Alcoholism Books - Page 2

One Day at a Time in Al-Anon

Al-Anon Family Group Head Inc

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good guidance 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is very helpful giving quick guidance for the day. I see myself continually reading it for many years.

The road to serenity 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

a great book to read a page of everyday. or read the 22 pages on detachment all at once.

A Little Harsh 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I find this meditation book a little harsh, although there are some strong insights. I prefer the other Al-Anon mediation books: Courage to Change: 1 Day at a Time in Al-Anon II or Hope for Today. Both of these newer books provide similar insights with a much kinder voice. If you are dealing with active addiction in your life, these books will help, even if you decide not to attend Al-Anon. Remember the three C's: "I didn't cause it; I can't control it; I can't cure it." (Paths to Recovery: Al-Anon's Steps, Traditions and Concepts, p. 14)

Focused on the wives of alcoholics 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I agree with the reviewer who found this book a little harsh. The advice is "old school" al-anon -- focused on the wife of an AA member. It's all about becoming more agreeable, not arguing with him, not complaining when he spends all his time in AA. If you are an adult child of an alcoholic, there is precious little advice for you here. You might want to check out HOPE FOR TODAY or COURAGE TO CHANGE.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Alcoholics Anonymous

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a must own book for anyone who is in recovery - one day at a time from alcoholism. Every house should own this as part of your library and reading a bit of it daily. Your healthy sobriety depends on it.

Sobriety seems very difficult at times, but it passes when you have your structure in place.

It is soooo worth it!

Merna

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

If you wonder why people hate AA, read this book. 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Imagine for a moment that you have just started AA. Your sponsor hands you this book, telling you that it, together with the Big Book, is central to an understanding of AA's "Simple Program".

You start reading, and on page 26 you find the following statement: "AA does not demand that you believe anything. All of its 12 steps are but suggestions." What a relief! Guess those people who claim that AA is a cult don't know what they are talking about.

But wait.

Reading on, you reach pages 29-30, which address themselves to the "intellectually self-sufficient man or woman." Here, you learn that there are dire consequences for not following AA's "suggestions": "We saw that we had to reconsider (our intellectual self-sufficiency) or die." On pages 37-38 you are told that: "The philosophy of self-sufficiency is not paying off. Plainly enough, it is a bone-crushing juggernaut whose final achievement is ruin...we have been driven to AA, admitted defeat...and now want to make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to a Higher Power."

Amazing. In less than 20 pages, you have gone from "only suggestions" to "do it our way or die." And the message is pounded home repeatedly the further you read in the book. On page 56, you learn the fate of those who don't fully confess their sins: "Some people are unable to stay sober at all; others will relapse periodically until they really clean house...without a fearless admission of our defects to another human being we could not stay sober." On page 69 you are assured that "Rebellion may be fatal."

Would you stick around for more?

If you would, then nothing is preventing you from doing so.

But if you would not, how would you like it if all the treatment centers available had no other option? How would you like it if virtually ALL treatment for alcoholism in the US was based on THIS?

Well, lots of us don't like that. And those of you who wonder why really should read this book.

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.

Seven Weeks to Sobriety: The Proven Program to Fight Alcoholism through Nutrition

Joan Mathews Larson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Personal Success Story with "Seven Weeks to Sobriety" 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I can personally attest to the validity of the nutritional approach described in Seven Weeks to Sobriety. Five years ago I attended the outpatient Health Recovery Center operated by Joan Mathews Larson in Minneapolis, MN after about twenty-five years of almost daily alcohol use. During the five years since then I have never had a drink, except for one brief relapse from which I quickly recovered when my wife was critically ill with a rare neurological disease, shortly before she died.

The nutritional program at the center is virtually the same as described in the book except that during the first week or so patients receive three or four intravenous injections with large amounts of vitamin C and other nutrients to jumpstart the program and speed the detoxification process for serious cases. The balance of the program consists of occasional lab work in the mornings and weekly check-ins with a nurse. Afternoons and evenings consist mostly of educational sessions and discussion groups; fine tuning of the nutrients with a nutritional counselor, and occasional meetings with a therapist.

My recommendation to anyone wanting to use this approach at home is to purchase the book and buy the supplements directly from the Health Recovery Center, to ensure high quality. The cost of the supplements for the first six weeks is about $600. At the end of the six weeks it is highly recommended that a scaled down set of nutrients be continued for at least three to six months to continue the repair process. It may also be helpful, but not necessary, that you see a nutritionist to help tailor a meal plan to your liking and possibly see a therapist, if you feel you need additional support. An alternative, of course, is to attend the program in Minneapolis at a cost of about $16,000. In either case, the keys to success are taking the nutrients and controlling your blood sugar through a low carbohydrate diet (e.g., 75 grams per day). Also, avoiding caffeine and, if at all possible, stopping or reducing smoking.

Editorial Review:

"Comprehensive, rational and personal. It suppplies much of what is missing in traditional approaches to alcoholic rehabilitation. I believe that this book can save lives."
Leo Galland, M.D.
Open this book and you will embark on a groundbreaking seven-week journey that will change your life. You will learn how to break your addiction to alcohol and end your cravings--and do it under your own power. Here, step-by-step, is a proven, seven-week program developed by Dr. Joan Matthews Larson at the innovative Health Recovery Center in Minneapolis, that subdues your body's addictive chemistry and puts you on the path to full recovery.

Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism

AAWS

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 74 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

I don't understand the critism 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I don't really understand the lengths I've seen people go to to discredit this book or the 12 steps in general. I am not a member of AA but I have a family member who was saved literally from the brink of death by NA. The changes in her and in her life have been nothing short of miraculous. If it was a 'cult' that brought about this change in her then I say Thank God for the 12-step cult, for it is truly a force of good.

Editorial Review:

It's more than a book. It's a way of life.

Alcoholics Anonymous-the Big Book-has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. First published in 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. With publication of the second edition in 1955, the third edition in 1976, and now the fourth edition in 2001, the essential recovery text has remained unchanged while personal stories have been added to reflect the growing and diverse fellowship. The long-awaited fourth edition features 24 new personal stories of recovery.

Key features and benefits
· the most widely used resource for millions of individuals in recovery
· contains full, original text describing AA program
· updated with 24 new personal stories

It Will Never Happen to Me: Growing Up With Addiction As Youngsters, Adolescents, Adults

Claudia A. Black

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

awakening 4 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This book was recommended by my therapist and after reading it I gave it to a friend who is also an adult child of an alcoholic. I haven't got the book back so I'm buying another copy for myself. I NEED to read it again and again. It opened my eyes and put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together for me. Although it's hard to face some of the realities this book points out, I believe it to be one of the vital steps I am taking in trying to change my life for the better. It's never too late.

It will never happen to me 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Still the best introduction to the impact of chemical dependency on the family. I must give about 5 copies of this away to my students every year.

Really good 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a great read for anyone who has grown up or is growing up in an alcoholic family. It helps the reader in very simple ways to understand the dynamics of alcoholic families and offers concrete ways of dealing with issues and problems. I recommend it to anyone currently dealing with alcoholism or dealing with the aftermath of an alcoholic upbringing, or even for someone just curious about the effects of alcoholism on families.

Editorial Review:

This "little green book," as it has come to be known to hundreds of thousands of C.O.A.'s and A.C.O.A.'s, is meant to help the reader understand the roles children in alcoholic families adopt, the problems they face in adulthood as a result, and what they can do to break the pattern of destruction.

The Little Red Book

Anonymous

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A greatly overlooked recovery book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a Hazelden book specifically written as a study aid to The Big Book. It helps to clarify and illuminate the 12 step process and is often used by sponsors as they guide their sponsees through the steps. It is a tool which, if used in addition to (and not in replacement of)the basic program literature, may add a layer of depth and understanding to the step process. This book is also used as the basis of step-study groups in some areas. It appears to have been used to a much greater extent in the past than it is now and it deserves a second look for what it may have to offer.

Good supplement to the Big Book 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great supplement to the big book, especiall if you are a group leader or if you just want to improve you understanding of the 12 Steps.

A must 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great little book. It should be used in conjunction with the Big Book and the 12 X 12. I suggest finding the Little Red Book Guide to accompany it. I use them with my sponsees.

Editorial Review:

For over 50 years, The Little Red Book has been a primer for members of Alcoholics Anonymous. Each page acts as a study guide to the Big Book and its teachings.

Perfect Daughters (Revised Edition)

Robert J. Ackerman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Classic text and perennial best-seller expanded and revised.

This new edition of Perfect Daughters, a pivotal book in the ACoA movement, identifies what differentiates the adult daughters of alcoholics from other women.

When this groundbreaking book first appeared over ten years ago, Dr. Ackerman identified behavior patterns shared by daughters of alcoholics. Adult daughters of alcoholics-"perfect daughters" -operate from a base of harsh and limiting views of themselves and the world. Having learned that they must function perfectly in order to avoid unpleasant situations, these women often assume responsibility for the failures of others. They are drawn to chemically dependent men and are more likely to become addicted themselves. More than just a text that identifies these behavior patterns, this book collects the thoughts, feelings and experiences of twelve hundred perfect daughters, offering readers an opportunity to explore their own life's dynamics and thereby heal and grow.

This edition contains updated information throughout the text, and completely new material, including chapters on eating disorders and abuse letters from perfect daughters in various stages of recovery, and helpful, affirming suggestions from Dr. Ackerman at the end of every chapter. This book is essential for every one who found validation, hope, courage and support in the pages of the original Perfect Daughters, as well as new readers and every therapist who confronts these issues.

Also includes: a comprehensive reference section and complete index.

Struggle for Intimacy (Adult Children of Alcoholics series)

Janet Geringer Woititz

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Good starter book on intimacy issues 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I didn't grow up in the typical alcoholic household Janet constantly portrays in her books, so I didn't have all of the ACOA myths as expected - which she stated you may not have all of them. I did see a few lines that I connected strongly with (the actual "Myths" did not ring true, but rather her detailed description fit better). For example, not knowing how to get angry or what is appropriate enough to get angry. I see this in my relationship, and it wasn't until others who cared for me would say "Why are you putting up with that crap? I would never let that fly!" Alot of things seemed to roll of my back. It's not because I'm easy going and forgiving (well maybe!), but I didn't know when it was appropriate to be angry, or how, or what good getting angry would even do! The scenario about the security guard who turned off the lights and one person was angered and the other was not really hit home. Good starter book, you may not fit every myth, but it's an informative read nevertheless. If anything I understand my own parents even better as they are ACOC too.

Editorial Review:

The struggle for intimacy is part of a life-long process for those who have grown up with alcoholism or dysfunction in the home. To be intimate, to be close, to be vulnerable, contradicts all the survival skills learned by Children of Alcoholics.

Hidden Riches: Stories of Acoas on the Journey of Recovery

Paul J. Curtin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 52 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Hidden Riches 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Dora Conroy has a small eclectic antique shop. When she receives a shipment of items she won at auction, she realizes some of the wrong items were shipped. It is then that she becomes a target by a ruthless businessman. Her new tenant, Jed Skimmerhorn, is attracted to Dora and feels the need to protect her. As they work together to solve the mystery of the black-market artwork, they must battle his past, her family, and an international criminal to have a future.

This is an older work by NR. Well written, and I liked the characters Dora and Jed. The secondary characters were very well done, and an important part of the story.

Good read! 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I have gone through the JD Robb series and am waiting for the next release. So I turned to older stories that Nora wrote. I liked this one. It's good.

Editorial Review:

After purchasing an odd assortment of auction items, Philadelphia antiques dealer becomes the deadly focus of a sinister international smuggler, as she and her handsome upstairs tenant, ex-cop Jed Skimmerhorn, set out to uncover the truth.

Rational Recovery: The New Cure for Substance Addiction

Jack Trimpey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 81 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

RR saves 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

If you are one of the almost 5 percent of alcoholics who can be saved by AA, you do not need to read Jack Trimpey's Rational Recovery. It is not for you. Rational Recovery (RR) or "generic recovery" is a way of quitting drinking or drugging that has been around as long as alcohol, and drugs--you just make the rational decision to quit for good and star behaving like it. It works for 65 percent of all people who give it a try. Over half of all who learn RR recover. Of course, making this rational decision is never simple, especially if we then have to act rationally, and that is what the book is about. First you have to recognize the part of yourself that loves to use. If you have trouble hearing this addictive voice, Jack tells us to say out loud "I quit, forever." If we have a drinking problem, we will immediately start an argument with the part that wants to continue to drink or drug. Jack shows us how to win this argument, again and again. The bottom line is that the part of our brain that wants to drink or drug has no access to our fingers or mouth, unless is hijacks the rest of our brain, reason, and self-control.

Being a licensed counselor, I know a little how Jack must feel suggesting an alternative approach to AA. AA people do not like RR people. As I write this review. I prepare to be burnt at stake, suggesting Jack is in his right mind questioning why none of the 12 steps mention anything about quitting, dismissing the belief one is powerless, or urging those who wish to recover to never admit they are "alcoholics" or "addicts." He challenges us to forget about "one day at a time" or "never say never" and embrace "I will never drink or drug again." Jack Trimpey goes on to show that Rational Recovery is a cure for chemical dependency by changing what we think and do. No meetings, no bottoming out, no moral inventories, no higher power, just quitting straight up. He shows us how to shatter illusions and thinking errors and act rationally sober. I have people raging at me for suggesting RR and patients complain about the copy I leave out in my waiting room. But it is not a matter of AA versus RR, but a matter of getting sober. This rational approach can sober up many of those who cannot benefit from AA. With over 80 million Americans drinking or drugging today, rationally it is a matter of AA or RR, please. Now. Rational Recovery saves lives. Read it and recommend it.

Editorial Review:

Outlining the Addictive Voice Recognition Technique, a self-recovery program for alcoholism and drug addiction, this helpful guide presents an alternative to traditional substance abuse approaches and profiles the addiction ""Beast."" Tour.