Thirteenth Step: Addiction in the Age of Brain Science

The past thirty years have witnessed a revolution in the science of addiction, yet we still rely on outdated methods of treatment. Expensive new programs for managing addiction are also flourishing, but since they are not based in science, they offer little benefit to people who cannot afford to lose money or faith in their recovery. The Thirteenth Step pairs stories of real patients with explanations of key concepts relating to their illness, offering science-based treatments that promise to improve troubling relapse rates.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 320 pages
\n Publication date: 13 February 2018
\n Publisher: Columbia University Press
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The past thirty years have seen a significant revolution in the field of addiction science, yet we continue to rely on outdated treatment methods. While expensive new programs for addiction management are flourishing, their lack of scientific basis means they offer little benefit to individuals who cannot afford to lose money or faith in their recovery.

To address this gap, The Thirteenth Step: Clarifying the Cutting-Edge Science of Addiction for Both Practitioners and General Readers provides a comprehensive exploration of the latest research and clinical insights into addiction. Written by a team of experts in the field, the book pairs stories of real patients with explanations of key concepts related to their illness.

One example is the story of a police chief who disappears on the job, illustrating the process through which a drug can trigger the brain circuits mediating relapse. Another person's effort to find a burrito shack in a foreign city illuminates the reward prediction error signaled by the brain chemical dopamine, which is a key factor in drug seeking and addiction.

Through these examples and more, The Thirteenth Step paints a vivid, readable portrait of drug seeking, escalation, and other aspects of addiction. It offers compassionate, valuable answers to anyone who hopes for a better handle on a confounding disease. By merging science and human experience, the book provides a roadmap for understanding and treating addiction in a more effective and compassionate way.

\n Weight: 446g\n
Dimension: 156 x 243 x 21 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780231172370\n \n