Best Selling Books by Maia Szalavitz

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, addiction as a crime or as brain disease, and in equally outdated treatment. Challenging both the idea of the addict''s "broken brain" and the notion of a simple "addictive personality," The New York Times Bestseller, Unbroken Brain, offers a radical and groundbreaking new perspective, arguing that addictions are learning disorders and shows how seeing the condition this way can untangle our current debates over treatment, prevention and policy. Like autistic traits, addictive behaviors fall on a spectrum -- and they can be a normal response to an extreme situation. By illustrating what addiction is, and is not, the book illustrates how timing, history, family, peers, culture and chemicals come together to create both illness and recovery- and why there is no "addictive personality" or single treatment that works for all. Combining Maia Szalavitz''s personal story with a distillation of more than 25 years of science and research,Unbroken Brain provides a paradigm-shifting approach to thinking about addiction. Her writings on radical addiction therapies have been featured in The Washington Post, Vice Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, in addition to multiple other publications. She has been interviewed about her book on many radio shows including Fresh Air with Terry Gross and The Brian Lehrer show.

From “one of the bravest, smartest writers about addiction anywhere” (Johann Hari, New York Times bestselling author)—the untold story of harm reduction, a surprisingly simple idea with enormous power Drug overdoses now kill more Americans annually than guns, cars or breast cancer. But we have tried to solve this national crisis with policies that only made matters worse. In the name of “sending the right message,” we have maximized the spread of infectious disease, torn families apart, incarcerated millions of mostly Black and Brown people—and utterly failed to either prevent addiction or make effective treatment for it widely available. There is another way, one that is proven to work. However, it runs counter to much of the received wisdom of our criminal and medical industrial complexes. It is called harm reduction. Developed and championed by an outcast group of people who use drugs and by former users and public health geeks, harm reduction offers guidance on how to save lives and improve health. And it provides a way of understanding behavior and culture that has relevance far beyond drugs. In a spellbinding narrative rooted in an urgent call to action, Undoing Drugs tells the story of how a small group of committed people changed the world, illuminating the power of a great idea. It illustrates how hard it can be to take on widely accepted conventional wisdom—and what is necessary to overcome this resistance. It is also about how personal, direct human connection and kindness can inspire profound transformation. Ultimately, Undoing Drugs offers a path forward—revolutionizing not only the treatment of addiction, but also our treatment of behavioral and societal issues.

The troubled-teen industry, with its scaremongering and claims of miraculous changes in behavior through harsh discipline, has existed in one form or another for decades, despite a dearth of evidence supporting its methods. And the growing number of programs that make up this industry are today finding more customers than ever. Maia Szalavitz''s Help at Any Cost is the first in-depth investigation of this industry and its practices, starting with its roots in the cultlike sixties rehabilitation program Synanon and Large Group Awareness Training organizations likeest in the seventies; continuing with Straight, Inc., which received Nancy Reagan''s seal of approval in the eighties; and culminating with a look at the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs-the leading force in the industry today-which has begun setting up shop in foreign countries to avoid regulation. Szalavitz uncovers disturbing findings about these programs'' methods, including allegation of physical and verbal abuse, and presents us with moving, often horrifying, first-person accounts of kids who made it through-as well as stories of those who didn''t survive. The book also contains a thoughtfully compiled guide for parents, which details effective treatment alternatives. Weaving careful reporting with astute analysis, Maia Szalavitz has written an important and timely survey that will change the way we look at rebellious teens-and the people to whom we entrust them. Help at Any Cost is a vital resource with an urgent message that will draw attention to a compelling issue long overlooked.

The groundbreaking exploration of the power of empathy by renowned child-psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry, co-author, with Oprah Winfrey, of What Happened to You? Born for Love reveals how and why the brain learns to bond with others—and is a stirring call to protect our children from new threats to their capacity to love. “Empathy, and the ties that bind people into relationships, are key elements of happiness. Born for Love is truly fascinating.” — Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project From birth, when babies'' fingers instinctively cling to those of adults, their bodies and brains seek an intimate connection, a bond made possible by empathy—the ability to love and to share the feelings of others. In this provocative book, psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry and award-winning science journalist Maia Szalavitz interweave research and stories from Perry''s practice with cutting-edge scientific studies and historical examples to explain how empathy develops, why it is essential for our development into healthy adults, and how to raise kids with empathy while navigating threats from technological change and other forces in the modern world. Perry and Szalavitz show that compassion underlies the qualities that make society work—trust, altruism, collaboration, love, charity—and how difficulties related to empathy are key factors in social problems such as war, crime, racism, and mental illness. Even physical health, from infectious diseases to heart attacks, is deeply affected by our human connections to one another. As Born for Love reveals, recent changes in technology, child-rearing practices, education, and lifestyles are starting to rob children of necessary human contact and deep relationships—the essential foundation for empathy and a caring, healthy society. Sounding an important warning bell, Born for Love offers practical ideas for combating the negative influences of modern life and fostering positive social change to benefit us all.

A clear and compassionate guide to overcoming substance problems "A no-nonsense, state-of-the-art guide."--Laurie Garrett, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Coming Plague "Comprehensive, illuminating, easy to read."--William Cope Moyers, Vice President of Public Affairs, Hazelden Foundation In Recovery Options: The Complete Guide, Joseph Volpicelli, M.D., Ph.D., an award-winning addiction research pioneer, and Maia Szalavitz, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and former addict, provide frank and impartial appraisals of all the major treatment options, including: * Alcoholics Anonymous * Moderate drinking programs * Alternative treatments * Therapeutic communities * Cognitive therapies * Other 12-step programs * Medications * Methadone * Harm reduction * How families can help In Recovery Options: The Complete Guide, you will learn what addictionis--and what it isn''t. You will examine both the mechanism of addiction and how you can make the best treatment choices . . . why some people are particularly prone to substance problems . . . and the genetic and learning mechanisms that help create these conditions. You''ll explore the various types of treatment and the ideas on which they are based, and find out how effective each treatment is--and which ones are not effective. Finally, you''ll find supportive information on staying clean and sober, preventing relapse, and minimizing damage caused by slips that may occur. Featuring the dramatic real-life stories of patients'' experiences (both good and bad) with various methods of recovery, this warm, sympathetic, and accessible guide to overcoming alcohol and other drug problems will help you and your loved ones begin the journey away from substance misuse toward a better life.

In the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS), girls can become valuable property as plural wives, but boys are expendable, even a liability. In this powerful and heartbreaking account, former FLDS member Brent Jeffs reveals both the terror and the love he experienced growing up on his prophet’s compound—and the harsh exile existence that so many boys face once they have been expelled by the sect. Brent Jeffs is the nephew of Warren Jeffs, the imprisoned leader of the FLDS. The son of a prominent family in the church, Brent could have grown up to have multiple wives of his own and significant power in the 10,000-strong community. But he knew that behind the group’s pious public image—women in chaste dresses carrying babies on their hips—lay a much darker reality. So he walked away, and was the first to file a sexual-abuse lawsuit against his uncle. Now Brent shares his courageous story and that of many other young men who have become “lost boys” when they leave the FLDS, either by choice or by expulsion. Brent experienced firsthand the absolute power that church leaders wield—the kind of power that corrupts and perverts those who will do anything to maintain it. Once young men no longer belong to the church, they are cast out into a world for which they are utterly unprepared. More often than not, they succumb to the temptations of alcohol and other drugs. Tragically, Brent lost two of his brothers in this struggle, one to suicide, the other to overdose. In this book he shows that lost boys can triumph and that abuse and trauma can be overcome, and he hopes that readers will be inspired to help former FLDS members find their way in the world.

A renowned psychiatrist reveals how trauma affects children--and outlines the path to recovery "Fascinating and upbeat.... Dr. Perry is both a world-class creative scientist and a compassionate therapist." --Mary Pipher, PhD, author of Reviving Ophelia How does trauma affect a child''s mind--and how can that mind recover? In the classic The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, Dr. Perry explains what happens to the brains of children exposed to extreme stress and shares their lessons of courage, humanity, and hope. Only when we understand the science of the mind and the power of love and nurturing, can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child.

Alkohol, Drogen, verschreibungspflichtige Medikamente, Sex, Glücksspiel, Pornografie oder das Internet – heute gibt es mehr Menschen denn je, die von einer Sucht betroffen sind. Doch trotz der hohen medialen Aufmerksamkeit beruhen unser Erklärungsansatz und unsere Therapiemethoden auf veralteten Ideen und Annahmen. Mit ihrem New York Times-Bestseller bietet Maia Szalavitz einen Denkansatz, der Sucht völlig neu definiert. Sie widerlegt, dass Süchtige ein »kaputtes Gehirn« oder eine »Suchtpersönlichkeit« haben, und betrachtet Süchte stattdessen als Entwicklungsstörungen. Indem wir Sucht auf diese Weise betrachten, können wir nicht nur die Fehler herkömmlicher Therapiemethoden erkennen, sondern finden auch bessere Alternativen. Es sind die persönliche Geschichte, die Familie, Freunde, die Kultur sowie Chemikalien in der Umwelt, die eine Sucht auslösen. Wenn wir verstehen, wie diese Faktoren zusammenspielen und die Krankheit ausgelöst haben, liegt darin auch der Schlüssel zur Heilung. Maia Szalavitz, die früher selbst heroin- und kokainabhängig war, verbindet in ihrem Buch ihre eigenen Erfahrungen mit den Erkenntnissen aus mehr als 20 Jahren Forschung auf dem Gebiet Sucht und Abhängigkeit – eine einzigartige Kombination aus Authentizität und wissenschaftlichem Fachwissen.

«La obra de Maia Szalavitz pone en valor las vidas de los activistas que no solo crearon y desarrollaron la idea de la reducción de daños, sino que además la convirtieron en una fuerza social y política». Este libro nos cuenta las historias en torno al activismo en reducción de daños. Desde un grupo de consumidores de drogas de clase obrera de Liverpool, quienes, ayudados por médicos y trabajadores de la sanidad pública, diseñaron los principios fundamentales de la reducción de daños, hasta un consorcio de San Francisco compuesto por rebeldes, investigadores y un guerrero enmascarado, que extendieron la idea de limpiar las agujas con lejía y salvaron miles de vidas. Y todo ello sin olvidar a la famosa trabajadora social que llegó a ser conocida como «la diosa de la reducción de daños», los «Ocho de las agujas», cuya detención y posterior juicio en el epicentro de la epidemia del sida ayudó a cambiar la ley, los activistas racializados que se alzaron frente a su propio sistema político, el hombre que ayudó a sacar de los hospitales el antídoto para las sobredosis por opioides; o la heredera y el motero que lo ayudaron a fundar la primera organización nacional importante de reducción de daños.

Cada vez más personas se autoperciben como adictas o declaran estar recuperándose de alguna adicción, ya sea al alcohol, a otro tipo de drogas, a medicamentos con receta, al sexo, a las apuestas, a la pornografía o a internet. No obstante, si bien nunca se había puesto tanto el foco en este asunto, seguimos entendiendo la adicción de acuerdo con ideas infundadas y más propias del siglo pasado. Tendemos a verla como un acto delictivo o una enfermedad cerebral y, por tanto, aún la abordamos mediante tratamientos igualmente obsoletos. Cerebro sano pone en entredicho tanto la idea del «cerebro dañado» del adicto como la de una simple «personalidad adictiva», para ofrecernos un nuevo argumento con una perspectiva radicalmente rompedora: que las adicciones son trastornos del aprendizaje. Adoptar esta perspectiva nos permitirá arrojar luz sobre los debates actuales en torno al tratamiento, la prevención y las políticas en dicha materia. Del mismo modo que sucede con los rasgos autistas, las conductas adictivas abarcan todo un espectro y pueden constituir la respuesta perfectamente normal a una situación extrema. Cerebro sano nos presenta la historia personal de Maia a la vez que sintetiza más de veinticinco años de investigaciones y hallazgos científicos, para brindarnos un modelo que cambia por completo el paradigma desde el que entendemos la adicción.

Warum Liebe wirklich heilt: Fallgeschichten eines Kinderpsychiaters Wie die Seele wieder gesund wird: Der renommierte Hirnforscher und Kinderpsychiater Dr. Bruce Perry erzählt zehn berührende Geschichten von Trauma und Transformation. Dabei offenbart er die erstaunliche Fähigkeit des Gehirns zur Heilung: »Beziehung ist das, was Veränderung bewirkt. Die stärkste Therapie ist menschliche Liebe.« Wie die Seele wieder gesund wird: Der renommierte Hirnforscher und Kinderpsychiater Dr. Bruce Perry erzählt zehn berührende Geschichten von Trauma und Transformation. Dabei offenbart er die erstaunliche Fähigkeit des Gehirns zur Heilung: »Beziehung ist das, was Veränderung bewirkt. Die stärkste Therapie ist menschliche Liebe.« Was geschieht, wenn ein Kind traumatisiert wird? Wie beeinflussen Terror, Missbrauch oder Katastrophen den kindlichen Geist – und wie kann er heilen? Der angesehene Kinderpsychiater und Hirnforscher Dr. Bruce Perry hat Kinder behandelt, die unvorstellbarem Horror ausgesetzt waren: Kinder, die mitansehen mussten, wie ihre Eltern ermordert wurden, die in Wandschränken oder Käfigen aufgewachsen sind, Opfer von familiärer Gewalt etc. In diesem Buch erzählt er ihre Geschichten: Geschichten von Trauma und Transformation. Perry erklärt, was im Gehirn geschieht, wenn Kinder extremem Stress und Gewalt ausgesetzt sind, und wie innovative Behandlungsweisen ihren Schmerz lindern und ihnen helfen können, zu gesunden Erwachsenen heranzuwachsen. Durch die kenntnisreichen und bewegenden Darstellungen von körperlicher, geistiger und seelischer Heilung wird deutlich, wie stark das kindliche Gehirn von einfachen Dingen wie einer sicheren Umgebung, Zuneigung, Sprache und Berührung beeinflusst wird. »Beziehung ist das, was Veränderung bewirkt. Die stärkste Therapie ist menschliche Liebe«, sagt Bruce Perry.

Cuốn sách “Đứa trẻ được nuôi trong chuồng chó” chọn lọc từ những ca điển hình trong quá trình làm việc của bác sĩ Perry, mỗi ca sẽ mổ xẻ một vấn đề về tác động của sang chấn lên trẻ em. Các sự kiện gây sang chấn, từ việc bị tấn công tình dục nghiêm trọng, bị bạo lực, lạm dụng, cho đến bị bỏ bê hoặc chứng kiến tội ác kinh hoàng - tất cả đều tạo ra những tác động phức tạp, khó lường và kéo dài đối với các em. Những câu chuyện trong sách được sắp xếp theo trình tự thời gian, cung cấp một cái nhìn tổng quan về sự phát triển của ngành sang chấn học, lĩnh vực tâm thần nhi và quá trình phát triển của bác sĩ Perry khi ông và các đồng sự đã nghiên cứu, xây dựng và áp dụng thành công Mô hình trị liệu thần kinh tuần tự – một phương pháp trị liệu chú trọng tìm hiểu lịch sử của bệnh nhân, xác định những thiếu hụt và tổn thương mà bộ não phải chịu trong quá trình phát triển, từ đó có sự bù đắp và chữa trị thích hợp. Trong cuốn sách này, bạn sẽ được đọc về những đứa trẻ phi thường, với những câu chuyện có thể giúp chúng ta hiểu rõ hơn về bản chất và sức mạnh của mối quan hệ giữa người với người. Đồng thời, cuốn sách cũng hé lộ việc bộ não của trẻ em được phát triển và định hình bởi những con người xung quanh các em như thế nào; vạch trần sự vô tâm, nghèo đói, bạo lực, lạm dụng tình dục, bối cảnh sống hỗn loạn và sự bỏ bê có thể hủy hoại những nhân cách còn non trẻ và những bộ não đang trong quá trình phát triển ra sao.

O que acontece quando o cérebro infantil sofre um único evento traumático ou a exposição prolongada a um trauma? Como o terror, a ameaça, o abuso ou a violência afetam a mente de uma criança? E como essa mente pode se recuperar? O psiquiatra infantil Dr. Bruce D. Perry ajuda crianças que enfrentaram o horror inimaginável: sobreviventes de genocídio, testemunhas de assassinatos, adolescentes sequestrados e vítimas de negligência, abuso e violência familiar. Em “O Menino Criado Como Cão”, o Dr. Perry nos apresenta em detalhes os eventos que levaram alguns de seus vários pacientes a lidarem com traumas terríveis e a desenvolverem dificuldades ao longo da juventude, revelando a surpreendente capacidade de cura do cérebro. Combinando habilmente histórias de casos inesquecíveis dos seus pacientes com suas próprias estratégias compassivas e perspicazes de reabilitação, Perry explica o que exatamente acontece com o cérebro quando uma criança é exposta a um estresse extremo, revelando as medidas inesperadas que podem ser tomadas para aliviar a dor de uma criança seriamente traumatizada e ajudá-la a crescer e a se tornar um adulto saudável. Como membro sênior da The Child Trauma Academy/Academia do Trauma Infantil, o Dr. Perry e sua equipe clínica multiprofissional assistiram, com incrível resiliência, persistência e determinação, milhares de pessoas que sofreram graves negligências e abusos na infância. Por meio da sua experiência com as histórias de crianças que se recuperam fisicamente, mentalmente e emocionalmente das circunstâncias mais devastadoras que possam existir, Perry mostra como coisas simples (o ambiente, o afeto, a linguagem e o toque, por exemplo) podem impactar profundamente o cérebro em desenvolvimento, tanto para o bem quanto para o mal. Neste livro comovente, o Dr. Bruce Perry demonstra dramaticamente que, somente quando entendemos a ciência da mente, podemos curar a alma até mesmo da criança mais ferida.

Praktische gids voor ouders en leerkrachten om door empathie hun kinderen volkomen tot ontplooiing te brengen.