How-to Empathy for the devil

Let me start by saying this book is a "how to" for people working in the field of addiction, rather than for people wanting to come off drugs. That said, I was recommended it by a drugs-worker, who was very enthusiastic about it, and it's value is not limited to those working in the field.

I found this book a treasury of information, which was backed up by numerous references. I was at first challenged by the "cultural context" of addiction perspective Phil Harris took, but I was won round to this way of thinking, which challenged my own internal/pharmacological perspective. But these two are inextricably linked; to quote Harris, "Cultural expectancies can have a direct physical impact on the body". This is not simply stated, but follows findings from a referenced source, which demonstrates this. For someone such as myself, Harris having done his research, and not making wild unsubstantiated claims lends gravitas. Apart from a vanishingly small number of minor bones of contention, everything Harris said had the ring of truth. Harris has worked in the field for 15 years or so, and clearly has done so intelligently. Just about everything said elicited a mixture of "I know that", "How did I not think of that earlier?" and "Oh yes, of course". Even the eyebrow raising passages were explained and he'd win me round.

Just as a for instance, Harris talks about blind prescribing, in which methadone clients receive the same volume of liquid, but the amount of methadone in that liquid is reduced. People can end up surprised to find they have been drug free for weeks. Also, interestingly, the "spiritual awakening" is apparently living out it's secular existence under the (erroneous, as Harris points out) title "quantum change". Someone undergoing such a quantum change is likely to have an all but total reduction of withdrawal symptoms, and a radical permanent or semi-permanent change in perspective. I have heard this story in NA meetings, but was surprised to find it researched. The luxury of quantum change appears to be a minority pursuit though!

One other thread running through the book is looking at what happens to people who "mature out" of addictions. As someone who has recently done this without the aid of any formal therapy, I liked the way Harris looked at what self-motivated quitters did, and how therapy could be used to assist clients finding these skills.

Harris spent a chapter talking about the "Helping Relationship"; addiction he defined as a breakdown of relationships in single-minded pursuit of one goal, as opposed to dependence. It was a useful distinction, and not one I would have made myself. One interesting insight is how our longevity and health can be linked to our relationships with others. Again a study on "limbic regulation" is quoted. Also the point is made that the disposition of the helper can be the key factor here, rather than the treatment methodology.

This book is a cornucopia, and it espouses the Zen method of no method, by which I mean drawing from anything and everything that seems to help, and advocating a great deal of flexibility. From assessment through to relapse prevention and maintenance of addiction-free life, this book is intelligently written, and I would say is written with authority.

As an aside, when looking for a picture of this book on amazon.co.uk there was one review by a professional, who is really effusive. As I said, this book was recommended me by a drugs-worker, so I do not think there are failings of this book that I cannot detect as someone not working in the field.

In my guises as logician, literary critic, and proof reader there is much to fault. There are garbled sentences that need decrypting, there are times Harris uses words such as "so" or "therefor" for something that simply does not follow, and there are occasions of using three words where one will do. However, I imagine most readers will not notice these failings, and if, like me, they do, they will simply have to pause, and construct the correct sentence, possibly replacing a "so" with an "and"! In no way does this detract from the ideas or the accessibility of the book.

For those on DF who are seeking recovery, or are recovered/recovering, this book is a valuable resource. Docendo discimus (we learn by teaching), and even if we have no plans to go into the addiction "industry", learning a bit about how to teach, may help us with our own learning of how to do. There are also a series of self-reflective exercises in the book (that I briefly did mentally, but would gain from being attempted in writing) that make the book more "interactive".

I am really impressed with this book, and although it is expensive, it's worth every penny.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Awesome book review