# Feeling Good by David Burns

8 Hacker News commenters recommended Feeling Good by David Burns and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for its step-by-step cognitive behavioral therapy exercises for low mood, and say the exercises and explanations helped them directly.

## Why people recommend it

- Step-by-step CBT exercises for mood (4 comments): "The exercises in it, and the explanation of false labeling we do that causes us problems, are very helpful IMO." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47306238)) "the CBT approach that is explained in Feeling Good/Feeling Great is exactly how you do this" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46601784)) "It has the exact step by step process that you're looking for." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47001809))
- Cognitive therapy seen as effective (2 comments): "modern psychotherapy, like Cognitive Therapy which he advocates, has now begun to surpass the effectiveness of anti-depressants" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46813308)) "the CBT approach that is explained in Feeling Good/Feeling Great is exactly how you do this" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46601784))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie](https://hackerapproved.com/p/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people.md): 67 recommend
- [Atomic Habits by James Clear](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atomic-habits.md): 20 recommend
- [The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr](https://hackerapproved.com/p/easy-way-to-stop-smoking.md): 9 recommend
- [The Art of Money Getting by P.T. Barnum](https://hackerapproved.com/p/art-of-money-getting.md): 8 recommend
- [The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle](https://hackerapproved.com/p/power-of-now.md): 7 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451167767?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780451167767) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Feeling Good by David Burns", https://hackerapproved.com/p/feeling-good/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).