Excessive Appetites: A Psychological View of Addictions

A comprehensive monograph that examines a whole range of addictive behaviors and how they relate to the developmental process. Emphasizing social psychological processes, it also considers the role of biological factors in addiction. Covers drinking, drug-taking, eating, gambling and sexuality. Analyzes how such behaviours are taken up, how they become difficult and hard to control and, finally, the processes involved in change.

In the years since its publication in the 1980s, Jim Orford's book has remained a key text in the field of addictions. This eagerly awaited new edition is a complete and comprehensive revision, which provides an up-to-date and authoritative account of core knowledge in the field, for students, academics, professionals and trainees in psychology, psychiatry, social work and related health disciplines.
All those seeking an understanding of the nature and study of addictions will appreciate this outstanding book for its

• comprehensive coverage, from the origins and processes of addiction right through to the ways in which people overcome addictions, and the implications for interventions
• accounts of the different forms of addiction, including alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, gambling, eating and sex, enlightened by a common conceptual framework
• critical, authoritative and comprehensive review of the research literature, with a massive reference base (the large majority new to this edition)
• powerful psychological model of addictions, which challenges former models that are incomplete or inadequate

From Reviews of the first edition:

"Presents a consistent way of looking at excessive appetitive behaviour . . . Orford exhibits a wide range of scholarship and his book is a compendium of important research and ideas in the field of addictions." - Social Science and Medicine
"As one would expect of someone with Orford's knowledge of the subject, the coverage of the various excessive behaviours is soundly based . . . presents a lucid and highly informative account of the major issues in the addictions. It can be highly recommended" - British Journal of Addictions
"There is no question in my mind that this book deserves to be widely read and taken seriously both by clinicians and by those with a more theoretical interest." - Behaviour Research and Therapy
"I like this book immensely, I would strongly recommend CPN teams to have a copy . . . I would recommend it to all course tutors, and especially field work supervisors. The book clearly has a wide appeal and should be on our bookshelves." - Community Psychiatric Nursing Journal.
Orford's Excessive Appetites is in a class of its own . . . .
.A direct challenge to both disease models of addiction and to simplistic social reaction models ...bound to become a classic." - New Society
"This really is a splendid book containing challenging and original ideas, argued cogently and authoritatively from data carefully assembled. It will surely be keenly sought by readers from a wide variety of disciplines." - British Book News