Is abstinence necessary? What is the role of hypnosis? What is the pink cloud? This encyclopedic primer, written in an easy question-and-answer format, contains everything a clinician needs to know about substance abuse and addiction. Dr. Jerome David Levin outlines the treatment of chemical and other addictions such as compulsive gambling, compulsive sexuality, and codependency. He covers the full complexity of substance abuse diagnosis and treatment with a biopsychosocial approach and multimodal interventions, ranging from detoxification and rehabilitation programs to cognitive and behavioral treatments, self-help groups, and individual and family therapy. A clear, comprehensive book that presents an integrated picture of a complex phenomenon, this primer can be profitably read either straight through or as a reference text.

This is a comprehensive clinical resource for addiction counselors who want to learn about the psychological components of the problem, for individual therapists--dynamic, cognitive, and behavioral--who want to understand systems approaches in order to draw on a broader repertoire of useful interventions, and for couple and family therapists who want to learn more about the intrapsychic, biological, and pharmacological aspects of addiction. Dr. Jerome D. Levin takes the reader down the parallel paths of addiction treatment and individual and family therapy until they meet on the bridge of actual clinical practice. Practitioner, professor, prolific author, and respected authority in the field, Dr. Levin uses approaches to the treatment of alcoholism as a model for illustrating how theory, research, technique, and flying by the seat of the professional pants can integrate into a therapeutic style to help substance abusers and their partners and families.