Codependency Conspiracy: How to Break the Recovery Habit and Take Charge Ofyour Life

Most self-help programs do more harm than good by promoting dependency, charge Berverly Hills psychologist Katz and coauthor Liu ( The Success Trap ). Bound to elicit protests from the self-help movement, their severe indictment is based on cases cited here ranging from obsessions to drug addiction. Katz and Liu differentiate between two types of remedial programs: organizations that treat all unwanted behavior as a ``disease'' affecting the ``hurt child within'' and that require lifelong adherence to principles relating to a Higher Power; and mutual-support groups limited to helping members cope with specific, short-term problems. The authors' eight-point program, intended to foster reliance on one's own healing powers, stresses dealing with one goal at a time and acknowledging past influences while developing present strengths and resources. (Mar.)