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Understanding and Helping an Addict
To solve a problem one must first understand the problem. Unfortunately, that's hard to do with addiction and alcoholism because it makes no sense. Why do people keep on with their substance use when it's ruining their life and making them miserable? Ironically, most people who try to help an addict become too involved in the problem, which may do more harm than good. They get drawn into the addict's circle of chaos, and end up participating in the addiction by being enablers. This creates chaos and insanity in their own life, and does nothing to stop the addiction. In this important book, medical doctor and addiction survivor Dr. Andrew Proulx - a leading expert on addiction psychology - explains the effects of addictive substances on the brain and mind, and why addicts and alcoholics behave the way they do. Dr. Andrew then goes on to explain exactly how form a bond with an addicted loved one and to use this bond to help the addict to move to a willingness and mental readiness to accept the help they need. He then explains your role in your loved ones treatment and subsequent recovery and relapse prevention.Dr. Andrew provides guidance for loved ones of addicts to remove themselves from the addict's circle of chaos and to take a different approach to helping the addict that's more effective, and also allows them to take back their own life and sanity. Dr. Andrew practiced as a physician in the ER, hospital, and office settings for 15 years. He also practiced psychotherapy alongside his medical practice. Since surviving addiction and finding recovery, he has focused his professional life on addictions research, writing, and counseling. He is currently engaged in obtaining his PhD in Addiction Psychology.
- GenresAddiction
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 23, 2022
helpful to family members of addicts
Dr. Proulx shares addiction from both perspectives of an addict as well as those who have an addict in their life. There is nothing better than the perspective of someone who has walked that road. His honesty about his own experience and his willingness to say hard things brings true depth to his book. I learned the truth about the addict brain and am taking away so many helpful nuggets of how to stay sane while navigating life as a mother of an addict. I finished his book with a newfound freedom, determination and hope for myself and with an understanding of the best way to live life and lovingly detach from the circle of chaos of my addict child. HIGHLY recommend!
Dr. Proulx shares addiction from both perspectives of an addict as well as those who have an addict in their life. There is nothing better than the perspective of someone who has walked that road. His honesty about his own experience and his willingness to say hard things brings true depth to his book. I learned the truth about the addict brain and am taking away so many helpful nuggets of how to stay sane while navigating life as a mother of an addict. I finished his book with a newfound freedom, determination and hope for myself and with an understanding of the best way to live life and lovingly detach from the circle of chaos of my addict child. HIGHLY recommend!
March 13, 2022
A nice match of technical explanations of addiction along with some rare helpful strategies for those living with/dealing with an addict.
January 22, 2022
This was such a great book!!! It gave me so much insight into my loved one’s addiction and calmed my anxieties that were making me crazy. I would definitely read more books by this author. I loved how he zoomed out with his readers on what was really happening with addiction, he reshaped our thoughts and reactions on it, and restored our hope for our loved ones. He even pulled examples from his own personal addiction which was very inspiring!!! I love how books pull you into the mind of addiction experts without actually having to sacrifice a lifetime to understand addiction. My only negatives was he did repeat himself a lot and he also ended the book poorly with the last paragraph. His editing team should have caught that and revised it prior to publishing.
August 12, 2026
I would give this book more stars if only I could.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes, it has often been exactly this type of year.
The full title also includes: (And Keeping Your Sanity). I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. This book advises, that in light of most resent scientific research, taking a different approach to helping an addict, an approach that is more effective, as it allows one and one's addict a path to taking back their own life and sanity.
To solve a problem one must first understand the problem. The author explains the effects of addictive substances on the brain and mind, and why addicts and alcoholics behave the way they do. He outlines how to form a bond with an addicted loved one and use this bond to move to a williness and mental readiness to accept the help they need. It addresses how the addicts "circle of chaos" can affect those who "try to help" and gives one effective means of support without becoming (or continuing to be) an enabler.
This book corrected so much of my faulty beliefs around addiction, and no doubt made me something of a teacher's pet in the family therapy portion of my addict's 30 day rehabilitation program.
If nothing else it taught me this: An addict is not a bad person who needs to get good; an addict is an unwell persion who needs to get well.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes, it has often been exactly this type of year.
The full title also includes: (And Keeping Your Sanity). I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. This book advises, that in light of most resent scientific research, taking a different approach to helping an addict, an approach that is more effective, as it allows one and one's addict a path to taking back their own life and sanity.
To solve a problem one must first understand the problem. The author explains the effects of addictive substances on the brain and mind, and why addicts and alcoholics behave the way they do. He outlines how to form a bond with an addicted loved one and use this bond to move to a williness and mental readiness to accept the help they need. It addresses how the addicts "circle of chaos" can affect those who "try to help" and gives one effective means of support without becoming (or continuing to be) an enabler.
This book corrected so much of my faulty beliefs around addiction, and no doubt made me something of a teacher's pet in the family therapy portion of my addict's 30 day rehabilitation program.
If nothing else it taught me this: An addict is not a bad person who needs to get good; an addict is an unwell persion who needs to get well.
July 30, 2026
A great overview of the science of addiction. The author explains the nitty gritty of the neurobiology of addiction very well and gives a thorough overview of different commonly abused substances.
The first sections, on the science of addition and helping an addict, are much stronger than the third, keeping your sanity. If the book were only those first 2 sections, it would be 5 stars. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend it to others, though I will be looking elsewhere to find something about recovery for family members of addicts.
The first sections, on the science of addition and helping an addict, are much stronger than the third, keeping your sanity. If the book were only those first 2 sections, it would be 5 stars. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend it to others, though I will be looking elsewhere to find something about recovery for family members of addicts.
September 12, 2023
I found this book very informative to help me understand what was going on in my alcoholic husband's mind and body as he struggled with addiction. It helped me to realize what a crippling grip addiction has on a person. It gave me more compassion towards the addict and helped me to deal with my own emotions.
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January 22, 2022Great read
A great explanation not only of addiction but also a close look at how addiction effects everyone involved with the addiction. The explanation of how the disease of addiction is biopsychosocial in nature.
A great explanation not only of addiction but also a close look at how addiction effects everyone involved with the addiction. The explanation of how the disease of addiction is biopsychosocial in nature.
February 1, 2022
Some parts of the book made for an interesting read. Other parts seem to drag on and be repetitive. This would be a good one to just read the chapters that interest you.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews