Addiction To Exercise

Download Addiction To Exercise full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Addiction To Exercise ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

The Truth About Exercise Addiction

Author : Katherine Schreiber
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1442233303
Total Pages : 249 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (422 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Truth About Exercise Addiction by : Katherine Schreiber

Download or read book The Truth About Exercise Addiction written by Katherine Schreiber and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2015-02-19 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Designed for individuals concerned about their workout habits, personal trainers, family and friends of folks with a problem, as well as working mental health professionals treating exercise addicts, The Truth About Exercise Addiction provides an easy-to-read, illuminating glimpse into the rising trend of over-exercise. Delving into the history of exercise addiction and the growing influence of “thinspiration,” Katherine Schreiber and Heather A. Hausenblasillustrate the symptoms and dangers of obsessive exercise with true stories from sufferers, all while exploring why and how such a seemingly healthy behavior morphs into a dangerous means of self-destruction. Analyzing the causes and consequences of excessive physical activity alongside the influence of genetics, culture, and personality, this book allows readers to gain a greater understanding of what exercise addiction looks and feels like. The Truth About Exercise Addiction also provides an unprecedented list of resources to address exercise addiction, a snapshot of treatments currently available for sufferers, and to top it off: guidelines on how to confront and care for someone who may have a problem.

Addiction to Exercise

Author : Attila Szabo
Publisher : Nova Science Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9781608767892
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (678 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Addiction to Exercise by : Attila Szabo

Download or read book Addiction to Exercise written by Attila Szabo and published by Nova Science Publishers. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book evaluates the psychological concept of exercise addiction from a scholastically multidisciplinary perspective. The most recent developments in the area of investigation are evaluated with reference to theory and critical analysis of extant research. The book summarises the current knowledge about the psycho-physiological nature of exercise addiction. Further, it presents the conceptual hegemony in addressing the problem of exercise addiction within the scientific community. The characteristic and most prevalent symptoms of the disorder are discussed alongside the modes of risk-assessment. Subsequently, the underlying motives and several theoretical models of exercise addiction are reviewed. Finally, the research on exercise addiction is evaluated and directions for future research are suggested. Difference is made between primary exercise addiction in which the exercise behaviour is the problem and secondary exercise addiction in which exercise is used as a means in achieving another objective, like weight loss. This book concludes with two brief sections summarising plainly what we know today and what we still need to know about exercise addiction.

Exercise Addiction

Author : Laura Kaminker
Publisher : Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services
ISBN 13 : 9781568382579
Total Pages : 68 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (825 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Exercise Addiction by : Laura Kaminker

Download or read book Exercise Addiction written by Laura Kaminker and published by Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services. This book was released on 1999-03 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focuses on exercise addiction and its relationship to eating disorders; explains how compulsive exercise can be harmful and how one can get help to deal with it.

Rebalancing the Addictive Mind

Author : Rochelle Ann Poerio
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 : 9781500444563
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (445 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Rebalancing the Addictive Mind by : Rochelle Ann Poerio

Download or read book Rebalancing the Addictive Mind written by Rochelle Ann Poerio and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2014-08-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many books cater to the fitness and nutritional needs of the general public. But little of this advice is specifically directed toward those who have the literally life-or-death need to keep alcohol, drug, gambling, sex, internet and other addictions at bay. How exercise and diet speed up the recovery process and promote relapse prevention is a case rarely made, even by most treatment facilities! Rebalancing the Addictive Mind is an evidence-based, accessible guide that explains how and why exercise and diet produce faster physical, psychological and emotional recovery from addiction and significantly reduce the chances of relapse. And how anyone, despite almost any age or infirmity, can benefit from the principles outlined in this book. Author Shelley Poerio, a licensed addiction counselor and certified fitness trainer, describes how substance dependence and behavioral compulsions change the brain and body, provides guidance and solutions to undo the damage, and motivates change in the recovering individual. Family members gain insight into how to support their loved-one in recovery and better understand how addictive thinking and behaviors get out of control. Counseling and medical professionals will appreciate the cognitive-behavioral, solutions-focused therapeutic approach and the integration of exercise and nutritional concepts with 12-step recovery principles. Ms. Poerio bases her case on the biochemical science of addiction. In the early sections of the book, she examines the anatomy and functions of the brain, and explains the ability of substance and behavioral addictions to exploit brain chemistry and create cravings and dependence. A crucially important aspect of this story, for teenagers and their parents, is that teens are particularly susceptible to developing addictions. Fortunately, the biochemistry of addiction can be turned against itself. Many of us know the positive feelings of well-being that result from working out and eating well. Rebalancing the Addictive Mind reveals in detail why this is just what the doctor ordered to fight addictions. Exercise and diet are uniquely qualified to replace the highs produced by drugs and alcohol, and undo the damage they cause. Aerobic and strength training act as safe substitutes that stimulate the brain's neurotransmitters in much the same way that addictive substances do. Exercise promotes improved brain function and neuronal growth. Proper nutrition prevents the mood swings that can provoke a relapse, and corrects the addiction-caused deficiencies that harm major organs and bodily processes. With a bristling arsenal of therapeutic weapons, exercise and diet use restorative biology to fight the biology of addiction, and empower the brain and body to heal themselves. Ms. Poerio - a former track athlete at Stanford University - draws not only on the latest research, but on her own experience. The plans she outlines combine elements of her workouts with future pro and Olympic athletes at Stanford, and with young (and old) substance abusers as the counseling/fitness-program developer at the Phoenix House of the Mid-Atlantic in Arlington, Virginia. All of her strategies are easy to put into practice, and set realistic goals. They produce encouraging results for the average person in recovery in part because they are simple to do and likely to be used regularly. Above all, however, Rebalancing the Addictive Mind speaks to and motivates its readers on a very personal and understanding level. Ms. Poerio, an alcoholic/addict in recovery since 2001, introduces the book by describing her own substance-induced suicidal ideation that forced her on the road to rehabilitation. Her book includes simple anecdotes - about her work to help her clients and herself - that make it clear she has "been there and done that," and that anyone armed with her book and the willingness to put in some work can do it too.

Hooked on Exercise

Author : Rebecca Prussin
Publisher : Fireside Books
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 236 pages
Book Rating : 4.X/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Hooked on Exercise by : Rebecca Prussin

Download or read book Hooked on Exercise written by Rebecca Prussin and published by Fireside Books. This book was released on 1992 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The authors discuss the causes of exercise abuse and how to get the maximum benefits from a regular exercise program without crossing the line to unhealthy amounts of activity.

Diary of an Exercise Addict

Author : Peach Friedman
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 0762752459
Total Pages : 209 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (627 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Diary of an Exercise Addict by : Peach Friedman

Download or read book Diary of an Exercise Addict written by Peach Friedman and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2008-11-05 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2000, Peach Friedman, a college senior freshly broken up from her boyfriend, set out to beat the blues by beating herself into shape. Running ten miles a day and taking in as little as 800 calories, she fell from 146 pounds to 100 in three months and was at serious risk of cardiac arrest. What Friedman suffered from was exercise bulimia—a newly diagnosed and rapidly spreading eating disorder that affects some 400,000 American women, and which gyms and colleges across America are beginning to take seriously. In Diary of an Exercise Addict Friedman recounts her descent into a life-threatening illness, her remarkable recovery, and the setbacks along the way. With refreshing candor she lays bare her relationships with family, friends, and lovers and the repressed desire that finally surfaced as she found her own way back to health.

Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling

Author : Geri Miller
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470903953
Total Pages : 146 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (79 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling by : Geri Miller

Download or read book Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling written by Geri Miller and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-05-31 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An indispensable collection of ready-to-use, proven exercises Providing immediately useful group counseling suggestions and tips for addictions counselors, Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling offers powerful techniques that can be adapted to any clinical practice. Written in the author's gentle yet purposeful voice, this reader-friendly resource is filled with guidance for developing an addictions counseling group; handling Stage 2 confrontations of the leader; and building group member awareness. In addition, the author helps counselors enhance client awareness of addiction-related stressors and how to cope with those stressors. Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling contains valuable information on: Addiction recovery Family, relationships, and culture Feelings exploration Group community building Recovery skills Values Opening and closing each group session Fostering care, respect, and honesty in the group counseling setting, the techniques found in Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling allow counselors to help their clients break out of dysfunctional interaction patterns and live better lives.

POSITIVE ADDICTION

Author : William Glasser, M.D.
Publisher : Harper Collins
ISBN 13 : 0062046810
Total Pages : 180 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (62 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis POSITIVE ADDICTION by : William Glasser, M.D.

Download or read book POSITIVE ADDICTION written by William Glasser, M.D. and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2010-11-30 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Reality Therapy and Take Effective Control of Your Life shows readers how to gain strength and self-esteem through positive behavior.

Body Panic

Author : Shari L. Dworkin
Publisher : NYU Press
ISBN 13 : 0814719686
Total Pages : 236 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (147 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Body Panic by : Shari L. Dworkin

Download or read book Body Panic written by Shari L. Dworkin and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2009-02 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this, the third volume of an interdisciplinary history of the United States since the Civil War, Sean Dennis Cashman provides a comprehensive review of politics and economics from the tawdry affluence of the 1920s throught the searing tragedy of the Great Depression to the achievements of the New Deal in providing millions with relief, job opportunities, and hope before America was poised for its ascent to globalism on the eve of World War II. The book concludes with an account of the sliding path to war as Europe and Asia became prey to the ambitions of Hitler and military opportunists in Japan. The book also surveys the creative achievements of America's lost generation of artists, writers, and intellectuals; continuing innovations in transportation and communications wrought by automobiles and airplanes, radio and motion pictures; the experiences of black Americans, labor, and America's different classes and ethnic groups; and the tragicomedy of national prohibition. The cast of characters includes FDR, the New Dealers, Eleanor Roosevelt, George W. Norris, William E. Borah, Huey Long, Henry Ford, Clarence Darrow, Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, W.E.B. DuBois, A. Philip Randolph, Orson Welles, Wendell Willkie, and the stars of radio and the silver screen. The first book in this series, America in the Gilded Age, is now accounted a classic for historiographical synthesis and stylisic polish. America in the Age of the Titans, covering the Progressive Era and World War I, and America in the Twenties and Thirties reveal the author's unerring grasp of various primary and secondary sources and his emphasis upon structures, individuals, and anecdotes about them. The book is lavishly illustrated with various prints, photographs, and reproductions from the Library of Congress, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Principles of Addiction

Author :
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0123983614
Total Pages : 959 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (239 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Principles of Addiction by :

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

Eating Disorders, Addictions and Substance Use Disorders

Author : Timothy D. Brewerton
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3642453783
Total Pages : 694 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (424 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Eating Disorders, Addictions and Substance Use Disorders by : Timothy D. Brewerton

Download or read book Eating Disorders, Addictions and Substance Use Disorders written by Timothy D. Brewerton and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-07-08 with total page 694 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eating disorders, addictions, and substance use disorders are each challenging in their own right, but they also commonly co-occur, causing major challenges for clinicians. This book presents cutting-edge research on the overlap of these complex disorders and reviews integrative assessment strategies and treatment approaches, including enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, abstinence approaches, motivational enhancement, mindfulness meditation, and pharmacotherapy. The issue of whether eating-disordered behaviors such as dieting, binge eating, and excessive exercise are merely other forms of addictive behavior is examined. The authors argue both for and against the concept of food addiction in research, clinical treatment, and public policy. The book will be of interest to psychiatrists, addiction medicine physicians, mental health/substance abuse clinicians, dieticians, researchers, and those affected by the disorders.

The 12-Minute Athlete

Author : Krista Stryker
Publisher : S&S/Simon Element
ISBN 13 : 1982136480
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (821 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The 12-Minute Athlete by : Krista Stryker

Download or read book The 12-Minute Athlete written by Krista Stryker and published by S&S/Simon Element. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock your athletic potential and get into the best shape of your life with Krista Stryker’s HIIT and bodyweight workouts—all of which can be done in just minutes a day! If you’ve ever thought you couldn’t get results without spending hours in the gym, that you’d never be able to do a pull-up, or that it’s too late to get in your best shape ever, The 12-Minute Athlete will change your mind, your body, and your life. Get serious results with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts that can be done in just minutes a day. Give up the excuses and learn to use your own bodyweight and a few basic pieces of portable equipment for short, incredibly effective workouts. Reset your mindset, bust through mental blocks, and set meaningful goals you’ll actually accomplish. You can finally ditch the dieting and enjoy food as fuel with simple eating guidelines to the 80/20 rule. In The 12-Minute Athlete you’ll also find: –A guide to basic calisthenics and bodyweight exercises for any fitness level –Progressive exercises to achieve seemingly “impossible” feats like pistol squats, one-arm push-ups, pull-ups, and handstands –More than a dozen simple and healthy recipes that will fuel your workouts –Two 8-week workout plans for getting fitter, faster, and stronger –Bonus Tabata workouts –And so much more! The 12-Minute Athlete is for men and women, ex-athletes and new athletes, experienced athletes and “non-athletes”—for anyone who has a body and wants to get stronger and start living their healthiest life.

The Exercise Cure

Author : Jordan Metzl
Publisher : Rodale Books
ISBN 13 : 1623364329
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (233 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Exercise Cure by : Jordan Metzl

Download or read book The Exercise Cure written by Jordan Metzl and published by Rodale Books. This book was released on 2014-12-23 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A simple approach to weight loss and better health, with an exhaustive (and exhausting) collection of fun, fat-torching, life-changing workouts that can be tailored to any fitness level “This is a must read for everyone who wants to live a long and active life.”—Robert Sallis, MD, former president, American College of Sports Medicine What if there were a drug to treat every illness, across all body systems, proven potent against heart disease, depression, arthritis, PMS and erectile dysfunction—even in chronic diseases such as asthma, dementia, and certain types of cancer? What if it had no side effects, was completely free, readily available, and worked for everyone? Every single person who took it decreased her risk of premature death and raised his quality of life. Would you want it? In a healthcare system that spends 17% of GDP, roughly $2.7 trillion, mostly on disease treatment, how do we save money and prevent illness? By increasing the use of the world's most effective preventive medicine: exercise. In The Exercise Cure, Dr. Jordan Metzl—nationally renowned sports medicine physician—offers malady-specific and well-researched exercise prescriptions to help readers stay healthy, heal disease, drop pounds, increase longevity, and transform their lives. Dr. Metzl knows that exercise is inexpensive, powerful medicine that has benefits in prevention and treatment of disease without disturbing side effects. Even in older adults, daily exercise has been found to prevent dementia by generating neuron development in the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain. Combining the latest data and his proven motivational skills, Dr. Metzl addresses the common maladies troubling millions. He discusses our cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, musculoskeletal, neurologic, reproductive, and endocrinologic body systems, with special sections on sleep problems and cancer prevention, presenting the science behind the role of exercise as medicine. Then, he details workouts that can be tailored easily to any fitness level, beginner to advanced, and provides nutritional information, including meal plans for healthy eating and disease prevention.

The Joy of Movement

Author : Kelly McGonigal
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 0525534121
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (255 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Joy of Movement by : Kelly McGonigal

Download or read book The Joy of Movement written by Kelly McGonigal and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2021-03-02 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in paperback. The bestselling author of The Willpower Instinct introduces a surprising science-based book that doesn't tell us why we should exercise but instead shows us how to fall in love with movement. Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it's a chore. But, as Kelly McGonigal reveals, it doesn't have to be. Movement can and should be a source of joy. Through her trademark blend of science and storytelling, McGonigal draws on insights from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology, as well as memoirs, ethnographies, and philosophers. She shows how movement is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery--and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. McGonigal tells the stories of people who have found fulfillment and belonging through running, walking, dancing, swimming, weightlifting, and more, with examples that span the globe, from Tanzania, where one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes on the planet live, to a dance class at Juilliard for people with Parkinson's disease, to the streets of London, where volunteers combine fitness and community service, to races in the remote wilderness, where athletes push the limits of what a human can endure. Along the way, McGonigal paints a portrait of human nature that highlights our capacity for hope, cooperation, and self-transcendence. The result is a revolutionary narrative that goes beyond familiar arguments in favor of exercise, to illustrate why movement is integral to both our happiness and our humanity. Readers will learn what they can do in their own lives and communities to harness the power of movement to create happiness, meaning, and connection.

Handbook of Positive Body Image and Embodiment

Author : Niva Piran
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190841885
Total Pages : 465 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (98 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Handbook of Positive Body Image and Embodiment by : Niva Piran

Download or read book Handbook of Positive Body Image and Embodiment written by Niva Piran and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-04-02 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For five decades, negative body image has been a major focus of study due to its association with psychological and social morbidity, including eating disorders. However, more recently the body image construct has broadened to include positive ways of living in the body, enabling greater understanding of embodied well-being, as well as protective factors and interventions to guide the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. Handbook of Positive Body Image and Embodiment is the first comprehensive, research-based resource to address the breadth of innovative theoretical concepts and related practices concerning positive ways of living in the body, including positive body image and embodiment. Presenting 37 chapters by world-renowned experts in body image and eating behaviors, this state-of-the-art collection delineates constructs of positive body image and embodiment, as well as social environments (such as families, peers, schools, media, and the Internet) and therapeutic processes that can enhance them. Constructs examined include positive embodiment, body appreciation, body functionality, body image flexibility, broad conceptualization of beauty, intuitive eating, and attuned sexuality. Also discussed are protective factors, such as environments that promote body acceptance, personal safety, diversity, and activism, and a resistant stance towards objectification, media images, and restrictive feminine ideals. The handbook also explores how therapeutic interventions (including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Dissonance, and many more) and public health and policy initiatives can inform scholarly, clinical, and prevention-based work in the field of eating disorders.

Beyond Addiction

Author : Jeffrey Foote
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1476709475
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (767 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Beyond Addiction by : Jeffrey Foote

Download or read book Beyond Addiction written by Jeffrey Foote and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-02-18 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most innovative leaders in progressive addiction treatment in the US offer a groundbreaking, science-based guide to helping loved ones overcome addiction problems and compulsive behaviors. The most innovative leaders in progressive addiction treatment in the US offer a groundbreaking, science-based guide to helping loved ones overcome addiction problems and compulsive behaviors. Beyond Addiction eschews the theatrics of interventions and tough love to show family and friends how they can use kindness, positive reinforcement, and motivational and behavioral strategies to help their loved ones change. Drawing on forty collective years of research and decades of clinical experience, the authors present the best practical advice science has to offer. Delivered with warmth, optimism, and humor, Beyond Addiction defines a new, empowered role for friends and family and a paradigm shift for the field. Learn how to tap the transformative power of relationships for positive change, guided by exercises and examples. Practice what really works in therapy and in everyday life, and discover many different treatment options along with tips for navigating the system. And have hope: this guide is designed not only to help someone change, but to help someone want to change.

Addiction

Author : Gene M. Heyman
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 0674264436
Total Pages : 213 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (742 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Addiction by : Gene M. Heyman

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 addiction—that it is a disease, a compulsion beyond conscious control—is wrong. Drawing on psychiatric epidemiology, addicts’ 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 Heyman’s 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. Heyman’s analysis of well-established but frequently ignored research leads to unexpected insights into how we make choices—from obesity to McMansionization—all 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.