Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception

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Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Abraham J. Twerski MD (Author), Lee Goettl (Narrator), Tantor Audio (Publisher)

4.6 820 ratings

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In addiction, a person with a substance use disorder undergoes a negative change in thinking and behavioral patterns. A person's character is overthrown by addictive thinking: displacement, projection, shame, and hypersensitivity are addiction's survival mechanisms. With Addictive Thinking, both addicts and loved ones familiarize themselves with these addictive signatures and more, and begin the fight for recovery.

With more than 200,000 copies of Addictive Thinking sold worldwide, the eminent Abraham Twerski, MD, outlines the destructive and terrifying illogic that marries a person with a substance use disorder to his addiction. "Stinking thinking" and irrational thought are byproducts of addiction and they only worsen with time. Twerski steps in to explain and contextualize all of the actions that arise from addictive thinking.

It might be easier to point at abnormal behavior from an addict and simply think, "there she goes again." But there is reason and consistency underneath the pandemonium. If nothing is learned, if nothing is done, an addict's rock bottom will continue to sink. By educating oneself about the addictive illogic and its reasoning, one will understand why the person behaves as she does and how everyone in her life becomes controlled by addiction. Then control can be taken back.

Listening Length

3 hours and 17 minutes
Author

Abraham J. Twerski MD
Narrator

Lee Goettl
Audible release date

December 20, 2022
Language

English
Publisher

Tantor Audio
ASIN

B0BP2YVWFL
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	3 hours and 17 minutes
Author	Abraham J. Twerski MD
Narrator	Lee Goettl
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	December 20, 2022
Publisher	Tantor Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0BP2YVWFL
Best Sellers Rank	#32,091 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #23 in Twelve-Step Programs (Audible Books & Originals) #168 in Twelve-Step Programs (Books) #256 in Substance Abuse Recovery

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

820 global ratings

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Amazon Customer

Very informative!

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024

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Very informative and clear. Easy to read.

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janet Bishop

Help me understand myself

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2023

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This book for me was easy reading. I am an addict, so it was as if my thoughts were being clarified.
I will reread , very useful for me

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Very powerful and helpful for overcoming self delusion and sabotaging behavior

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023

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This is a really wonderful book. Not overly elaborate, an easy read, but it simply and powerfully illustrates certain patterns of behavior and thinking that seem normal to someone engaging in them, as it is all they have known, but are actually maladaptive and can be shifted to healthier patterns. This book was a huge factor in my success, and I’ve taken a lot from it. Ordering it for the third or fourth time, anytime I lend it to someone I never get it back

2 people found this helpful

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Cachafaz

Very interesting book, let's see how it goes.

Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2024

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Please see above.

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Barbara S. Reeves

Addicts have a distorted self image and low self esteem!

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2010

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I've read a lot of books about addiction, but "Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception" by Abraham J. Twerski is the only one that describes me to a tee. Addicts are malfunctioning human beings whose thinking and concept of reality are severely distorted. Addictive diseases resemble schizophrenia in many ways. The addict may suffer from delusions, hallucinations, inappropriate moods, and abnormal behavior. I one point in my addiction, I thought that I was schizophrenic. I knew that something was horribly wrong with me, but it couldn't have anything to do with the massive amounts of drugs I was ingesting.

According to Twerski, addicts have a distorted self-image and they all have extremely low self-esteem. Even though they may have many life-accomplishments and every reason to think highly of themselves, they still feel inferior. Addicts are also hypersensitive. They are emotionally sensitive to their environment the way a sunburn victim is sensitive to touch. Drugs and alcohol offer immense relief from this hypersensitivity, numbing the emotions that bring such discomfort.

Twerski has also given me a better understanding of what is really happening when an addict reaches "rock bottom." Rock bottom is not necessarily an event, but a change of perception where sobriety is finally seen as more rewarding than continued use. This explains why I continued to use after my rock bottom experience. It took a while for my perceptions to change.

Another new revelation for me was that many recovering addicts relapse because they mistakenly believe that life will be rosy once they've recovered. But life is a succession of peaks and valleys, a series of hurdles to overcome. I held this false belief until I read this. I'm guilty of thinking that my peace of mind is the most important thing I've got. But recovery is not about gaining peace of mind. It's about learning how to deal with those situations which threaten this peace. It's about living life on life's terms.

"Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception" is an in-depth explanation of what transpires in the mind of the addict. There is also a chapter that thoroughly explains co-dependency, so this book is a must-read for the family members of addicts also.

David Allan Reeves
Author of "Running Away From Me"

81 people found this helpful

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rabbi Ben Herman

An Extremely Insightful Book

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2022

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Rabbi Dr Abraham Twerski z”l clearly illustrates what addictive thinking is as well as the pitfalls addictive thinkers experience that can lead to relapse. His personal vignettes are well done and his examples/anecdotes of the distorted thinking of the addict are logical and help the reader understand the addicts brain. A highly recommended book.

2 people found this helpful

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AlexS

A hymn to AA and it’s mantras in academic wrapping.

Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2022

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Although original and at times surprising, the book follows all too well familiar line of AA marketing. It seems as good doctor has excellent theoretical knowledge and decent experience with these who agree with the lines of AA. However not much was added in terms of actual healing practices outside of that. Basically it’s AA’s Big Book from a different angle. If you read either of these you don’t need the other one to get the idea of their contents.

4 people found this helpful

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Sukie

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2023

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GREAT BOOK NICE CONDTION.i HAD A N ISSUE WITH MY FIRST ORDER GETTING LOST AND THEY HAVE SUCH GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE I JUST GOT MY BOOK TODAY WITH NO ISSUE.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Addictive thinking, so useful 👌🏻😁

Reviewed in Mexico on March 2, 2023

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¡El libro llegó perfecto! Excelente contenido de Rabbi Twerski ❤️😄

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Irina

Truth I needed to hear.. I mean read.

Reviewed in Canada on August 20, 2020

Verified Purchase

Holy...!
That was very insightful. At times very witty. At times made me laugh at myself, my own addictive thinking absurdity, or expectations I have of partners I chose who struggle with addiction as much as I did. Sure I may be sober but if I choose to stay with them, I haven't changed nothing!!!

During this book I made changes in my circle of friends or potential boyfriends. Sometimes people can become just as addictive as substances, so abstinence is important! As I begin to see through lies a lot better than before, I hope that the people that surround me will be conducive to my health and happiness, and not the other way around!

One person found this helpful

Davey LD

Addictive Thinking-Stinking thinking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2020

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This book I cannot praise enough, if you have ever been confused by alcoholism and addiction and wondered why addicts made crazy and bad decisions, then this book shows that it is down to addictive thinking. While working with alcoholics I discovered this book and it put the lights on for me and helped me get a grip. This book will be good for anybody who has ever worked at a shelter with a boss who is a veteran of the streets and who has no communication skills and therefore cannot teach anything of any use. This is the book is that your shelter manager should give you before you start work.

One person found this helpful

Sean O'Leary

Great insight into addictive thinking

Reviewed in Australia on January 28, 2018

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Twersky puts the concepts of addictive thinking into simple and understandable language giving great insight into the mind and life of addiction

One person found this helpful

Hannah Alexander

full of information

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book is brilliant for me studying psychology and with an interest in addictive psychology and the way addicts think and process.
I have yet to read it fully, but from what I have it is really insightful and full of relevant information.

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Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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