Why can't I stop?

de Jon E. Grant

"At some point in our lives, we all engage in behaviors that are risky, irrational, or unwise. We might find it exciting and temporarily rewarding to gamble on the lottery or impulsively buy an expensive gadget. But just as substances like alcohol and narcotics have the potential to become addictive, so do certain behaviors. A person addicted to gambling, shopping, the internet, food, or picking at their skin may suffer shame in the shadows while their behavior consumes time and energy and disrupts their life. Some people with behavioral addictions lose their family, job, savings, and home. With a physical basis in the brain, behavioral addictions are serious illnesses--but simply willing yourself to stop is usually not enough. Why Can't I Stop? is for anyone who has a behavioral addiction, as well as their supportive families and friends. Examining seven of the most common and serious addictions--gambling, sex, stealing, internet use, shopping and buying, hair pulling and skin picking, and food--the authors bring together cutting-edge research to describe behavioral addiction, its causes, and how it can be diagnosed and treated. Featuring patient stories of behavioral addiction and recovery, as well as information about treatment centers, this compassionate guide will help readers better understand the complicated issues surrounding these addictions and teach family members how to help the addicted person while helping themselves"-- "Addictions to drugs or alcohol are usually apparent, but what about behavioral addictions? A person addicted to shoplifting or gambling, for example, or picking at their skin, may suffer in the shadows while their behavior consumes their time and energy--and disrupts their life. Legal, medical, and financial troubles are common for such a person and their loved ones, as are social and family conflicts. Behavioral addictions are serious illnesses and usually do not go away on their own--telling the loved one to simply stop doing the behavior will not work. This book is for anyone who has a behavioral addiction, and for their families and friends. It describes what a behavioral addiction is, what causes it, and how it can be diagnosed and treated. It takes an in-depth look at seven specific addictions: to gambling, stealing, sex, internet use, shopping and buying, hair pulling and skin picking, and food. Behavioral addictions have a physical basis in the brain and are addictive because, like alcohol and narcotics, they are rewarding. The addicted person spends enormous amounts of time preparing for or engaging in the habit, and in the process neglects other areas of life. He or she may also be convicted of a crime, put their sexual partner at risk of infection, lose their job due to negligence and their home due to debt. These repetitive habits persist despite negative consequences so that, ultimately, the person loses all conscious control over the behavior. The guidance provided here helps readers deal with the complicated issues surrounding these addictions, including how family members can help the addicted person while helping themselves. Dr. Grant has published many books and has appeared on CNN, BBC, GMA, The Early Show, and elsewhere"--