No comments about 180 Degrees.

No comments about A.A.: The Story.

No comments about Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Alcoholism Treatment (Haworth Series in Addictions Treatment, Vol 3) (Haworth Series in Addictions Treatment, Vol 3).

2 comments about Treating Addiction as a Human Process (Library of Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment).

1. In contrast to the now popular emphasis on addictive drugs "hijacking" the brain reward centers and producing pleasure, Dr. Khantzian life work has pursued an alternative route in explaining why addictive drugs can become so compelling in an individual's life. His emphasis has mainly and consistently been on the human psychological vulnerabilities involved in addictive suffering. Based on three decades of clinical work with patients, as well as numerous clinical investigative studies, Dr.Khantzian has persuasively instructed us that suffering and problems with selfregulation are at the root of addictive disorders. His work has repeatedly underscored that individuals who become dependent on addictive substances (including alcohol and nicotine) do so not because they seek pleasure or self-destruction (some have considered addictions as "suicide on the installment plan"), but more because they use alcohol and other addictive drugs as an attempt to self-medicate their suffering and to regulate their lives. Although in the long run such attempts cause great disruption in peoples' lives, in the short run individuals have the powerful discovery that each class of drugs have appeal because they relieve a range of painful feelings and help to cope with powerful emotions and behaviors that for them are otherwise overwhelming and unmanageable. Dr.Khantzian has been described as the "father of the self-medication hypothesis of addictive disorders," and has also written extensively on "self-care" deficits associated with the addictions, the importance and utility of modified group techniques and self-help groups in recovery and effective treatments. Dr. Khantzian writes persuasively, evocatively, and compassionately about the human vulnerabilities involved in addictive disorders. Dr. Alan Stone, Professor of Law and Psychiatry at Harvard University, has characterized Dr. Khantzian as a "master ... clinician exploring the internal world of the addicted person ... convincingly demonstrating his self-medication hypothesis," and novelist Dr. Michael Palmer has said that Dr. Khantzian's book, Treating Addiction as a Human Process, is a "highly intelligent volume that can be read with pleasure and awe from beginning to end. It is the cornerstone on which the next generation of knowledge in addiction medicine will be built." Dr. Khantzian has been acknowledged as a pioneering clinician in understanding the psychological and psychiatric pain associated with substance use disorders, and his focus on the self-medicating function of abused substances, and the refinement of his work stressing addict's ego deficits of selfregulation and self-care have become the standard in the field of addiction treatment.

   Edward J. Khantzian is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and a founding member of the Department of Psychiatry at The Cambridge Hospital. He has spent more than 20 years studying psychological factors associated with drug and alcohol abuse. Dr. Khantzian is a practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst,participant in numerous clinical research studies on substance abuse, and lecturer and writer on psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and substance abuse problems. Dr. Khantzian has been involved in studies diagnosing psychiatric disorders in heroin addicts, the psychological nature of addictive vulnerability, group therapeutic approaches for cocaine abusers, and studies of polysubstance abusers. His studies,publications, and teaching has gained him recognition for his contributions on selfmedication factors and self-care deficits in substance use disorders and the importance of modified techniques in group therapy for substance abusers. "The above words are not mine ,they were taken from another web site and posted here for information purposes. It would be wonderful if a truly new light has shone in this whole area of addiction and a new understanding begins to grow."




2. In contrast to the now popular emphasis on addictive drugs "hijacking" the brain reward centers and producing pleasure, Dr. Khantzian life work has pursued an alternative route in explaining why addictive drugs can become so compelling in an individual's life. His emphasis has mainly and consistently been on the human psychological vulnerabilities involved in addictive suffering. Based on three decades of clinical work with patients, as well as numerous clinical investigative studies, Dr.Khantzian has persuasively instructed us that suffering and problems with selfregulation are at the root of addictive disorders. His work has repeatedly underscored that individuals who become dependent on addictive substances (including alcohol and nicotine) do so not because they seek pleasure or self-destruction (some have considered addictions as "suicide on the installment plan"), but more because they use alcohol and other addictive drugs as an attempt to self-medicate their suffering and to regulate their lives. Although in the long run such attempts cause great disruption in peoples' lives, in the short run individuals have the powerful discovery that each class of drugs have appeal because they relieve a range of painful feelings and help to cope with powerful emotions and behaviors that for them are otherwise overwhelming and unmanageable. Dr.Khantzian has been described as the "father of the self-medication hypothesis of addictive disorders," and has also written extensively on "self-care" deficits associated with the addictions, the importance and utility of modified group techniques and self-help groups in recovery and effective treatments. Dr. Khantzian writes persuasively, evocatively, and compassionately about the human vulnerabilities involved in addictive disorders. Dr. Alan Stone, Professor of Law and Psychiatry at Harvard University, has characterized Dr. Khantzian as a "master � clinician exploring the internal world of the addicted person � convincingly demonstrating his self-medication hypothesis," and novelist Dr. Michael Palmer has said that Dr. Khantzian's book, Treating Addiction as a Human Process, is a "highly intelligent volume that can be read with pleasure and awe from beginning to end. It is the cornerstone on which the next generation of knowledge in addiction medicine will be built." Dr. Khantzian has been acknowledged as a pioneering clinician in understanding the psychological and psychiatric pain associated with substance use disorders, and his focus on the self-medicating function of abused substances, and the refinement of his work stressing addict's ego deficits of selfregulation and self-care have become the standard in the field of addiction treatment.

   Edward J. Khantzian is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and a founding member of the Department of Psychiatry at The Cambridge Hospital. He has spent more than 20 years studying psychological factors associated with drug and alcohol abuse. Dr. Khantzian is a practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst,participant in numerous clinical research studies on substance abuse, and lecturer and writer on psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and substance abuse problems. Dr. Khantzian has been involved in studies diagnosing psychiatric disorders in heroin addicts, the psychological nature of addictive vulnerability, group therapeutic approaches for cocaine abusers, and studies of polysubstance abusers. His studies,publications, and teaching has gained him recognition for his contributions on selfmedication factors and self-care deficits in substance use disorders and the importance of modified techniques in group therapy for substance abusers. "The above words are not mine ,they were taken from another web site and posted here for information purposes. It would be wonderful if a truly new light has shone in this whole area of addiction and a new understanding begins to grow."

No comments about Diseases of the Will: Alcohol and the Dilemmas of Freedom (Cambridge Studies in Law and Society).

No comments about Practical Approaches to Alcoholism Psychotherapy.

5 comments about The Other Son - One Family's Personal War on Drugs.

1. This book was recommended reading while my son was in treatment for substance abuse. An openly honest account of family pain and struggle while in the thros of a childs substance abuse. I was able to relate to so many circumstances mentioned which gave me better insight on helping myself and my family better deal during this topsy-turvey time in our lives. Regardless of your own personal situation and cirsumstances, this book was extremely benefical in obtaining new knowledge toward family recovery.



2. This is the story of a wonderful and caring family and the progression of their son into the world of substance abuse. Having a 16 year old child of my own who has been in drug rehab and now seems is on the relapse path, I could not put this book down. There were so many incidents which I have been through almost as if the script were my own. It is always a good thing to understand that you are not alone in the teen addict's world of lies, manipulation and low moral standards and that most importantly, there is recovery but, that it takes time and patience.
   
   I commend the author on a great book and on her courage and wisdom to get her story out for so many others who need to understand there is help and support and most importantly, there is hope.



3. Every parent should read this book and learn from it. It touches the very soul of a parents deep love and commitment to their child while clearly and passionately illustrating the tenacious struggle with societies inadequacies.



4. If you have a child who's behavior tends toward beliggerent, abusive, and confusing to you then you are not alone. Mrs. Pappas book gives you great resources and more importantly the feeling of relief to learn that you are not alone and there is something you can do about it. "The Other Son" is such an apropo title for any kid dabbling in the drug/alcohol culture. I highly recommend this book for helping you cope with the unknown world of drug/alcohol addicition.



5. [...]
   
   My first inclination was to skim this book enough to write a review. Instead I wound up reading it cover to cover--the story is that engaging.
   
   The book can be read on three levels. First, it is a story of a family devastated by one of its children sinking into the drug culture, with the anger, lying, secretiveness and mistrust that come out of that. The mother slowly watches her real son fading away, replaced by this total stranger she calls "The Other Son." She cannot understand, predict or trust what this "Other Son" is or will do next. She describes in great detail the burden carried by everybody in the family who cared for him and hated what he was doing to himself and them. I think every parent who has gone through the process of a child or relative gradually self-destructing in this way can relate to this story on a very personal level.
   
   The second level describes in painstaking detail how there are very few effective solutions available for parents with an "Other Son." The author describes how they tried the police, a voluntary treatment program and the courts, among other things, with no positive effect. In all these attempts, they learned that he had his "rights" which the law demanded be respected. Many of the people they looked to for help understood what was happening, and sympathized with what the parents were trying to do, but their hands were tied by the law. The author in an anguished cry asked about the rights of others he was abusing and if anybody gave any consideration regarding the responsibilities he was shirking. The response was at best an ineffectual expression of sympathy from all sides.
   
   The third level is a detailed description of what it took to get his attention and gradually bring their real son back to life, out of the self-centered, pleasure-oriented, irresponsible "Other Son." After all these failed attempts, what finally worked was a private boarding school that works with children with these attitudinal and behavioral problems. Called Everest and placed in Connecticut in the book, in reality it is a long time boarding school in Maine called Élan. Élan (Everest) follows the model of a therapeutic community where the main curriculum is to teach the students to be responsible for their actions. Their main tools in accomplishing this are a tight structure (where, contrary to most youth institutions, consequences are immediate and appropriate) and utilization of a positive peer culture.
   
   This book is probably the best description I have read of how a therapeutic community works in the lives of real people. What she describes regarding therapeutic communities is a key ingredient for success that has been adopted by many of the successful therapeutic boarding schools in the private parent-choice network of residential schools and programs for struggling teens. The ideas of a therapeutic community have heavily influenced not only Élan, but many other schools including John Dewey Academy in Massachusetts, the now closed CEDU schools in California and Idaho and all those schools with key staff heavily influenced by what they learned at CEDU, which is a significant percentage of the successful schools and programs in this network.
   
   This book is more than just another chronicle of a family in crisis caused by their teen in crisis. It is also more than just a description of a family lucky enough to happen to find a specific school that worked for their son. It is an indictment of public attitudes and resulting public policy creating rights for irresponsible teens that parents and society can't handle, and it is an insightful description of a workable solution, which is the whole idea of a therapeutic community. Any professional working with struggling teens would benefit from reading this book and understanding the underlying concepts the author spells out so well, whether or not they agree with them.

1 comments about No Laughing Matter: Chalk Talks on Alcohol.

1. Father Martin has been an educator in the field of recovery for over 30 years.....I can't recommend this book highly enough. His perspective is in alcoholism, but the principles he outlines can be applied to other drugs as well.
   
   The book is down-to-earth, easy to understand, without a lot of technical jargon that you would find in a text-book.

1 comments about A Time to Heal: The Road to Recovery for Adult Children of Alcoholics.

1. I've read lots of books on ACA or ACoA (Adult Child of Alcoholics). This book has excellent, meaty descriptions, anecdotes, and solutions for those who are struggling with the aftermath of growing up in a family that didn't prepare them for adulthood. Insightful enough for the professional, simply written enough for the lay person who has never had any exposure to this topic, Chermak cuts to the core issues and deals with them effectively.

No comments about The Joy of Being Sober: A Book for the Recovering Alcoholic--And Those Who Love Them.