Book cover of The Disease to Please: Curing the People-Pleasing Syndrome

Book description

What's wrong with being a "people pleaser?" Plenty!

"A fascinating book... If you struggle with where, when, and how to draw the line between your own desires and the demands of others, buy this book!" Kay Redfield Jamison, bestselling author of An Unquiet Mind and Night Falls Fast

People pleasers…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Disease to Please as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book is another great book for people with anxiety. The desire for social acceptance can be very anxiety-provoking for many people. This can lead to a pattern of self-denial and people-pleasing behaviors. This book teaches how to have healthy boundaries while still having positive relationships, thereby reducing anxiety. This book is very well-written, simple, easy to follow, and highly recommended by therapists and counselors.

Are you a people pleaser? A lot of my clients are. They worry about people liking them. They end up taking on tasks they really don’t want to do because they don’t know how to set boundaries or say “no” effectively. This book looks at the mindsets, habits, and emotional components of people-pleasing, and provides a 21-day plan to teach yourself specific skills to overcome these tendencies. When you do, you will automatically be treating yourself better.

If you love The Disease to Please...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Disease to Please?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Disease to Please.

Browse books like The Disease to Please

Book cover of Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
Book cover of Get Out of My Head: Inspiration for Overthinkers in an Anxious World
Book cover of The Magic

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

186

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Disease to Please, you might also like...

Book cover of Child of Vanris

Child of Vanris by Nikki McCormack,

At five years old, Kasiel was found with the pointed ends of his ears cut off. Despite that brutal start, he’s lived twelve peaceful years with the man who took him in. Keeping his hair long over his mutilated ears helps him hide the fact that he is Vanrian, a…

Book cover of Almost Home

Almost Home by Howard Means,

Almost Home is a fictional retelling of the last great tragedy of the Civil War.

In late April 1865, almost 2,000 newly freed Union prisoners of war are packed onto the steamer Sultana, in poor repair and with a listed capacity of 376 passengers. Among them are four Indiana soldiers…

5 book lists we think you will like!