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Recover!

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World-renowned addiction expert Stanton Peele's groundbreaking program is a self-directed process of making addiction obsolete. Using proven tools and strategies, you will learn how to replace paralyzing beliefs with positive options; change how you respond to addictive urges; lay out clear anti-addiction goals; develop the skills to live fully and prevent relapse; and much more.

"Stanton Peele has helped us understand the most tortuous aspects of addiction and recovery, without ever joining the parade of conventional experts...who happen to be marching the wrong way."
—Marc Lewis, author of The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction is Not a Disease; professor of neuroscience, Radbound University Nijmegen

"Dr. Peele's writings and teachings have prompted me to look beyond the flashy headlines and the majority position as being overly simplistic and often wrong. Only in this way can we help drug users, render treatment more effective, and creative positive drug policies."
—Carl Hart,PhD, Columbia University Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, author of High Price

"Stanton Peele is a true pioneer of addiction research and theory. His ideas offer hope to the many millions for whom current approaches are not effective or who simply prefer evidence-based alternatives."
—Maia Szalavitz, author of Unbroken Chain; neuroscientist journalist, Time Magazine

319 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

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116 people want to read

About the author

Ilse Thompson

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5 stars
19 (37%)
4 stars
18 (35%)
3 stars
6 (11%)
2 stars
4 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Brandon.
8 reviews
March 5, 2014
If you're an addict in need of recovery and the whole AA program doesn't work for you, I'd highly recommend this book. While the principles of AA can help someone find recovery, there are also a lot of teachings in "the rooms" that can be very damaging to someone struggling with addiction. This book cuts through the nonsense BS indoctrination that the AA program requires and promotes mindful self acceptance as a path towards healing.

170 reviews
March 4, 2014
This book is excellent! For the first time someone says that by empowering yourself you can stop drinking, rather than weakening yourself through the traditional concepts of AA. Peele offers several options and challenges to becoming a stronger, more vibrant self rather than surrendering your power to a group who keeps reminding you that you are a failure at life.
Profile Image for Andy Fab.
5 reviews
May 21, 2020
This is beyond question the most dangerous and irresponsible book written on the subject of alcohol addiction. It surprised me because his previous book, ‘sex and love addiction’ was superb.
This book is of zero use to addicts, although perhaps of worth to people who occasionally drink too much and feel guilty. It basically teaches that addiction is a nothing, that it’s all in the mind. It’s the sort of book that would have been written in the 1950s.
I urge anyone who suffers from any form of addiction not to give any credence to this book. It is dangerous because it allows people to convince themselves that they don’t have a problem. It’s exactly the sort of book an alcoholic in denial would read again and again to convince him/herself that everything is ok, ‘no problem here’. It is this typical alcoholic denial that sends the addict to an early grave. Shocked by the stupidity of this book very obviously written by someone who has zero first hand knowledge of addiction.
Profile Image for Susan.
536 reviews5 followers
April 8, 2022
This book gives concrete suggestions. asks questions and helps people with any kind of addiction to take control of their life and their addiction.
Profile Image for Mark Manderson.
617 reviews38 followers
February 5, 2017
One of the best books I've read dealing with addiction.
Takeaways:
PERFECT:
Pause - Mindfulness by learning to listen to yourself.
Embrace - Self acceptance and forgiveness through learning to love yourself.
Rediscover - Integrity through finding and following your true self.
Fortify - Coping by learning skills for life management.
Embark - Equilibrium through proceeding on an even keel.
Celebrate - Joy in honoring your accomplishments and milestones.
Triage - Realignment of resources and actions for regaining lost footing.
Most all the info is based on self reflection and redirection of negative habitual thinking.
Profile Image for Melanie.
141 reviews23 followers
April 12, 2017
I appreciated a different approach to overcoming addictions. This book gave me something to think about! His perspective on the AA model is very interesting and insightful. I'm glad I took the time to read this book in order to understand more of the tools which are out there in overcoming addictions.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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