In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

Close Encounters with Addiction
Author: Gabor Mate, M.D.
His website: click here
Subject: addiction, non fiction
My rating: 5*



About the book:
This book will challenge and change your views on addiction. Gabor Mate is working with Vancouver's Downtown Eastside population for many years; he knows addiction also from his personal experience. In this book he is recounting his experiences with addicted patients from the Portland Hotel; it is rough and gentle at the same time, and very genuine. Compared to other books I have read written by physicians, Gabor has a deep humbleness about his role and actions. He looks not only at the lives of his patients but at his own shortcomings. I devoured this book page by page- it is more than a book on addiction, it is on what makes us human.

From the book:
'...at the core of all addictions lies a spiritual void.'

'We can never understand addiction if we look for its sources exclusively in the actions of chemicals, no matter how powerful they are. Addiction is a human problem that resides in people, not in the drug or in the drug's capacity to produce physical effects.'
'The obesity epidemic demonstrates a psychological and spiritual emptiness at the core of consumer society. We feel powerless and isolated, so we become passive. Food is the universal soother, and many are driven to eat themselves into psychological oblivion.'
'...in 1995, illegal drugs caused 805 Canadian deaths, alcohol 6,507 and tobacco 34,728. So who's for a War on Tobacco?'

'If we are to help addicts, we must strive to change not them but their environments. These are the only things we can change. Transformation of the addict must come from within and the best we can do is to encourage it.'

Get Your Loved One Sober

Alternatives to nagging, pleading and threating

Authors: Robert J. Meyers. Ph.D., Brenda L. Wolfe, Ph.D.
Topic: Addictions, behaviorism, support
My rating: 4*


The program- read here an excerpt from the book


CRAFT method (Community Reinforcement and Family Training)- relies on non confrontational methods to encourage loved ones to enter addiction treatment, and can help family members improve the quality of their lives. It is is more effective than other types of interventions and its effectiveness has been proven through scientific study. Comparative success rates: CRAFT- 64%, Johnston Institute approach- 30%, Al-Anon- 10%...more
Behavioral mapping- central procedure, a way of figuring out how you and your drinker/addicted affect each other and how that pattern may be modified to achieve different results

Interesting:

1. This breakthrough new system is sweeping the recovery field. This is its first introduction to the general public.
2. Contains simple exercises readers can practice at their own pace, with no costly or heart-breaking interventions.
3. Proven successful for numerous addictions, not just alcoholism;

From the book:
'A fact of human nature is that we do not waste much energy on behaviours that have no payoff. If someone does the same thing over and over, you can bet there is something rewarding about the situation. What actually may be happening is that you are reinforcing him [...]'

'Don't fight your drinker (or addicted). Fight the problem.'

'Change is almost never easy; but change for the better is always worth the effort.'

Keys to behavior change: rewards (reinforcement), punishment and the big chill (extinction, or ignore unwanted behavior). Punishment is not nearly as effective for achieving long-lasting behavior change as is reward. Use all these tools to make NOT drinking/ taking drugs equal to or more attractive than the drinking.

Communication- use statements that are:
Positive, begin with I, show Understanding and demonstrate a willingness to Share responsibility for the situation (PIUS statements)