This comprehensive clinical resource and text is grounded in cutting-edge knowledge about the biopsychosocial processes involved in addictive behaviors. Presented are research-based, eminently practical strategies for assessing the treatment needs and ongoing clinical outcomes of individuals who have problems with substance use and nonchemical addictions. From leading contributors, the book shows how to weave assessment through the entire process of care, from the initial screening to intervention, relapse prevention, and posttreatment monitoring.

Only a decade ago, addictive behavior was defined as chemical dependence on alcohol or opiates. As each addictive drug was seen as unique, the professional and scientific disciplines investigating them worked in relative isolation. Moreover, while physiological, psychological, behavioral, and social factors were recognized as important in the etiology of addiction, these domains were not integrated into a unified model. Now, a more ``generic'' view of addictions is emerging. As analyzed in ASSESSMENT OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS, similar processes occur across a wide range of behaviors, such as drinking, smoking, eating, and drug use. With this broadened view, research has shifted from the evaluation of treatment interventions to more process-oriented studies of the multiple factors contributing to the maintenance of, and relapse to, addictive behaviors. As research is becoming increasingly integrated across disciplines, addiction now may be defined as an interactive product of learning in a setting involving physiological events as they are interpreted, labeled, and given meaning by the individual.

This important work elucidates why relapse is so common for people recovering from addictive behavior problems--and what can be done to keep treatment on track. It provides an empirically supported framework for helping people with addictive behavior problems develop the skills to maintain their treatment goals, even in high-risk situations, and deal effectively with setbacks that occur. The expert contributors clearly identify the obstacles that arise in treating specific problem behaviors, review the factors that may trigger relapse at different stages of recovery, and present procedures for teaching effective cognitive and behavioral coping strategies.

"The book has two primary goals. The first is to challenge and strengthen the reader's understanding of addiction by exploring how others in the field have come to know it. We hope that this will enable the reader to create a clear and logically consistent perspective on addiction. The second goal is to show the reader how theory and research are important to both the prevention and the treatment of substance abuse. This information should provide the reader with an array of strategies for addressing substance abuse problems and help make him or her an effective practitioner"--

Get a quick, expert overview of all types of addiction – from substance use disorders to behavioral addictions and more. This practical resource presents a focused summary of today’s current knowledge on topics of interest to all health care professionals who work with those who suffer from this wide-ranging problem. It provides current, relevant information on emerging findings, best practices, and treatment challenges, covering a variety of assessment and treatment strategies and making it a one-stop resource for staying up to date in this critical area. Discusses precision health in addiction; the latest trend of electronic cigarettes; state-of-the-art treatments for opioid use disorder and cannabis use disorder; best practices for chronic pain; prevention among adolescents; the role of physicians in the prescription drug epidemic; and the role of integrative interventions in addiction treatment. Includes coverage of behavioral addictions such as internet, sex, and gambling; food addiction; PTSD and substance use disorders; preventing relapse; the neurobiology of addiction; and more. Consolidates today’s available information on this timely topic into one convenient resource.

The Behavioral Addictions provides a pragmatic and engaging guide to help clinicians understand and contextualize conditions that may not be clearly delineated in the DSM-5 diagnostic system. Although not accorded a specific classification, the behaviors addressed in this book share the accepted hallmarks of addiction—continued engagement in an action despite negative consequences and loss of control over one’s own life. The editors begin with an overview of the behavioral addictions from neurobiological, theoretical, clinical, and forensic perspectives and then present 12 case studies focused on a variety of behaviors, from exercising to Internet gaming and from kleptomania to tanning. These real-life case studies are both fascinating and instructive, and along with accompanying videos, they help trainees and practicing clinicians alike to digest current research and gain “hands-on” experience with the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. In the realm of behavioral addictions, there is much work to be done: figuring out reliable diagnostic criteria, building useful assessment tools, and developing effective psychosocial and pharmacological treatments, to name a few critical tasks. The Behavioral Addictions is an indispensable, case-based resource to guide clinicians in this rapidly changing field.