Stanton Peele, Ph. D., J.D., (born January 8, 1946) is a licensed psychologist, attorney, practicing psychotherapist and the author of numerous books and articles on the subject of alcoholism, addiction and treatment. His contribution to the field of alcoholism has won him several awards including the 1994 Alfred R. Lindesmith Award for achievement in the Field of Scholarship from the Drug Policy Foundation, Washington, DC,[1] and in 1989 the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies Mark Keller Award for Alcohol Studies for his article "The limitations of control-of-supply models for explaining and preventing alcoholism and drug addiction," JSA, 48:61-77, 1987.[2]
Love and Addiction
Dr. Peele began his critique of standard notions of addiction in 1975 when he published Love and Addiction (coauthored with Archie Brodsky).[3]According to Dr. Peele's experiential/environmental approach, addictions are negative patterns of behavior that result from an over-attachment people form to experiences generated from a range of involvements. Most people experience addiction to some degree at least for periods of time during their lives. He does not view addictions as medical problems but as "problems of life" that most people overcome. [4] The failure to do so is the exception rather than the rule, he argues.[5]
Views on alcoholism
Peele's belief that alcoholism and addictions are not biologically based diseases is in opposition to some research on the subject and unaccepted by some in the alcoholism treatment, education, and prevention fields.[6] Although many medical and psychological associations define alcoholism as a disease,[citation needed] there is significant controversy regarding this point outside the medical field.[7][8][9]
Peele has challenged the concept of total abstinence as a method of dealing with addiction and an article which compares the Life Process Program versus the disease model appeared in Psychology Today.[10] In his vast online library he continues onward debunking Alan Leshner theory that addiction is a brain disease,[11] as well as tackling social issues and beliefs regarding addiction.
Views on 12 Step Treatment
In a his co-authored book Resisting 12 step Coercion>he offers guidance for those Americans each year who face coerced religious indoctrination in the guise of alcohol or drug treatment. The book outlines legal strategies and existing court decisions, and argues that 12-step treatment is useless and sometimes harmful and puts forth treatment options that are more effective. The book also describes the routine violation of standard medical ethics by providers of addiction. [12][13]
Publications
Peele is the author of nine books including, in addition to Love and Addiction, The Meaning of Addiction (1985/1998), Diseasing of America (1989), The Truth about Addiction and Recovery (with Archie Brodsky and Mary Arnold, 1991), Resisting 12-Step Coercion (with Charles Bufe and Archie Brodsky, 2001), 7 Tools to Beat Addiction (2004), and Addiction-Proof Your Child (2007), as well as 200 professional publications.
References
- ^ http://www.peele.net/aab/dpf.html
- ^ http://www.peele.net/aab/keller.html
- ^ http://www.peele.net/lib/laa.html
- ^ http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/1053972711.html
- ^ http://www.peele.net/philosophy/index.html
- ^ Addiction Is a Brain Disease, and It Matters, Alan I. Leshner, et al., Science 278, 45 (1997)
- ^ Maltzman I Is alcoholism a disease? A critical review of a controversy Integr Physiol Behav Sci 1991 Jul-Sep;26(3):200-10
- ^ Levy MS The disease controversy and psychotherapy with alcoholics J Psychoactive Drugs 1992 Jul-Sep;24(3):251-6
- ^ Heather N. Alcoholism is not a disease [1]
- ^ http://www.peele.net/lib/allornothing.html
- ^ http://www.peele.net/lib/hungry.html
- ^ Laminksi , Michael 2000 Book Review http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1374/is_5_60/ai_65133043]Coercian"
- ^ Peele, Stanton "Resisting 12 Step Coercion" Book Online : http://www.morerevealed.com/library/resist/