The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors

The Heart of Addiction presents a new and extremely useful approach for understanding the drive behind alcoholism and other addictive behaviors, and helps readers regain control of their lives. Dr. Lance Dodes rejects pat explanations of alcoholism as a disease and instead explores the underlying emotions that drive addictive behaviors. Dodes contends that all addictions—from alcoholism to compulsive gambling to sexual addiction—have, at their heart, certain emotional factors that once understood can be successfully managed.

With compassion and deep understanding, Dr. Dodes provides readers with the keys to matching their addiction and helping them uncover: why they feel the impulse; why they feel it when they do; and what they can do to address these emotional needs another way. Filled with compelling case studies, the book is sure to change the way we think about and treat addictive behaviors

About the Author:
Lance Dodes, M.D., is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, where he is a member of the Division on Addictions. He is also Director of the Center for Problem Gambling. He lives in the Boston area.