Book Review: Freedom From Addiction

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Addiction and Recovery. Addiction is a condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. Recovery helps you restore yourself to a better state or condition. John McMahon is the Official Guide to Addiction and Recovery.

Freedom from Addiction: The Chopra Center Method for Overcoming Destructive Habits , by Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon, is a valuable resource for people interested in Positive Psychology, and it is available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Book Description

If you've ever wished you could just stop... drinking... eating... smoking... gambling... shopping (pick one) For anyone struggling to break the cycle of addiction comes the groundbreaking approach from The Chopra Center, the world-renowned facility that has successfully helped thousands of people change their lives for the better. Chopra Center cofounder and medical director David Simon, M.D., and bestselling author and personal-growth expert Deepak Chopra outline their revolutionary approach--one that defies outmoded beliefs about recovery, particularly that people 'are' their addictions or that they are powerless to control them. By integrating the best of Western research with Eastern traditions, Simon and Chopra give anyone the tools to uncover the true cause of their addiction and provide comprehensive steps to end it for good. Readers will discover how to: - Recognize the purpose their habit serves and how to fill the void - Identify triggers and avoid relapse - Deal with disappointments, insecurities, or anger in ways that provide lasting relief, not a temporary high - Use meditation to counter stress - Choose foods and supplements that will detoxify the body and curb cravings By following the path thousands have used to turn their lives around, now anyone can have access to the renowned Chopra Center's program to achieve lasting freedom from addiction.

Publisher Description

With the Chopra imprimatur, this is likely to find an eager audience. Holistic medicine star Chopra and Simon (cofounder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, in California) are nonjudgmental and compassionate toward those struggling with cravings. They begin with the premise that the core needs of people with addictions are no different from those of other people and that addicts are on a spiritual quest, even if they are not aware of it. In the authors' holistic view, The challenge addiction presents is finding nourishing substitutions to fulfill your deep underlying needs for love, self-esteem, safety, and meaning in your life. Yet their method, which involves a purifying Ayurvedic diet, yoga asanas, twice-daily meditation and clearing of past emotional hurts, might be too challenging for people suffering from the chaos of addiction to manage on their own. This isn't helped by character profiles that are vague about what happened to these people in the recovery process. It would have been useful for readers to know exactly how effective the Chopra Center's methods are, compared with traditional rehab or 12-step programs. Nonetheless, the Ayurvedic flavor is an interesting twist on Western methods, which rely so heavily on group therapy