understanding and acceptance. Chock-full of insightful quotes, practical activities, and meaningful questions, Jodee gives you a safe place to vent, accompanying you on a guided tour of your deepest thoughts and emotions. Sharing memories from her own painful adolescence, the author speaks as a kindred spirit, holding your hand as you begin to reclaim your hope for the future, one diary entry at a time.

Maybe you're a kid struggling to fit in and you feel like nobody understands what you're going through. (Or maybe you're the parent of a lonely, bullied child who's tried everything to get your son or daughter to open up, with disappointing results. Or an educator concerned about a friendless student.) This is your first step toward finding your way back to yourself. Jodee Blanco, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Please Stop Laughing at Me . . ., designed this fresh and innovative journal to help you draw out of silence to a place of renewed self-understanding and acceptance. Chock-full of insightful quotes, practical activities, and meaningful questions, Jodee gives you a safe place to vent, accompanying you on a guided tour of your deepest thoughts and emotions. Sharing memories from her own painful adolescence, the author speaks as a kindred spirit, holding your hand as you begin to reclaim your hope for the future, one diary entry at a time.

3. The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story, Pre-Owned (Paperback)

Pre-Owned - The #1 New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author who is a shining example of what overcoming adversity really means now shares the lost chapter of his uplifting journey, which has touched the lives of millions. From A Child Called It to The Lost Boy, from A Man Named Dave to Help Yourself, Dave Pelzer's inspirational books have helped countless others triumph over hardship and misfortune. In The Privilege of Youth, he shares the missing chapter of his life: as a boy on the threshold of adulthood. With sensitivity and insight, he recounts the relentless taunting he endured from bullies; but he also describes the thrill of making his first real friends--some of whom he still shares close relationships with today. He writes about the simple pleasures of exploring his neighborhood, while trying to forget the hell waiting for him at home.From high school to a world beyond the four walls that were his prison for so many years, The Privilege of Youth bravely and compassionately charts this crucial turning point in Dave Pelzer's life and will inspire a whole new generation of readers.

The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story, Pre-Owned (Paperback)

4. The Cupboard Under the Stairs: A Boy Trapped in Hell..., Used [Paperback]

Paul Mason's father was a policeman. He was also a member of a sadistic paedophile ring. He would keep Paul locked up and naked in a tiny cupboard under the stairs of their home before sexually abusing him. This cycle of abuse continued for several years and also affected his brother. The cupboard became a horrific prison where fear and terror filled his every moment. The Cupboard Under the Stairs is a story of abuse at the mercy of adults whom Paul should have been able to trust. There followed a life almost destroyed by their actions. It is the harrowing story of one man's fight for justice and an end to the horrific memories that still haunt him daily.

The Cupboard under the Stairs : A Boy Trapped in Hell..., Used [Paperback]

5. Empowering Survivors of Abuse Vol. 1 : Health Care for Battered Women and Their Children, Used [Paperback]

How can the health-care system be transformed from a site of further victimization to a place of sanctuary and empowerment for battered women and their children? This excellent compilation provides nurses, physicians, social workers and public health professionals with the skills needed to effectively intervene in cases of domestic violence. The volume contains original research together with clinical, policy and educational applications to give readers an understanding of abused women's experiences. Strategies for violence prevention, early identification, clinical interventions and policy reformation are among the vital topics covered by contributors who are directly involved, on a daily basis, with victims of interperson

Empowering Survivors of Abuse Vol. 1 : Health Care for Battered Women and Their Children, Used [Paperback]

6. Shredding the Shame: Healing Childhood Abuse, Used [Paperback]

A healing snapshot of one 'Victor's' journey to releasing the shame of childhood sexual abuse. Finding her voice in a refusal to allow a painful past to hinder her future, she became determined to inspire others to do the same. Join Kelli as she savors the freedom of ending the secrecy and elevates the conversation to inspire the other '1 in 4 females' and '1 in 6 males' to take steps towards healing and empowerment.

Shredding the Shame : Healing Childhood Abuse, Used [Paperback]

7. Dear Mama [Paperback - Used]

CONDITION - USED - Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels or previous owner inscriptions. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included. While other little girls were playing with dolls and kitchenttes, Sydelle was learning to cook and clean in a real kitchen as the 'pretend wife' of a crude old man. This courageous and moving story chronicles how one child was subjected to sexual and mental abuse at the hands of someone she loved and admired. Sydelle was forced to hide her emotions as she interacted with her assailant day in and day out in social situations; while fearing night fall and his constant advances. This is an intense, endearing tale of survival in a powerfully moving spiritual journey of one girl's struggle to become a woman even through the devastation of abuse.

Dear Mama, Used [Paperback]

8. Traci Lords: Underneath It All [Paperback - Used]

CONDITION - USED - Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels or previous owner inscriptions. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included. The moving, gripping, and tell-all autobiography of Traci Elizabeth Lords, a former child porn queen, electronica maven, and cult movie and TV star. At 14, Nora Kuzma ran away from home and ended up on the dirty streets of Hollywood. She fell in with a fast crowd, and her dreams of modelling soon landed her a spectacular centrefold in Penthouse Magazine , where at 15 she became internationally known as TRACI LORDS. From there she appeared in numerous adult films and magazines, denying her past and battling a deep addiction to cocaine and men. Three years later she got out. This is her memoir-a tale of loss, redemption, and ultimate survival as Traci Elizabeth Lords takes you into her secretive past, faces her demons, and shares her extraordinary journey of personal growth.

Traci Lords: Underneath It All, Used [Paperback]

9. Playing With Fire, Used [Paperback]

In Playing with Fire , now in trade paperback, Theo Fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an NHL player, and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home. Dark personal issues began to surface and drinking, drugs, gambling, and girls ultimately derailed his Hall of Fame-caliber career. Fleury shares all in this raw, captivating and honest look at the previously untold story of one of the game's greatest heroes.

Playing With Fire, Used [Paperback]

10. The Girl among Thorns : Why Did She Stay So Long, Used [Paperback]

How can we understand the debilitating effects of incest, abandonment, and neglect? Many people ask "Why did she stay so long?" when they learn about yet another woman who has disclosed the tragic details of bondage, sex slavery, or long-term incest. In this true story, faith, love, and loyalty are put to the test as Chelsey struggles to survive. This honest and direct accounting of her life will help other survivors, loved ones, counselors, and church and community leaders understand the dynamics that break down a child's defenses and render them emotionally "frozen" and unable to flee or fight.

The Girl among Thorns : Why Did She Stay So Long, Used [Paperback]