Diseasing of America: Addiction Treatment Out of Control

Alcoholism and drug-taking may be addictions, but they are not diseases, maintains clinical psychologist Peele. In a plainspoken and courageous critique that goes against current medical fashion, the coauthor of Love and Addiction attacks the ``addiction-as-disease'' model promoted by Alcoholics Anonymous, drug treatment centers and others. He asserts that such programs blunt a substance abuser's sense of personal responsibility and, in so doing, may actually worsen her or his chances for recovery. He further argues that behavioral, family, aversive and ``community reinforcement'' therapies--or no therapy at all--work as well as AA. Peele is appalled by the extension of the disease model of addiction to such activities as overeating, smoking, compulsive sex and gambling. His hard-hitting attack on he ``addiction treatment industry'' supplies an effective antidote to what he sees as a breakdown of personal will, social support and a sense of community. (Oct.)