The Meaning of Addiction: An Unconventional View

by Stanton Peele

A controversial and persuasive analysis of addiction

A tour de force, a spectacular effort of research andunderstanding. This book gives us the courage to bypass diseasenotions to deal with intrapsychic, family system, and social andcultural dynamics in addiction.
?David Cook, Counseling and Psychological Services, University ofWisconsin

This compelling and controversial book challenges the widelyaccepted belief that alcohol and drug addiction have a genetic orbiological basis. The so-called disease theory
suggests that a substance or activity can cause the addict to losecontrol of his behavior. Stanton Peele demonstrates how this notionfails to make sense of scientific observations.

Analyzing studies of drug and cigarette addiction, alcoholism,obesity, and other potential compulsions such as running and sex,Peele reveals the surprising frequency of self-cure as part of theevidence. The author finds that compulsive habits and depAndencyare a way of coping that individuals can reverse as their lifecircumstances change. This brilliantly argued book is sure toprovoke discussion and stimulate new approaches to treatment.

Genres: Nonfiction, Addiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Jeffrey Dhywood]

Stanton Peele challenges common views on addiction - and is being hammered for it. What if he was right?

[C]

A classic of the moderate "anti-addiction" view, in my view probably the best book of Peele's

[Mark Manderson]

Although dated he introduced a controversial viewpoint of Addiction relating more toward socioeconomic conditions and finding different external reward based systems as opposed to a disease based standpoint.