Managing Addictions: Cognitive, Emotive, and Behavioral Techniques

People who suffer from addictive disorders present an incredible challenge to therapists. This book offers hope and specific techniques designed to address the complexity of treatment. Dr. F. Michler Bishop stresses the need for therapists to be flexible, to recognize that different people have different needs, and to consider a variety of perspectives. Cognitive, emotive, behavioral, and spiritual modalities are presented with rich clinical detail. Addressing not only substance abuse, but also shopping, eating, gambling, and sexual behaviors, the book considers such issues as assessment, denial, dual diagnosis, anxiety, shame and guilt. The change process is described in various stages and therapists are reminded that patients need to move through the process, stop the process, and even go into reverse many times before they reach their treatment goals. Of particular interest is the advice he gives on working with non-motivated patients. In contrast to the confrontational, aggressive approach that has been advocated by addictions specialists in the past, Dr. Bishop suggests that therapist confrontations increase the probability of relapse. He recommends that traditional psychodynamic techniques of being empathetic, avoiding argumentation, and supporting self-efficacy are more effective with people's addiction behaviors. Specific methods for special populations, such as mandated clients or those with serious psychological problems, are also presented in this comprehensive, optimistic, and well-organized volume.

About the Author :
F. Michler Bishop, Ph.D., CAS, is Director of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services at the Albert Ellis Institute and an associate professor at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury. He is also a past president of the New York State Psychological Association's Division on Addictions and national vice president of SMART Recovery, a cognitive-behavioral self-help organization. In the last ten years, he has primarily focused on prevention and expanding the availability and variety of treatments.

Review :
An outstanding book on the treatment of addictions, including the treatment of disturbed feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, and other personality problems that often accompany addiction. I can think of no other book on addiction that so thoroughly presents the use of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Use it to your great advantage! Finally, there is a clear exposition of a comprehensive clinical approach to the treatment of addictive behaviors and associated psychological problems. One of the key strengths of this book is that it presents an integrated treatment approach as an overarching model that therapists can use as a guide as they help their clients manage or overcome their addictions. It also provides an integrated approach to the treatment of co-occuring disorders for clients who have both addictions and other psychological problems that are often reciprocally interrelated. The addictive behaviors field owes a debt of gratitude for Dr. Bishop's seminal contribution, which represents the cutting edge of the emerging paradigm shift in addiction treatment. This timely book is a breath of fresh air and will be welcome reading by those in the addictions field. Numerous clinical cases are sprinkled throughout the text and provide excellent examples of how to apply the cognitive-behavioral treatment model. Dr. Bishop, himself a scientist-practitioner, has provided the field with a balanced blend of science and clinical practice that will be of use to health care practitioners and researchers alike.