Review by Booklist Review
Physician and psychologist Volpicelli has considerable experience in treating addicts. He met Szalavitz, an addict, on the Internet. Their shared goal is to give potential recovery patients sufficient information about various kinds of problems and treatments to make informed choices that answer their specific, personal needs. Alcoholism, for example, has many causes and several treatments, each with its own philosophy; Volpicelli reports his success with naltrexone. He and Szalavitz stress the importance of the stages of change in the treatment process. The patient must realize that reaching each stage is a positive step and that progress is to be measured by where one is in relation to where one has been, not by how much further there is to go. Volpicelli emphasizes the importance of relapse prevention and having the right approach to a relapse. "Making one mistake doesn't make you a mistake," he proclaims. This is realistic, open-minded, and humane guidance for dealing with addiction. William Beatty
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
With in-depth explanations of street drugs, pharmaceutical drugs, and handy tips such as how to select a counselor, a treatment, or a self-help group, this work is chockfull of valuable information geared primarily to substance abusers in any stage before and during recovery. The book also offers "For Family Members & Loved Ones" segments as well as "Knowledge Is Power" sections that summarize many of the chapters but don't quite compensate for the lack of an index. Volpicelli, a senior scientist at Penn/VA Center for Research on Addictive Diseases, shares his impressive knowledge of addiction with scientific precision but uses practical advice and vignettes to illustrate topics. Szalavitz, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and recovered addict, lends an experiential voice that makes this book even more empathetic. Recommended for public, medical, and academic libraries with clinical concentrations.DPaula N. Arnold, ingenta inc, Boston (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.