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The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors
Books: Text Books: Psychotherapy: Item 2
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The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviorsby Lance M. Dodes
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful: A thought--provoking and important presentation of ideas, May 23, 2003 Reviewer:J. Manly "healthychoices" (Honolulu, HI United States) - As a licensed social worker and certified substance abuse counselor, I found the author's presentation intriguing--for both professional mental health providers and for those struggling with issues of addiction. He makes the case for more individualized treatment, especially the integration of past history with present issues. (In other words, WHY does the addict want to use WHEN he/she does?) According to the author, addiction is a personal and unique response to learned helplessness.) His conceptualization of addiction is one I'd like to see offered as an option to consider for all people seeking treatment for addiction, especially those who struggle with maintaining sobriety and feel stuck in the revolving door. That said, his limitation is derived from his strength; he focuses solely on the individual. Unfortunately, he does not address what I see as an equally important consideration, the individual in the environment. Addiction will remain such an attractive alternative, especially to our youth, as long as we focus only on negative behaviors such as addctions, and neglect to provide ready access to programs that develop competencies in a wide range, good community recreational programs, and options for training and jobs. The case history presentation makes for easy reading. The author's credentials and experience merit consideration from a wide range of readers.
Product Review
It may be time for a closer look at some of our assumptions about addiction. Between the predominance of 12-step programs and incorrect information issued by the press, thousands of people are getting misinformation instead of the help they need. Lance Dodes, in his book The Heart of Addiction, reexamines common myths and provides a world of new recommendations aimed at helping anyone with an addiction, be it to gambling, alcohol, or prescription medications. Rather than focusing on the specific object of addiction, he chooses instead to look at the common desires and emotions present in anyone with addiction issues.
Through years of private practice and work in substance-abuse clinics, Dodes has noticed a pattern behind addiction--a pattern of anger, helplessness, and shame, coupled with a desire for immediate escape from these feelings. In presenting multiple composite cases, he shows us repeatedly that addiction is more than an uncontrollable desire for the substances; it is a behavior pattern with deeply emotional roots. Included are detailed explanations of differences between physical tolerance, abuse, and addiction, as well as an unusual questionnaire that focuses on the underlying reasons for drinking, rather than the more traditional one that covers specific amounts, methods, and results of imbibing. Separate chapters discuss particular issues of teens and couples, and special recommendations for seeking treatment are also included. --Jill Lightner
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
In a study based on 25 years of professional practice, clinical psychiatrist Dodes (Harvard medical Sch.) shares his refreshingly new insights into treating addictive behaviors. Rebuffing shallow explanations of these problems (such as categorizing addictions as diseases), Dodes instead explains the emotional underpinnings of addictive behaviors, revealing that they are preceded by feelings of helplessness or powerlessness. Working with addictive behaviors is one of the most difficult challenges faced in the helping professions, and, as the author frankly states, efforts are further hindered by the classic myths of addictions, including the notion that people are addicted to the things that are addictive and that "addicts" should always be treated by someone who also has the addiction. Filled with realistic case examples, this new approach challenges the prevalent thinking in professional practice while explaining why people feel an impulse to engage in unproductive addictive behavior and what they can do about it. Highly recommended for counselors, psychiatrists, and university libraries supporting helping profession curriculums. Dale Farris, Groves, TX
Copyright 2002 Reed business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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