By Cheryl J. Cherpitel, Mark Edmund Rose
Hazelden Publishing, $17.95, 368 pages
Alcohol dependence is a pervasive issue in society and has been for several centuries. The effects of alcoholism can be catastrophic, splitting up families, contributing to crime, health conditions and death. There are many different types of treatments available for individuals who are affected by alcoholism and this new book, Alcohol: It’s History, Pharmacology and Treatment in the Library of Addictive Drugs series goes over the history of alcoholism, the physiology of it and various treatment methods. The authors are very thorough in their research and give a solid overview of the history, types of alcoholism and treatment methods. They present research behind their findings to support their views on various treatment methods. The authors do show a clear leaning toward the more spiritual aspects of treatment, specifically spiritual meditation to decrease impulsivity, cravings and improve relapse rates and while initial research of small groups indicates it might be helpful, this is one of the least supported treatment theories in the book. However, this book is a solid reference book and would be very helpful for those in the mental health or addictions field. The information is presented clearly and the book overall is an informative and interesting read.
Reviewed by Barbara Cothern
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