The Addictive Personality. Understanding the Addictive Process and Compulsive Behavior

Editorial Review
Second Edition

For nearly a decade, The Addictive Personality has helped people understand the process of addiction. Now, through this second edition, author Craig Nakken brings new depth and dimension to our understanding of how an individual becomes an addict. Going beyond the definition that limits dependency to the realm of alcohol and other drugs, Nakken uncovers the common denominator of all addiction and describes how the process is progressive.

Through research and practical experience, Nakken sheds new light on:

Genetic factors tied to addiction
Cultural influences on addictive behaviors
The progressive nature of the disease
Steps to a successful recovery

The author examines how addictions start, how society pushes people toward addiction, and what happens inside those who become addicted. This new edition will help anyone seeking a better understanding of the addictive process and its impact on our lives.

Customer Reviews

This book

2008-10-12
Really helpful to understand one's addictive tendencies, what drives us toward and how to avoid self-destructive acts

Must Read If You Struggle With Addiction

2008-09-05
As someone who struggles with Alcohol addiction I gained valuable insights from this book. As it should, the book addresses addiction in the context of a whole personality/pattern of addiction, not simply addiction to one particular substance such as alcohol. A must read if you struggle with addiction.

Extremely helpful

2008-07-31
This book is extremely helpful in understanding addicts for those who try to help them. It may even help you understand yourself.

Speculative Ramblings

2008-05-10
I was first exposed to Nakken's work in a Hazelden pamphlet from the late 1980s. I used that material & the papers of Harry Tiebout to present 1 lecture each month titled 'The Addictive Personality.' I did the lecture for about 3 years & then quit my job at a treatment center in order to go to grad school. What I learned there, & during the years since, has convinced me that there is no such thing (read single entity) as the 'addictive personality.' In fact, persons with many different personality structures become addicts. Over 20 years of research indicates the closest correlation exists with antisocial personality. Early versions of the DSM classified alcoholism along with neuroses & personality disorders, but that changed in 1986 with DSM3. Nakken's work continues interesting & somewhat entertaining, but is useless in explaining addiction. It neglects other causative factors, & may in fact contribute to learned helplessness by convincing a person that their personality (an enduring structure very difficult to change) caused their addiction!

A must read for an addict or someone who loves them

2008-03-03
This author has explained addiction from the beginning to the end and didn't leave anything out. It provided me the tools to understand the addict in my life like nothing else ever has, including Alanon. I am now able to sit next to the addict in my life and say I understand and mean it. I am no longer sitting on the outside wishing I could make sense of the craziness addiction creates in the life of the addict and those of us who love them. As the author explains, "addiction doesn't make sense" so stop trying to find logic in it. Instead the author gives the rest of us a view from the addicts perspective and it helped heal the awful pain the addict has caused in my life. This is a must read for anyone who knows an addict, loves an addict, is an addict or lives in society because addiction surrounds and effects us all.

To the point!

2007-09-11
Second Edition

Through research and practical experience, Nakken sheds new light on:

Genetic factors tied to addiction
Cultural influences on addictive behaviors
The progressive nature of the disease
Steps to a successful recovery

Craig Nakken, M.S.W. a certified chemical dependency practitioner, is a lecturer at the Rutgers School of Alcohol Studies and the Florida School of Addictions. A worker in the field of addictions for more than 25 years, Nakken has a private practice in St. Paul, Minnesota and lectures nationally and internationally on topics related to addiction studies.

Really Poorly Written and Reasoned 2007-05-25
I bought this book because I suspected myself of having an addictive personality. I still think I do (if a little is good, the all of it is great!). I still think I probably do have an addictive personality, but this book does not ring true at all. This book invokes all the oft-heard and little understood lingo of AA and other standard rehab in an effort to explain why some people use and some people have a tendancy towards going overboard. The essence of the theory that this book purports is that there are two versions of an addict: the addict and the non-addict. The addict is supposedly always trying to make the non-addict abuse substances. I just found that model inept. Anytime I chose to abuse something (food, drink, exercise, work) it wasn't really a fight with myself. I choose it. I knew I was choosing it. This may work for some, but to me it is sort of a cop out way to deal with a series of bad choices and effectively renders you powerless to choose to be a person who is not tormented by the need to go overboard.

Easy to Read and Understand 2007-04-26
I bought this book while in the midst of an addicted family member's crisis. After reading it myself I passed it along to the addict and we both agreed it was insightful and informative - we saw ourselves and our situation realistically and clearly portrayed. It's not a lengthy or complicated text and has much to offer addicts and their families/friends. I recommend this to anyone looking for an education on addiction.

The addictive personality 2007-03-19
This book gives a good understanding of what the addict is thinking and his thought process. It talks about the many things that can be addicting, but in order to stop the addiction the addict must change his/her thought process, or else they will transfer addictions. A very good read.

Excellent Book 2007-01-16
I've had several addiction problems in my lifetime - drugs, cigarettes, and a food addiction. I've watched my life turn to dirt, given up on having a successful relationship, and have spent uncountable years of struggle with my addiction. And in my 40 years of life (25 of those addicted) this the first time I have been able to *understand* my addicition, how it came to be, how it manifests itself, how it feeds, and how and why it ruins my life.
This book will give an excellent view of addiction as a whole, and does not specifically relate to any single addiction problem. You will learn the phases of addiction, and the how's and why's of the addictive personality. This goes a long way in helping you understand who you are, and how you got to where you are (as an addict).
My only complaint with this book is that it relies on 12 step recovery plans as the recovery process for addiction. I haven't found OA to be effective for me, and will be researching other books that don't pursue the 12 step program of recovery.