Dimensions
135 x 203 x 14mm
Addiction has long been deeply misunderstood in our culture and our approaches to treatment. Rather than being a reflection of impulsiveness, self-destructiveness, or brain chemistry, addiction is a deeply routed psychological phenomenon. In his ground-breaking book The Heart of Addiction, Dr. Lance Dodes rejected pat explanations of alcoholism as a disease and explored the underlying emotions that drive addictive behaviors-be they drinking, gambling, obsessive sex, or otherwise. In his practice and research, Dodes has found that virtually every addictive act is preceded by a feeling of helplessness or powerlessness-deeply routed in the past-which addictive behavior functions to repair.
Now, in Breaking Addiction, Dodes presents a comprehensive guide outlining seven critical steps to overcome addiction, based on these theories. In his straightforward style, Dodes incorporates case stories to illustrate the common emotional factors underlying all addictions, and the process of self-examination that allows you to recognize these factors at work in yourself. When you learn how addiction works, and the emotional purpose your addiction serves, Dodes shows you can take back control of your life.
An enormous group of people, put off by AA and other recovery programs heavy on dogma and light on insight, are hungry for an approach that digs addiction up by its roots. Since the publication of The Heart of Addiction, Dodes' ideas have been incorporated into the practice of therapists and treatment centers around the country, and are taught at major addiction treatment centers, training centers for clinicians, and universities. Including a special section for those whose loved ones suffer with addiction, and a section for treatment professionals, Breaking Addiction is poised to be the handbook for a new comprehensive, in-depth understanding of addiction.
