Review of 7 Tools to Beat Addiction

Stanton Peele is an outspoken critic of the disease model of addiction and the addiction treatment industry. True to form, he devotes the introduction of his latest book to debunking the notion of addiction as a biologically-based, lifelong disease which only long-term treatment can ameliorate. However, he then draws from diverse sources, including the most successful treatment approaches, as he offers the reader “a hand across the bridge of recovery.” Steele views moderation as the opposite of addiction, but recognizes that many who are addicted wish to, and should, quit using drugs and/or alcohol altogether. This book is applicable to either a moderation or an abstinence goal.

The “tools” are somewhat of a misnomer to the extent that the word often implies a quick fix or a simple set of instructions. Rather, Steele’s tools are the broad characteristics of an addiction-free lifestyle. These include values, motivation, rewards, resources, support, a mature identity, and higher goals. Within each chapter the author presents research evidence and anecdotes to illustrate the importance of the tool in living free of addictions. He then offers what self-help books more commonly refer to as “tools:” numerous strategies for increasing one’s level of each characteristic. Some are more straightforward than others; certainly it is simpler to increase rewards than to develop a mature identity. Throughout, Steele conveys a down-to-earth optimism about individuals’ ability to remake themselves once they take responsibility for fashioning their own fate. Most of the book is devoted to practical advice for the individual who wishes to change. In an afterword, Steele addresses societal-level interventions for fighting addiction.

Deborah H. A. Van Horn, Ph. D. - January 30, 2005