Shooting Up: A Short History of Drugs and War examines how intoxicants have been put to the service of states, empires and their armies throughout history. Since the beginning of organized combat, armed forces have prescribed drugs to their members for two general purposes: to enhance performance during combat and to counter the trauma of killing and witnessing violence after it is over. Stimulants (e.g. alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines) have been used to temporarily create better soldiers by that improving stamina, overcoming sleeplessness, eliminating fatigue, and increasing fighting spirit. Downers (e.g. alcohol, opiates, morphine, heroin, marijuana, barbiturates) have also been useful in dealing with the soldier's greatest enemy - shattered nerves. Kamienski's focuses on drugs "prescribed" by military authorities, but also documents the widespread unauthorised consumption by soldiers themselves. Combatants have always treated with various drugs and alcohol, mainly for recreational use and as a reward to themselves for enduring the constant tension of preparing for. Although not officially approved, such "self-medication" is often been quietly tolerated by commanders in so far as it did not affect combat effectiveness. This volume spans the history of combat from the use of opium, coca, and mushrooms in pre-modern warfare to the efforts of modern militaries, during the Cold War in particular, to design psychochemical offensive weapons that can be used to incapacitate rather than to kill the enemy. Along the way, Kamienski provides fascinating coverage of on the European adoption of hashish during Napolean's invasion of Egypt, opium use during the American Civil War, amphetamines in the Third Reich, and the use of narcotics to control child soldiers in the rebel militias of contemporary Africa.

Anger and Rage Addiction & the Self-Pact: New Lights on an Old Nemesis presents a close look at the dynamics of anger and rage, as viewed through the lens of Addiction Theory-drawing on discriminating, diagnostic criteria derived directly from the world of alcoholism and drug addiction. The insights and, more importantly, the ramifications for treatment of Anger and Rage Addiction that result, are profound. They depart decisively from hackneyed, and insufficient, "mitigation, modification and management" strategies that have long been in vogue as the standard approach for treatment of anger and rage "disorders." Moving beyond such rationally based interventions, a new approach, called the Self-Pact, draws completely on the Addiction model to establish its foundation and efficacy. The Self-Pact is presented in detail. The Self-Pact holds considerable promise in both curtailing the mayhem that untreated Anger and Rage Addiction looses on the outer world, and emboldening those afflicted with Anger and Rage Addiction to embark on their own odyssey, replete with discoveries, adventures, reconciliation with self and others, and personal encounters with "whole" states of being.

Recovery Stories is a collection of first-hand accounts by people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Invaluable for those looking to find new, addiction-free ways to live, it contains insights into the lives of real people who hit 'rock bottom' but came back again. Of interest across a wide-range of disciplines, including health, education and social services. Addiction is an illness that kills. Accused of lacking a moral compass and blamed for their own self-destruction, addicts are often forced to live on the margins of society. Afforded little sympathy or support, they may end-up involved in criminality, violence, dishonesty and face despair. They may hit rock bottom when day-to-day survival can become a delicate balance between life and death. But addiction - which occurs in every walk of life - need not be a 'life sentence'. As this book shows, no-one is beyond turning such dire situations around. Recovery Stories is a collection of true stories of triumph over adversity. It tells how the horror of addiction can be overcome, how people can free themselves of their dependency. It is a book of hope and inspiration which will encourage all those seeking 'new ways to live' a full, addiction-free and successful life. 'This book tells the stories that need to be told...Addiction is an illness and has to be seen and tackled as such': Alastair Campbell, Ambassador for Time to Change and Alcohol Concern.