November 30, 2023
UNDERSTANDING ADDICTION AND RECOVERY:
The Ultimate Guide to Hope, Healing, and Self-Discovery
Dr. Heather DiBlasi
Aviva Publishing (2023)
ISBN: 978-1-63618-267-4 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-63618-269-8 (ebook)
New Book Offers Thorough Overview of Addiction and How to Recover
Dr. Heather DiBlasi’s new book Understanding Addiction and Recovery: The Ultimate Guide to Hope, Healing, and Self-Discovery completely lives up to its title as a tremendous resource for anyone who wants a better understanding of addiction in all its forms and what is needed to recover from an addiction.
The book is divided into nineteen chapters. The chapters discuss how life problems can lead people to dysfunctional behaviors and addiction and how to prevent a substance use disorder (SUD). Dr. DiBlasi then devotes entire chapters to specific types of addiction, ranging from alcohol and marijuana use to hallucinogens and opioids. Her discussion is extensive and includes everything from vaping and gaming to the latest drugs you probably never heard of. She then discusses how to identify behavioral disorders, the psychology behind addiction, what is required to succeed in treatment, and the importance of knowing your self-worth and motivating yourself to make good decisions to break the cycle of addiction.
While Dr. DiBlasi has done extensive research and documents her material, Understanding Addiction and Recovery is not merely an academic book. It is a highly readable and provides wonderful insights into addiction and recovery. Dr. DiBlasi knows how to communicate with people from her years of teaching in the classroom and, more importantly, her years working in treatment centers and directly helping people with SUDs. She provides facts and statistics to put things in perspective, but she also shares heart-wrenching stories of people whose lives were ruined by addiction and heartwarming stories of those who were able to recover successfully. My heart especially went out to the children of parents with an addiction. Dr. DiBlasi shows how one person’s addiction can hurt countless friends and family members, and how those people can be supportive of their loved one, sometimes practicing tough love, to help that person return to a normal and productive life.
Dr. DiBlasi also knows everyone’s situation can be different, and consequently, she states, “Dealing with this issue can be one of the most difficult and taxing situations you will face. Just as there is no clear definition of love, there is not one way to love someone with a SUD.” Furthermore, she reminds us that “love does not know age limits and no matter what age you are, you have the power to make big life changes.”
While those who love someone addicted will find this book valuable, it really should be read by everyone, especially parents, to prepare themselves for talking to their children about addiction. Dr. DiBlasi states:
“The number-one question parents ask me is, ‘When should I start talking to my child about drugs and alcohol?’ The answer is you should have started talking to them ten years ago. If you did not do it then, put down this book and go talk, call, Facetime, or text them now. The minute you have a child, you need to start that conversation…. Open communication about drugs and alcohol should be the norm, a standard in your house and not a taboo subject.”
She then provides examples of how to talk to adolescents about substance use and shares her personal experiences talking to students.
One of the most valuable chapters in the book, in my opinion, was the chapter titled “Surviving Your Family.” Dr. DiBlasi discusses family dysfunction and the roles family members will play to hide someone’s addiction or dance around it. She discusses the need for family therapy and how it can help family members reconnect to heal and break the cycle of a substance use disorder.
Dr. DiBlasi also explores various types of treatment from Twelve-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to MAT (Medical-Assisted Treatment) and how they can help people, as well as the challenges related to each treatment option.
The final chapters motivate the reader to be a leader for change, whether in their workplace, community, or home, in small and big ways. Dr. DiBlasi discusses how we can inspire others to make positive changes. She focuses on the value of self-care, self-worth, and self-love and how cultivating those can help the addicted cope with the problems that may have led to their addiction in healthier and more productive ways. As Dr. DiBlasi concludes, “Everyone deserves happiness, love, and the opportunity to go after their dreams. Do not settle for less; you deserve only the best!”
Understanding Addiction and Recovery was incredibly eye-opening for me. I found it mind-boggling the extent to which people will go to get high, even to inhaling fumes from bottled human feces. I appreciated Dr. DiBlasi’s telling it how it is without using fear tactics or being overly emotional. (In fact, she shares why past efforts like the “Just Say No” campaign failed in the past for these reasons.) This book reflects the voice of someone who has been in the trenches and seen the worst that drugs can do to a person. Dr. DiBlasi discusses the matter with compassion, realizing any of us could easily fall into addiction given the right circumstances, but she also offers hope to anyone willing to find their self-worth and ask for support from others.
I encourage parents to read and discuss this book with their children, and I encourage anyone addicted or who loves someone with an addiction to use it to begin their healing journey.
For more information about Dr. Heather DiBlasi and Understanding Addiction and Recovery, visit www.DrHeatherTalks.com.
— Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD and award-winning author of Narrow Lives and The Best Place
