Download or read book Addiction Is a Choice written by Jeffrey A. Schaler and published by Open Court. This book was released on 2011-09-30 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Politicians and the media tell us that people who take drugs, including alcohol or nicotine, cannot help themselves. They are supposedly victims of the disease of 'addiciton', and they need 'treatment'. The same goes for sex addicts, shopping addicts, food addicts, gambling addicts, or even addicts to abusive relationships. This theory, which grew out of the Temperance movement and was developed and disseminated by the religious cult known as Alcoholics Anonymous, has not been confirmed by any factual research. Numerous scientific studies show that 'addicts' are in control of their behavior. Contrary to the shrill, mindless propaganda of the 'war on drugs', very few of the people who use alcohol, marijuana, heroin, or cocaine will ever become 'addicted', and of those who do become heavy drug users, most will matrue out of it in time, without treatment. Research indicates that 'treatment' is completely ineffective, an absolute waste of time and money. Instead of looking at drub addiction as a disease, Dr. Schaler proposes that we view it as willful commitment or dedication, akin to joining a religion or pursuing a romantic involvement. While heavy consumption of drugs is often foolish and self-destructive, it is a matter of personal choice.

Download or read book Drug Use for Grown Ups written by Dr. Carl L. Hart and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-01-11 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Hart’s argument that we need to drastically revise our current view of illegal drugs is both powerful and timely . . . when it comes to the legacy of this country’s war on drugs, we should all share his outrage.” —The New York Times Book Review From one of the world's foremost experts on the subject, a powerful argument that the greatest damage from drugs flows from their being illegal, and a hopeful reckoning with the possibility of their use as part of a responsible and happy life Dr. Carl L. Hart, Ziff Professor at Columbia University and former chair of the Department of Psychology, is one of the world's preeminent experts on the effects of so-called recreational drugs on the human mind and body. Dr. Hart is open about the fact that he uses drugs himself, in a happy balance with the rest of his full and productive life as a researcher and professor, husband, father, and friend. In Drug Use for Grown-Ups, he draws on decades of research and his own personal experience to argue definitively that the criminalization and demonization of drug use--not drugs themselves--have been a tremendous scourge on America, not least in reinforcing this country's enduring structural racism. Dr. Hart did not always have this view. He came of age in one of Miami's most troubled neighborhoods at a time when many ills were being laid at the door of crack cocaine. His initial work as a researcher was aimed at proving that drug use caused bad outcomes. But one problem kept cropping up: the evidence from his research did not support his hypothesis. From inside the massively well-funded research arm of the American war on drugs, he saw how the facts did not support the ideology. The truth was dismissed and distorted in order to keep fear and outrage stoked, the funds rolling in, and Black and brown bodies behind bars. Drug Use for Grown-Ups will be controversial, to be sure: the propaganda war, Dr. Hart argues, has been tremendously effective. Imagine if the only subject of any discussion about driving automobiles was fatal car crashes. Drug Use for Grown-Ups offers a radically different vision: when used responsibly, drugs can enrich and enhance our lives. We have a long way to go, but the vital conversation this book will generate is an extraordinarily important step.

Download or read book A Drug Addict s Choice written by Brian Painter and published by Page Publishing, Inc. This book was released on 2020-06-23 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tammy and Nick are two hardcore partying free spirits that will take you on a ride through their twisted world of addiction. Anything from alcohol to heroin takes them on a ride in this action-packed true story about two drug users. This book is about two people struggling with the ups and downs of the drug world.

Download or read book Addiction written by Gene M. Heyman and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2010-10-15 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a book sure to inspire controversy, Gene Heyman argues that conventional wisdom about addictionÑthat it is a disease, a compulsion beyond conscious controlÑis wrong. Drawing on psychiatric epidemiology, addictsÕ autobiographies, treatment studies, and advances in behavioral economics, Heyman makes a powerful case that addiction is voluntary. He shows that drug use, like all choices, is influenced by preferences and goals. But just as there are successful dieters, there are successful ex-addicts. In fact, addiction is the psychiatric disorder with the highest rate of recovery. But what ends an addiction? At the heart of HeymanÕs analysis is a startling view of choice and motivation that applies to all choices, not just the choice to use drugs. The conditions that promote quitting a drug addiction include new information, cultural values, and, of course, the costs and benefits of further drug use. Most of us avoid becoming drug dependent, not because we are especially rational, but because we loathe the idea of being an addict. HeymanÕs analysis of well-established but frequently ignored research leads to unexpected insights into how we make choicesÑfrom obesity to McMansionizationÑall rooted in our deep-seated tendency to consume too much of whatever we like best. As wealth increases and technology advances, the dilemma posed by addictive drugs spreads to new products. However, this remarkable and radical book points to a solution. If drug addicts typically beat addiction, then non-addicts can learn to control their natural tendency to take too much.

Download or read book Choices written by Odell Stigler and published by Fulton Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2024-04-05 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I have been clean and sober and cigarette-free for twenty-four years. I began using alcohol, marijuana, and smoking cigarettes at age fifteen. By the time I turned thirty, I was, in my own opinion, an alcoholic. In the last years of my addictions, I tried crack cocaine when I was around thirty-five. I was heading rapidly to the very bottom afterward. Of course, I smoked cigarettes for years. I tried many times and many ways to quit being addicted. My story includes the path my life unfolded. I prayed with the little faith I could muster. I tried the traditional methods of drug and alcohol treatment centers and the 12-step program. None worked for me. I also know that a lot of addicts experience similar outcomes. I landed myself in prison a couple of times. The first time should have been a wake-up call, but it was not. I failed to learn and grow from that experience. The second time, a couple of years later, I would finally be exposed to a force strong enough and at least as powerful enough to gain my attention. This force was my second time in prison due to my third operating while intoxicated charge (driving under the influence). I was sentenced to five years. The prison system released me after five and a half months, followed by four and a half months of mandatory work release supervision at the halfway house. My time in prison was so unpleasant. It caused me to suffer through the withdrawals of alcohol, crack, and cigarettes simultaneously. I also had to adapt to a life of incarceration. I had no say about most everything. I worked in the kitchen washing dishes, which oddly enough gave me something to look forward to. Here is my story. I have been completely sober from alcohol, crack, and cigarettes since December 5, 1999, the day I was sentenced and taken to jail to await transportation to prison. I hope you choose to read this essay for yourself or for a family member or friend.

Download or read book Facing Addiction in America written by Office of the Surgeon General and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-08-15 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All across the United States, individuals, families, communities, and health care systems are struggling to cope with substance use, misuse, and substance use disorders. Substance misuse and substance use disorders have devastating effects, disrupt the future plans of too many young people, and all too often, end lives prematurely and tragically. Substance misuse is a major public health challenge and a priority for our nation to address. The effects of substance use are cumulative and costly for our society, placing burdens on workplaces, the health care system, families, states, and communities. The Report discusses opportunities to bring substance use disorder treatment and mainstream health care systems into alignment so that they can address a person's overall health, rather than a substance misuse or a physical health condition alone or in isolation. It also provides suggestions and recommendations for action that everyone-individuals, families, community leaders, law enforcement, health care professionals, policymakers, and researchers-can take to prevent substance misuse and reduce its consequences.

Download or read book The Paradox of Choice written by Barry Schwartz and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-13 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented. As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression. In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice—the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish—becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse. By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counter intuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

Download or read book Drugs Addiction and the Brain written by George F. Koob and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2014-07-12 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drugs, Addiction, and the Brain explores the molecular, cellular, and neurocircuitry systems in the brain that are responsible for drug addiction. Common neurobiological elements are emphasized that provide novel insights into how the brain mediates the acute rewarding effects of drugs of abuse and how it changes during the transition from initial drug use to compulsive drug use and addiction. The book provides a detailed overview of the pathophysiology of the disease. The information provided will be useful for neuroscientists in the field of addiction, drug abuse treatment providers, and undergraduate and postgraduate students who are interested in learning the diverse effects of drugs of abuse on the brain. - Full-color circuitry diagrams of brain regions implicated in each stage of the addiction cycle - Actual data figures from original sources illustrating key concepts and findings - Introduction to basic neuropharmacology terms and concepts - Introduction to numerous animal models used to study diverse aspects of drug use. - Thorough review of extant work on the neurobiology of addiction

Download or read book Unbroken Brain written by Maia Szalavitz and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2016-04-05 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, addiction as a crime or as brain disease, and in equally outdated treatment. Challenging both the idea of the addict's "broken brain" and the notion of a simple "addictive personality," The New York Times Bestseller, Unbroken Brain, offers a radical and groundbreaking new perspective, arguing that addictions are learning disorders and shows how seeing the condition this way can untangle our current debates over treatment, prevention and policy. Like autistic traits, addictive behaviors fall on a spectrum -- and they can be a normal response to an extreme situation. By illustrating what addiction is, and is not, the book illustrates how timing, history, family, peers, culture and chemicals come together to create both illness and recovery- and why there is no "addictive personality" or single treatment that works for all. Combining Maia Szalavitz's personal story with a distillation of more than 25 years of science and research,Unbroken Brain provides a paradigm-shifting approach to thinking about addiction. Her writings on radical addiction therapies have been featured in The Washington Post, Vice Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, in addition to multiple other publications. She has been interviewed about her book on many radio shows including Fresh Air with Terry Gross and The Brian Lehrer show.

Download or read book The Addict s Choices written by John Childress and published by . This book was released on 2013-04 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Addict's Choices is a refreshingly transparent and unique look into the mindset of an addict. The title makes it clear that an addict is not a simple victim, but does have choices. The strength of this book is that it presents practical tools for anyone seeking hope and freedom. The Addict's Choices relates the life-journey of John Wesley Childress, and his story may mirror your life's journey as well. It is a personal and revealing narrative of an addict's life--from isolation, obsession, and drug abuse--into a new life and true deliverance. John convincingly states, "I have found less evidence that addiction is a disease, and more evidence that it is simply sin, which is a choice. This truth may not be very popular but that does not change the fact that it is a truth, one which I have discovered and experienced in my life." For those who have experienced drug addiction or for those who have people they care about who are addicted to drugs, this book offers real hope, true deliverance, and lasting positive results.

Download or read book Chasing the Scream written by Johann Hari and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2015-01-20 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times Bestseller What if everything you think you know about addiction is wrong? Johann Hari's journey into the heart of the war on drugs led him to ask this question--and to write the book that gave rise to his viral TED talk, viewed more than 62 million times, and inspired the feature film The United States vs. Billie Holiday and the documentary series The Fix. One of Johann Hari's earliest memories is of trying to wake up one of his relatives and not being able to. As he grew older, he realized he had addiction in his family. Confused, not knowing what to do, he set out and traveled over 30,000 miles over three years to discover what really causes addiction--and what really solves it. He uncovered a range of remarkable human stories--of how the war on drugs began with Billie Holiday, the great jazz singer, being stalked and killed by a racist policeman; of the scientist who discovered the surprising key to addiction; and of the countries that ended their own war on drugs--with extraordinary results. Chasing the Scream is the story of a life-changing journey that transformed the addiction debate internationally--and showed the world that the opposite of addiction is connection.

Download or read book Help for Drug Addicts written by Yvette Bandry and published by . This book was released on 2011-07-31 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life can sometimes get very difficult and hard to take. Different people cope in different ways with the stress that life brings. Regrettably, drugs have become the most prominent coping mechanism that people use to deal with life's problems. Drugs can be medical wonders if taken properly. They can cure our pains, aches and illnesses. They can also help us overcome some of our hang-ups and inhibitions. The problem begins when drugs are wrongly used. The thing about drugs is that it makes you feel good about yourself and the world around you - even for just a little while - and then it traps you into a vicious cycle of craving. You start feeling that you can't live without the euphoria and ecstasy that drugs give you and that you just can't cope with life's problems without the drugs. That's the onset of abuse and addiction.This guide is a self-help book for the drug addict and for those who have a love one with some form of substance addiction. You will get information on:* The effects of methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, nicotine, prescription drugs* How to identify your drug problem * How to identify the signs in others* How addiction works* Treatment options - rehab centers, safe detoxing, working the 12 steps, building your self-esteem* Intervention, involving the family* Calming the soul, staying soberThis book is a treatment guide so you can get the help you need to help yourself (or a love one) get clean and sober. We'll look at the signs of a problem and address the various drugs that are most likely to cause dependence. Then, with the help of experts, we'll give you some strategies that you can try to get you back on the road to a drug-free life.Drug addiction is a powerful demon that can sneak up on you and take over your life. You can help yourself get out of it. Your journey to recovery starts with your choice!

Download or read book Memoire of An Addict written by Ronald Mangum and published by Page Publishing Inc. This book was released on 2021-09-21 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in a world of choices, good and bad. I was immersed in a world of addiction and bad choices. My life spiraled out of control—in and out of prison, taking from anyone who crossed my path, self-exiled because I didn’t trust myself amid the world of chaos I created for myself. This is my life in the streets, dodging death and embracing my drug of choice, which was cocaine, wanting to stop after sixteen years but felt I couldn’t do it myself. How wrong I was! God took care of me. My mother and my sisters prayed for me. It never occurred to me to pray for myself, let go and let God, until I became sick and tired of being sick and tired. Everything I endured led me to the point of absolute surrender. This is the story of that surrender and, ultimately, my deliverance. Today, with God’s help, I am constantly evolving into a better person.

Download or read book The Drug Expert written by Craig W. Stevens and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2020-01-08 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Drug Expert: A Practical Guide to the Impact of Drug Use in Legal Proceedings targets academic and industry pharmacologists, pharmacology graduate students, and professionals and students of affiliated disciplines, such as pharmacy and toxicology. Users will find it to be an invaluable reference for those involved in the field. In addition, pharmacists and others who increasingly serve as expert witnesses and toxicologists will find an array of very useful information. - Focuses on important topics for the consulting pharmacologist, including prescription, over-the-counter and illegal drugs and their effects on criminal and civil proceedings - Details the "how-to aspects of being an expert witness in pharmacology by presenting real-life cases and effective tips and experiences - Includes several appendices, such as a sample letter of engagement and fee schedule, a litigation report, a consulting invoice and valuable resources

Download or read book Principles of Addiction written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-05-17 with total page 959 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Principles of Addiction provides a solid understanding of the definitional and diagnostic differences between use, abuse, and disorder. It describes in great detail the characteristics of these syndromes and various etiological models. The book's three main sections examine the nature of addiction, including epidemiology, symptoms, and course; alcohol and drug use among adolescents and college students; and detailed descriptions of a wide variety of addictive behaviors and disorders, encompassing not only drugs and alcohol, but caffeine, food, gambling, exercise, sex, work, social networking, and many other areas. This volume is especially important in providing a basic introduction to the field as well as an in-depth review of our current understanding of the nature and process of addictive behaviors. Principles of Addiction is one of three volumes comprising the 2,500-page series, Comprehensive Addictive Behaviors and Disorders. This series provides the most complete collection of current knowledge on addictive behaviors and disorders to date. In short, it is the definitive reference work on addictions. - Each article provides glossary, full references, suggested readings, and a list of web resources - Edited and authored by the leaders in the field around the globe – the broadest, most expert coverage available - Encompasses types of addiction, as well as personality and environmental influences on addiction

Download or read book The Power of Choice written by Patricia Ann Rini and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2008-04 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When her drunken husband threatened to kill her and her children and fired a shotgun in her house, Patricia Rini fled with a few meager possessions, no self-esteem and no means to feed her children. She was so desolate that she prayed for her own death as a solution. Her prayers were answered in a different way. She learned to fight back and to heal. She started her life over, learned to support her family, joined a twelve-step program and doggedly struggled to overcome her codependency. She attended hundreds of A.A. and Al-Anon meetings. She regained her faith in God. She married a reformed, sober alcoholic, began counseling and boarding alcoholics in her home and became a highly sought-after speaker. Patricia suffered the loss of family members and many friends to alcoholism and codependency, but it was the murder of her husband that truly tested the fabric of the program she had learned through "trial by fire." She spent nine years recording her moving and inspirational story to help others who suffer to recover and lead meaningful, joyful lives. Patricia Ann Rini has spent the last 25 years sharing her experience, strength and hope with men and women who suffer from addictions and codependency. She has recently completed a workbook as a companion to The Power of Choice titled The Restoration of Mind, Body and Spirit-Breaking the Chains of Addictions. Upon release of the workbook, slated for release in May 2008, Patricia plans to begin teaching the material. Patricia and her husband, Bob, have eight children together and reside in Tennessee.

Download or read book Being a Drug Addict written by James Craig and published by Tate Publishing. This book was released on 2009-11 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: James Craig, M.D., had a thriving medical practice, a loving family, and a house becoming of his profession. And with all of this, it was not meant to last. At least not without change. A closer look revealed a body of lies and deceptions so engrained that he had nowhere to look but up as federal agents finally confronted Dr. Craig about false patients receiving controlled narcotics. Dr. Craig leads readers through the tumultuous upbringing that set a pattern for addiction, and then finally through the knowledge and understanding he discovered that broke the chains of his past. James shows readers how to overcome the past and how to be rid of projections for the future that needlessly destroy them today. By revealing overlooked workings of the human psyche, he shows you how to live in the present. For James Craig it was Being a Drug Addict, but the lessons he has learned will help anyone struggling with addiction. Dr. Craig dares everyone to try the changes outlined in this book. There is nothing to lose but some hopelessness, misery, and pain. James C. Craig, M.D. is a physician in private practice in Ellijay, Georgia, where he lives with his wife, Leslie, and son, Anderson. He received his undergraduate training at Emory University and medical school training at The Medical College of Georgia.