What Are Self-Help Cards?

Self-help cards are flash cards that can be used to help their owners cope with a variety of ailments, both physical and emotional. Both sides of the cards are usually employed to illustrate a problem and to provide remedies, advice, and inspiration, as well as motivation or coping techniques. They can also be created to help a person address common fears or phobias.

These types of cards commonly teach an individual self-help concepts. Illustrations can be presented on one side of a card, while corresponding textual descriptions or explanations can be found on a card's other side. When both sides are used in conjunction with one another, the self-help cards can be best described as flash cards.

Those who look for cards dedicated to teaching self-help concepts are usually looking for supplemental materials that will help them work through internal issues. Using these cards and reminding themselves of the self-help strategies contained on them can lead to increased levels of contentment, inspiration, and confidence. What a specific individual gleans from using these cards can be entirely dependent on his or her openness to the concepts presented, and how he or she chooses to incorporate the lessons on them into his or her life.

Despite self-help cards' reputations for being tools used on a person's inner being, there is an increasing trend of utilizing self-help cards to work through physical problems as well. For example, a self-help card collection that is devoted to teaching owners about back pain and associated techniques that can help alleviate it may illustrate a specific type of back pain on one side of the card, while providing information on possible pain catalysts and remedies on the other. These types of cards can be referred to whenever instances of physical problems present and can help the recovery efforts.

While numerous self-help cards can come in a deck, there may come a time when only a few or one card may be relevant to a problem in the person's life. When this happens, those specific cards can be referenced individually. The goal of using self-help cards is to practically incorporate the lessons, techniques, and strategies that they detail into their owners' lives.

Self-help cards can also be a way to remind individuals about self-help techniques and strategies while in specific situations. In cases like these, those who are undergoing stress or crisis can use the cards to remind themselves of effective coping mechanisms that will push them through their issue. For example, a person who has trouble speaking in public environments can invest in a self-help deck tailored to help motivate those with a fear of public speaking to complete a speech while in the presence of others.