Stanton Peele,Ph.D., J.D., 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 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 presented Peele with its 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].
According to Dr. Peele's experential/environmental approach, addictions are negative patterns of behavior that most people experience to some degree at least for periods of time during their lives. He views addictions as not necessarily medical problems but as "problems of life" that most people overcome. The failure to do so is the exception rather than the rule, he argues.
Dr. Peele's belief that addictions are not diseases is opposed by many professionals as well as non-professional support and other groups. Although many medical and pyschological associations define problematic drinking as a disease there is currently no scientific or medical procedure to determine whether one has the so-called disease of alcoholism (or addiction) nor is there any research that proves the disease theory.
He is the author of nine books and over 150 professional publications.
Sources
- Alcohol Problems and Solutions
- Personal communications from Stanton Peele.