The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors Review

I am licensed as a therapist specializing in chemical dependency and have worked in the field of addiction for many years and have treated hundreds of people and thousands of family members. I read about addiction constantly, review all research and I must say that although this book is very well written is fraught with the same misconceptions and twists of logic that have been around and answered for many years. This is just a more stylish manner of refuting redundant research and twisting logic by lumping terms together and holding out the hope that if an addict or alcoholic can address their inner demons they can use in moderation. The book equates compulsive obsessive behaviors such as sex addiction with alcoholism. It tries to convince you that apples are the same as oranges. It suggests that problems cause addiction when the opposite is true. This book would be totally refuted if openly subject to scientific review alone. It doesn't even address AA. They book is written by a therapist who wants to "treat" you for your "addictions" that are caused by your own supposed "inability to cope". Although this may be true of sexual compulsivity or hand washing, it simply does not fit with known and documented bio genetic predispositional properties and cellular bio mechanical attributes of chemical dependency. Ask a responsible therapist if individual counseling works on addicts. It almost always ends in failure. Why not address AA? Perhaps because it does not entirely jive with the premise of this book; That people can "learn" or be "therapized" into wellness from drug and alcohol addiction, which is not only irresponsible, but potentially hazardous to the alcoholic who is desperate to learn how to drink "normally". I guess, if not for the intentional misinformation, it could be an entertaining read for someone with OCD issues. The book perpetuates ignorance and false hopes about chemical addiction. A better read can be found in Milam and Ketcham's milestone book "Under The Influence."

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