Product Description

Freedom From Addiction: The Secret Behind Successful Addiction Busting represents a major leap forward in the way we view and treat addictions. Its down to earth practical approach derives from the science-based human givens model, rather than the more common ideological models for treatment. It gives the facts behind the rise in addictive behaviours such as taking cocaine, heroin, alcohol, cigarettes, eating disorders, gambling, shopping, watching TV excessively and playing computer games etc.

Remarkable stories about all kinds of addictive behaviours, and how they were overcome, illustrate the practical steps people can take when they decide to stop a behaviour that is harming them. It also gives clear guidance to any reader wishing to do something about their own addictions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26251 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 248 pages

Footnotes Magazine, July 2005
"another excellent book from that ground-breaking team Griffin and Tyrrell ... a highly effective way of dealing with addiction."

Ruth Morozzo, July 2005
"easy to read, clear guidance ... an ideal book to enable you to help yourself, your family, friends and clients."

Nursing Standard Magazine, August 2005
"highly recommended ... avoids the medicalisation of addictive behaviour, explodes the lies that maintain addiction and offers realistic, practical solutions."

Customer Reviews

Didn't Help
I read this book two years ago and it told me that the reason I was using drugs was that my needs weren't being met. I tried to do what it suggested to get my needs met but, of course, as an addict my needs are never going to be met. I'll always want more, more, more. So I started feeling very sorry for myself. Then I got into a spiral of self-pity and was soon using drugs and drink more than ever before.

The authors have good intentions but they don't seem to understand addiction. Their theories are just academic. They sound quite reasonable but they don't seem to work. At least they didn't work for me. If anything, their ideas only helped me to stay sick.

Since then, luckily for me, I've found another way to recover that (so far) seems to be working.

'Human Givens' claims
Griffin and Tyrrell have invented their own school of therapy. They call it the 'Human Givens Approach'.

They call the basic needs for nutrition, shelter, reproduction, recognition etc., the 'human givens'. They claim that nearly all problems (including addiction) result from these needs not being fulfilled.

They say that all you have to do, to 'bust' your addiction, is to make sure you get your needs met. The best way of doing this, according to them, is to see a Human Givens therapist, trained at their MindFields College. It's good advertising.

Addicts and alcoholics probably won't find this book very useful. 'Therapists' and 'drug-workers' will love it. It should help to keep their client lists full.

Stop smoking the easy way?
I purchased this book primarily to help me stop smoking. After a 1 day read I applied the principles in the book and have not had a cigarette for three weeks. From the moment I chose not to put a cigarette in my mouth I suffered no cravings or side effects (other than the odd very mild one but nothing that wasn't easy to deal with).

The book is amazing in that it takes you through the chemical process behind addiction and reveals the tricks the mind plays to trap one into performing addictive behaviours. The advice contained in the book for defusing the addicitive process and handling cravings is first class.

This book also contains information on human needs and the tools nature has provided one with to meet them. The authors explore these needs in depth and this explanation of the way things are meant to work makes it easiler to see how things go wrong. I fully recommend this book.