Recovery Books - Page 3

Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward

James O. Prochaska, John Norcross, Carlo DiClemente

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

How many times have you thought about starting a diet or quitting smoking without doing anything about it? Or lapsed back into bad habits after hitting a rough spot on the road to recovery?

To uncover the secret to successful personal change, three acclaimed psychologists studied more than 1,000 people who were able to positively and permanently alter their lives without psychotherapy. They discovered that change does not depend on luck or willpower. It is a process that can be successfully managed by anyone who understands how it works. Once you determine which stage of change you're in, you can:

• create a climate where positive change can occur
• maintain motivation
• turn setbacks into progress
• make your new benefifificial habits a permanent part of your life

This groundbreaking book offers simple self-assessments, informative case histories, and concrete examples to help clarify each stage and process. Whether your goal is to start saving money, to stop drinking, or to end other self-defeating or addictive behaviors, this revolutionary program will help you implement positive personal change . . . for life.

The National Cancer Institute Found this program more than twice as effective as standard programs in helping smokers quit for 18 months.

Drinking: A Love Story

Caroline Knapp

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 153 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

beautifully written - gets better each time I read it 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book. I reread it every once in a while because it's so intelligent and beautifully written. It gets a alot of attention as a memoir of addiction (and it's the best one I've ever read), but it stand on it's own as an exquisite piece of writing and a memoir - time spent with a brilliant and nuanced mind, a sophisticated and sensitive person. I wish wish wish I could spend more.

Wonderful Insights, no rearranging that fact 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a fantastic book. Not just about alcoholism but the human struggle to live in our own skin, face our problems, our losses and move forward. Also a moving story about an amazingly honest woman. I'm not an alcoholic, but I use the stuff many times to not deal with things, and this book helped me to see that there is something more noble in steering clear of that kind of behavior and seeking more authentic experience. She's done a wonderful job of letting us in on her struggle, and somehow illuminating our own. I was terribly sad to find out that she had passed away some years ago, but she certainly left behind a great gift of inspiration. Her father's quote is a wonderful gem: "Insight is almost always a rearrangement of fact." Her insights bear this out. I wish I had the guts to buy this book for all my girlfriends.

Editorial Review:

The roots of alcoholism in the life of a brilliant daughter of an upper-class family are explored in this stylistic, literary memoir of drinking by a Massachusetts journalist. Caroline Knapp describes how the distorted world of her well-to-do parents pushed her toward anexoria and then alcoholism. Fittingly, it was literature that saved her: She found inspiration in Pete Hamill's A Drinking Life and sobered up. Her tale is spiced with the characters she's known along the way.

Healing the Shame that Binds You: Recovery Classics Edition (Recovery Classics)

John Bradshaw

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 46 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Not good at all! 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 15 people found this review helpful.

I read this book twenty something years ago. I have family problems. Don't we all? My parents let me down in many ways, and so did my siblings.

But this book left me feeling that my problems were someone else's fault. I no longer had to feel responsible for my own thoughts, decisions and actions. Fact is, shame is there for a reason. It makes me aware that I am guilty. I can't do anything about my guilt. Only God can. And he did. He sent his son Jesus to die in my place and take away my guilt. I am forgiven. I am loved by a perfect Father.

I was raised in a Christian home. I knew about God's love in my head. But as a college student I read Bradshaw's book. It was at a time when I was suffering from my parents' bitter divorce. Because I got so caught up into focusing on their sins and blaming them, and rejecting any shame I felt from my own misconduct, I couldn't grow.

So stay away from this book. Or at least if you read it, you will need a good dose of truth to help you deal with the lies in Bradshaw's book. I think he meant well. But he's way off base. The truth will set you free. This stuff will bind you for a long, long, time!

Editorial Review:

This classic book, written 17 years ago but still selling more than 13,000 copies every year, has been completely updated and expanded by the author.

"I used to drink," writes John Bradshaw,"to solve the problems caused by drinking. The more I drank to relieve my shame-based loneliness and hurt, the more I felt ashamed."

Shame is the motivator behind our toxic behaviors: the compulsion, co-dependency, addiction and drive to superachieve that breaks down the family and destroys personal lives. This book has helped millions identify their personal shame, understand the underlying reasons for it, address these root causes and release themselves from the shame that binds them to their past failures.

Codependents' Guide to the Twelve Steps

Melody Beattie

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

First the Hurt, Now the Healing...

Millions identified with Melody Beattie in Codependent No More and gained inspiration from her in Beyond Codependency. Now she's back to help you discover how recovery programs work and to help you find the right one for you. Interpreting the famous Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Steps specifically for codependent issues for the very first time, this groundbreaking book combines Melody's expertise with the experience of other people to:

• Explain each step and how you can apply it to your particular issues

• Offer specific exercises and activities to use both in group settings and on your own

• Provide a directory of the wide range of Twelve Step programs -- including Al-Anon, Codependents Anonymous, Codependents of Sex Addicts, Adult Children of Alcoholics, and more

The uniquely warm and compassionate voice of Melody Beattie will inspire you to turn your life around -- one step at a time.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Alcoholics Anonymous

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Another Good Book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A joy to read. Very informative. Twelve-step and twelve traditions, not just for alcoholics anonymous or recovery. Good for everyone.

THE Manual on working the 12 Steps 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Everyone working a 12 Step program - regardless of what kind (ie, AA, DA, NA, etc) needs a copy of this book by their side. Bill W. wrote this many years after the Big Book came out, and he wrote it specifically to help people understand and work each of the 12 Steps. And what a masterful job he's done! This book should be required reading for everyone, but if you're lucky enough to be in recovery, you've got the perfect tool for helping you to get the most out of the 12 Steps.

I loved learning that one of my biggest problems was that I was driven by a hundred forms of self centered fear, all stemming from two core fears: either losing something I already had, or not getting something I demanded. How true! This book is filled with gems and discoveries that would take a lifetime for you to learn. The good news is that you can read it in a few hours!

Again, regardless of the type of 12 Step program you are in, get this book and read it as you work your steps. You will always be grateful you did!

Michael Z, Author of The Wisdom of the Rooms "A Year of Weekly Reflections"

Editorial Review:

Originally published in 1952, this classic book is used by A.A. members and groups around the world. It lays out the principles by which A.A. members recover and by which the fellowship functions. The basic text clarifies the Steps which constitute the A.A. way of life and the Traditions, by which A.A. maintains its unity.

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating

Geneen Roth

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best Book Written on This Subject 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Geneen "Gets It" and gets right to the chase. This book has opened my eyes and turned the light bulb on. I highly recommend it for anyone who has issues with their relationship with food.

the right book at the right time 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I don't usually write reviews but I felt like I had to for this one. "Breaking Free" goes beyond just food to explore the essentials: emotions, shame, forgiveness, sexuality. Truly a special book--Roth's voice is very genuine and the personal experiences she relates make you feel like you know her and can trust her. One of those books I'll keep around forever.

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I love this book. It was easy to read. If you have any issues with emotional eating, this is the book for you. I could really relate to the book.

Great Book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book. It helped me indentify between eating for hunger and eating for emotional reasons. Great buy!

transformative 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book changed my life in all the ways I was longing for it to be changed.
I read Geneen's work in the middle of my eating disorder. I didn't begin using it right away because I didn't trust it. I didn't like it. I didn't think it would work. It does.
Different approaches work for different people. I think this worked for me because, deep down Geneen's philosophy is in accordance with my own. I wanted to be my own authority. I wanted it bad enough to give this a try. I didn't tell myself I had to do this forever. I didn't have blind faith. I also didn't give up on it in the first three months. I gave myself a year to decide. A year, where I promised myself I wouldn't diet. A year in which to work through every exercise I reasonably could. In addition to committing to this book, I continued seeing a therapist on a weekly basis. That helped, but this book is what ultimately gave me coping tools. I know that I was in the extreme, not everybody needs as much help as I did. I also know that distorted eating is very normal in this culture. I feel blessed to have been able to examine something so fundamental, and transform what was a problem to a benefitt. I've read all of Ms. Roth's books and enjoyed each of them. This one has a great combination of explaining and exercises to do, which is why I chose it. However, the chapters are widely divergent in terms of work. Her other book "Why Weight" appears to be the same exact work better organized, but less expository. If you are unsure if this work is for you, get "Breaking Free". If after reading through it you feel excited but overwhelmed by the work load, you may wish to try "Why Weight" as a work book.
I never review books. I chose to review this one because it was very helpful to me, and a big risk. I hope this is of some help.

The Easy Way to Stop Drinking

Allen Carr

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Carr offers a startling new view of why we drink and how we can escape the addiction. Step by step, with devastating clarity and simplicity, he applies the Easyway™ method, dispelling all the illusions that surround the subject of drinking and that can make it almost impossible to imagine a life without alcohol. Only when we step away from all these supposed pleasures and understand how we are being duped to believe we are receiving real benefits can we begin to live our lives free from any desire or need for drinking.

The Easyway™ method centers on removing the psychological need to drink—while the drinker is still drinking. Following the Easyway™:

• You will not need willpower

• You will not feel deprived

• You will lose your fear of withdrawal pangs

• You will enjoy social occasions more

• You will be better equipped to handle stress

The Easy Way to Stop Drinking is a landmark work that offers a simple and painless solution to anyone who wants to escape from dependency on alcohol without feeling deprived.

Shrink Yourself: Break Free from Emotional Eating Forever

Roger Gould

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Maria 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I've received more help from the first half of this book, than I have in 25 years of dieting. For the first time in my life, I looked in the mirror and saw some positives and I'm 100 pounds overweight! In one month I've lost 10 pounds and I'm finally dealing with the issues that have been plaguing my life. This is a doable lifestyle change that will enable me to be free from excess weight and the mental games that keep me overweight.

Shrink Yourself Gets It 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book goes farther than any I've read before in delving into the issues of compulsive overeating. I agree with some of the other reviewers in that, while it provides fabulous insight, the solutions aren't miracle cures. Unfortunately, I don't think there ARE any miracle cures for eating and food addicts.

That being said, I strongly urge you to read this book. It is informative and even though I've read many others in this genre, Dr. Gould brings great insight into the overeating dilemma.

Editorial Review:

Studies show that the reason why many people gain weight—and keep it on—is emotional eating, not physical eating. Now Dr. Roger Gould, a psychotherapist and a leading authority on emotional eating, shows how to overcome fear, anxiety, and other stresses and stop using food as an over-the-counter tranquilizer that can cause weight gain. With 12 practical ways to stop emotional eating and an eight-session program, Dr. Gould helps you become your own eating therapist and shrink yourself for good.

Beyond Codependency: And Getting Better All the Time

Melody Beattie

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

You're learning to let go, to live your life free of the grip of someone else's problems. And yet you find you've just started on the long journey of recovery. Let Melody Beattie, author of the classic Codependent No More, help you along your way. A guided tour past the pitfalls of recovery, Beyond Codependency is dedicated to those struggling to master the art of self-care. It is a book about what to do once the pain has stopped and you've begun to suspect that you have a life to live. It is about what happens next.

In simple, straightforward terms, Beattie takes you into the territory beyond codependency, into the realm of recovery and relapse, family-of-origin work and relationships, surrender and spirituality. With personal stories, hard-won insights, and activities, her book teaches the lessons of dealing with shame, growing in self-esteem, overcoming deprivation, and getting past fatal attractions long enough to find relationships that work.

"Melody Beattie is an American phenomenon . . . She connects with age-old quests for self-improvement and rebirth. . . [And she] understands being overboard, which helps her throw best-selling lifelines to those still adrift."
Time

"[This book] goes beyond how we hurt to how we heal."
Veronica Ray, author of Choosing Happiness

Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too

Jenni Schaefer, Thom Rutledge

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: McGraw-Hill Amazon Marketplace: 53 new & used starting at $8.02

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A unique new approach to treating eating disorders

Eight million women in the United States suffer from anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia. For these women, the road to recovery is a rocky one. Many succumb to their eating disorders. Life Without Ed offers hope to all those who suffer from these often deadly disorders. For years, author Jennifer Schaefer lived with both anorexia and bulimia. She credits her successful recovery to the technique she learned from her psychologist, Thom Rutledge.

This groundbreaking book illustrates Rutledge's technique. As in the author's case, readers are encouraged to think of an eating disorder as if it were a distinct being with a personality of its own. Further, they are encouraged to treat the disorder as a relationship rather than as a condition. Schaefer named her eating disorder Ed; her recovery involved "breaking up" with Ed

• Shares the points of view of both patient and therapist in this approach to treatment
• Helps people see the disease as a relationship from which they can distance themselves
• Techniques to defeat negative thoughts that plague eating disorder patients

Prescriptive, supportive, and inspirational, Life Without Ed shows readers how they too can overcome their eating disorders.