Legal Substance Dependence: The Causes of Drug Abuse and Their Treatment Possibility

*Approved by Austrian science authorities*

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Based on Lena Bargehr's extensive research and her insightful survey and interviews with medical professionals, Legal Substance Dependence: The Causes of Drug Abuse and their Treatment Possibility enables a innovative revision of this often misunderstood field by taking a holistic approach. Lena Bargehr presents drug dependence and addiction not as a single phenomenon limited to a few unfortunate or weak-willed people, but as a continuum that runs through and perhaps even reinforces our society: It is not a medical "condition" that is separate from the life it affects, but rather the result of a complex interaction between personal history, emotional and neurological development, length of visits to the doctor, and the drugs and behaviours of addiction. By simplifying an enormous range of findings from addiction research, the book avoids self-help remedies and instead promotes thorough and straightforward communication between doctors and patients as the key to healing and well-being.

Legal Substance Dependence: The Causes of Drug Abuse and their Treatment Possibility argues convincingly against today's health and social beliefs about addiction and medication. The mixture of a survey taken by the general public, interviews with a doctor and head of the care services, and science with positive solutions makes the book useful for lay readers and professionals alike.