Beyond the Primal Addiction: Food, Sex, Gambling, Internet, Shopping, and Work

This groundbreaking publication goes beyond the ordinary books on addiction and recovery. Finally, someone approached this from a psychoanalytic psychodynamic perspective offering an in-depth approach to one of the most baffling phenomena-addictions. This book strives to remedy that which has been seriously ignored in the analytic history such dynamics as shame, guilt, feelings of helplessness and powerlessness that entices the addict to seek soothing. Readers will identify, be touched, not feel alone, and be humbled by the forthright honesty in meeting the challenging in world of addictions. The authors offer numerous treatment approaches and relevant case material to attract readers from the most seasoned to other levels of experience. The theoretical influences will be deeply enhanced by many of the profound insights this volume has to offer. -- Joan Jutta Lachkar, Ph.D., Affiliate Member of New Center for Psychoanalysis, Author, The Narcissistic/Borderline Couple (2003)

Nina Savelle-Rocklin and Salman Akhtar have created a fascinating and profound review of the most common addictions. Starting from Freud's view of masturbation as the primal addiction, they and their contributors offer a current, sophisticated, and accessible exploration of addictions. Their essential focus is not the usual on the substance itself - the drug or the behavior --but rather on the surprising commonality underlying all addictions. Abundant clinical vignettes resonate with theoretical considerations. By reading this book, clinicians will help their patients by gaining new insights into the way addictions arise from problems in self-regulation, defenses against the pain of intolerable affects and interpersonal anguish. --Axel Hoffer, M.D., Training and Supervising Analyst, Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute