Addiction Proof Your Child

July 1, 2007
The premise of psychologist Peele's earlier workse.g., "The Truth About Addiction and Recovery"is that addictions, including alcoholism, are not diseases at all and that addiction-treatment programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous keep people in a state of permanent so-called recovery. People must take responsibility, Peele has argued, to heal themselves by substituting for acts of immediate gratification those that can lead to a fulfilling life. He carries over that theme here, reiterating his problems with the conventional approach to addiction and giving parents the tools he feels will help them prevent addictions in their kids. These include conveying values, fostering a sense of self-efficacy (coping skills), setting boundaries and imposing discipline, teaching kids to delay gratification, and, most important, raising kids capable of being independent. He also recommends and describes alternatives to 12-step programs and lists ten goals for societal change. More of Peele's beliefs to ponder: give kids more unsupervised time, decriminalize personal drug use, stop fixating on abstinence, and don't demonize alcohol. Sure to generate controversy and discussion, this is nevertheless a commonsense and straightforward approach. Recommended for larger parenting and counseling collections.Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA

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