Cravings and Addictions - by Maria Karekla & Megan M Kelly (Paperback)

About the Book

Cravings--those intense desires for certain substances or behaviors with the aim of feeling pleasure and satisfaction--are at the root of all addictive behaviors. Knowing how to manage cravings is the key to avoiding the pitfalls of addiction and staying firmly on the path to recovery. This book offers practical strategies to overcome cravings--from food and drugs to alcohol and smoking--using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for a healthy, values-driven, and addiction-free life.

Book Synopsis

A powerful, evidence-based program grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for managing cravings related to addictions and taking charge of your life.

Whether you struggle with overeating, alcohol, drugs, or smoking, you're all too familiar with the cravings that propel your habit. Cravings--that intense desire for certain substances or behaviors with the aim of feeling pleasure and satisfaction--are the root of all addictive behaviors. Knowing what to do with those urges can make the difference between managing your addiction and giving into it. This book can help.

Cravings and Addictions presents practical strategies based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you cope with the cravings at the core of your addiction. You'll learn to recognize the cues that lead to addictive behaviors, and discover how you can move beyond addiction to commit to a life driven by what you care about and want in life. If you're ready to stop living life at the mercy of your cravings and addiction, let this book be your guide to regaining control.

ACT: Accept, Choose, and Take Action to Manage Your Cravings--and Take Back Control of Your Life!

• Accept that cravings are a normal part of everyday life, just like other thoughts and feelings.
• Choose to surrender to the craving--or choose to engage in actions aligned with your goals and values.
• Take action to change your life for the better--and develop a sense of meaning, purpose, and vitality.

Review Quotes

"Cravings and Addictions is an excellently crafted, interactive book with touching personal stories of the authors' own struggles with cravings leading into innovative exercises that use cutting-edge theory from psychological science. We all struggle with certain cravings and addictions to varying degrees. Cravings and Addictions provides key tips on how to surf the cravings, urges, impulses, and desires that underpin whatever habit it is that you want to break."
--Louise McHugh, professor in the school of psychology at University College Dublin; peer-reviewed ACT trainer; author of more than one hundred academic papers in the area of ACT and relational frame theory (RFT); and coauthor of The SelfandPerspective Taking--Louise McHugh

"I found this book so helpful--both informative and easily applicable. In fact, I received bad news while reading it, experienced a food craving, and was able to manage it effectively using the tools the authors provided! I loved the blend of classic and new ACT exercises along with the relatable case examples. Anyone who struggles with cravings of any sort should read this book!"
--Jill Stoddard, PhD, author of Be Mighty, and coauthor of The Big Book of ACT Metaphors--Jill Stoddard, PhD

"If you want to stop fighting with cravings and instead live life more fully, this book will show you the way. Honest, insightful, and full of clinical wisdom, the authors masterfully show you steps you can take to overcome your struggles. Using case studies combined with expert commentary, it is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to transform their struggle with cravings or therapists wanting to learn this approach."
--Andrew Gloster, professor of psychology, head of division of clinical psychology and intervention science, and head of postgraduate training in process-based psychotherapy at University of Basel--Andrew Gloster

"Just about everyone craves something. But as we give in to our cravings, they often grow in size and strength, and can quite literally take over our lives. But it doesn't have to be that way. This gentle and compassionate book offers you a newer, science-backed approach to help you break the cycle of cravings and additions so you can reclaim your power and your life. If you work with this book, you'll find that you may have cravings, but they no longer control you. Instead, you gain the space and freedom to do what you truly care about, cravings or not."
--John P. Forsyth, PhD, professor of psychology and director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at the University at Albany, and coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety and Anxiety Happens--John P. Forsyth, PhD

"Looking for a self-help guide for cravings that get you into trouble? Look no further than this book. There are many self-help books out there, but very few are evidenced-based and written by clinical psychologists and professors in psychology such as are these two authors. Based on these underpinnings of original research and clinical practice, these two authors compassionately guide you step by step to changing your relationship to cravings."
--JoAnne Dahl, PhD, professor emerita in the department of psychology at Uppsala University in Sweden, licensed psychologist, psychotherapist, peer-reviewed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) fellow--JoAnne Dahl, PhD

"This book is a highly engaging, user-friendly application of ACT for individuals who are struggling with the use of substances, including food. The authors masterfully balance instruction with compassion in a way that creates a setting for empowerment and change, and readers will easily relate to the client examples. The intense focus on cravings is novel, making this a must-read for lay persons and professionals alike."
--Angela L. Stotts, PhD, professor and vice chair for research at the UTHealth McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston--Angela L. Stotts, PhD

"This book is powerful. It unpacks the myths about cravings, and helps you understand your physical, social, habitual, and emotional coping strategies. It puts the reader back in charge by helping them with strategies for success that comprise good behavioral science plus human warmth via kindness and compassion. You will feel your motivation rise as you discover your trade-off. Living inside your immediate craving vs. valued living and being healthier, happier, having more money, better relationships, and greater confidence. This book is clear and easy to follow. If you want to change your life, I thoroughly recommend it."
--Louise Hayes, PhD, clinical psychologist, and coauthor of The Thriving Adolescent; Your Life, Your Way; and Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens--Louise Hayes, PhD

"Written by two leading scholars in ACT, this book brings together decades of research and clinical practice on how to cope with cravings and break addictive patterns. It's an excellent guide for learning how to develop a new relationship with your cravings so they don't push you around so much, with a wealth of practical tips and skills that apply to a wide range of craving-related problems."
--Michael Levin, PhD, professor at Utah State University, and coauthor of Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy--Michael Levin, PhD

About the Author

Maria Karekla, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and associate professor at the University of Cyprus where she heads the ACThealthy Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Medicine laboratory. She is a peer-reviewed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) therapy trainer, and presently serves as the president-elect of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) where she has been a fellow since 2019. She is also a fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM). She was nominated in 2017 for the National Literary Awards in the children/adolescents category, and also for her illustrations for the book. She has received numerous national and international awards and grants for her research work. In 2018, she was nominated as Cyprus Woman of the Year in the academic/researcher category.

Megan M. Kelly, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has been involved in addictions research for the past sixteen years, with a particular focus on the development of behavioral interventions for individuals with comorbid addictions and mental health disorders. She has received several VA- and NIH-funded awards to develop and evaluate new behavioral interventions and programs for individuals with co-occurring disorders using ACT principles. She has evaluated, treated, or supervised the treatment of over 2,000 people struggling with addictions.

Foreword author Russ Harris is an internationally acclaimed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and author of the best-selling ACT-based self-help book, The Happiness Trap, which has sold more than one million copies and been published in thirty languages. He is widely renowned for his ability to teach ACT in a way that is simple, clear, and fun--yet extremely practical.