For anyone trying to overcome an addiction, living with someone with an addiction, or helping someone with an addiction
As most drug and alcohol addicts eventually realize, good intentions alone aren't enough to break destructive habits. However, addiction can be managed once its true nature is understood. This simple yet profound guidebook takes you step-by-step through the process of building a life after addiction by adopting new behaviors that create lasting change. An internationally renowned psychiatrist, neurologist, and addiction specialist, Dr. Walter Ling has worked with thousands of addicts, their loved ones, and fellow clinicians. His no-nonsense, no-judgment approach, which he calls the "neuroscience of common sense," advocates holistic methods to prevent relapse and establish new patterns to create a sustainable, meaningful life. Straight talk about addiction and recovery from an internationally renowned neuroscientist, addiction specialist, and psychiatrist
"Dr. Ling, one of the world's foremost experts on addiction, explains addiction in a way that non-scientists can understand, and he dispels the pervasive myth that this disease can't be treated. . . . If you or a loved one is suffering addiction - or if you want to understand a disease that's devastating our families, communities, and nation - this book is indispensable."
- David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey through His Son's Addiction and Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy
"In this seemingly simple book, Dr. Ling reminds the reader that stopping drug and alcohol use is only the first, and in some ways the easiest, step in treating addiction, with the real and joyful work beginning as a new way of living unfolds."
- Peggy Compton, RN, PhD, FAAN, Associate Professor, van Ameringen Endowed Chair, Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
"This beautifully written book by a prominent figure in addiction medicine provides a useful perspective for individuals whose pleasure-seeking, feel-better use of opiates has led to addiction. The book could also have been titled Getting to Know Walter Ling: Neurologist, Psychiatrist, Practitioner, Philosopher, Family Man. His wit and wisdom contribute to the appeal of his message for an even wider audience of interested readers."
- C. James Klett, PhD
"Like Dr. Ling himself, [Mastering the Addicted Brain] is filled with compassion, wisdom, and funny stories. Most of all, it provides a road map for how to lead a happy, balanced, and meaningful life. Addicts, their friends and family, and anyone who has struggled with difficult problems will benefit from reading this book."
- Sandra D. Comer, PhD, Professor of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute
"There are very few entertaining and easy-to-read books about addiction that are scientifically accurate and also contain gems of ancient wisdom. Dr. Ling has provided the latter in this wonderful little handbook that contains all the essentials of recovery and a wonderful first chapter for everyone who has ever known someone struggling with this most difficult disease."
- Jeanne L. Obert, MFT, MSM, cofounder and board chair, Matrix Institute on Addictions
"An amazing amount of information is packed into this very readable little book. Walter Ling is one of the pioneers in the field of addiction, and anyone who is affected by addiction can learn from the wisdom of this master."
- Richard A. Rawson, PhD, Research Professor, Vermont Center on Behavior and Health
"Mastering the Addicted Brain is the perfect guide to support clinicians. It provides practical, evidence-based guidance along with an easy-to-understand conceptualization of how addiction occurs. It's useful for those who have an addiction as well as the family and friends of
