Promoting Self-Change from Problem Substance Use: Practical Implications for Policy, Prevention and Treatment

Klingemann, H., Sobell, L., Peele, S., et al. (Eds.)

Growing out of a conference of the leading researchers on natural remission from around the world, this volume presents the data on, ideas about, and simple fact of natural change, and then extends this to detailed prevention and treatment policies built on people’s ample ability to change on their own. For example, it presents the counterpoint to the idea that informing people that addictions (from cigarettes to heroin) are diseases, on the grounds that this will cause them to seek treatment; rather, it is important to publicize how many people quit these attachments on their own, which is both motivating and empowering.