Review of Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?
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Review of Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?
[Following is a volunteer review of "Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?" by Kyle Oh.]
Why Can’t Johnny Just Quit?: A Common Sense Guide to Understanding Addiction (And How to Finally Win The War on Drugs!) by Kyle Oh, MD, is a non-fiction book on addiction. Unlike most books on addiction, its primary focus is not on recovery (although it addresses it). The focus is on prevention. He refutes the claims implicit in the "Just Say No" drug campaigns which are that certain drugs are addictive to everyone and movie depictions that misrepresent what a high is.
To achieve his goal, Oh explains why some people get hooked and for which signs to look out. This is done by dealing with everything: the definition of addiction, how we currently think we know that someone is addicted, the conflation of substance abuse and addiction, and the resultant treatment. Using all of this, he builds the case for why Johnny can't just quit.
When reading this book, I learnt many things that had never even crossed my mind. And I think that is its strength: it is genuinely educational and informative. I have come across many writers who, when sharing their experience and thoughts on a matter, tend to linguistically bash those who have are on the other end of the spectrum. Oh, instead, respectfully shares his knowledge and I felt more comfortable reading this than those who sometimes felt like they were pushing an agenda.
I would like to share a cautionary note: Oh intentionally repeats certain points over and over again. As much as I did not find this to be a flaw in the book, I am mentioning it so that you may be warned. This way, hopefully, you will not be annoyed by it but will appreciate its value since you already knew it was coming. Other than this minute matter, there is nothing I can fault.
As the book deals with addiction, I recommend it to those who want to learn about it so that they can identify its warning signs in themselves and others. It will also be helpful to those who think they are or know someone who might be addicted, so that they may find out how and where to get help. Physicians, pain specialists, and medical researchers would also benefit from the points raised in this book, therefore I implore them to give it a read.
Because of the above points and the fact that the book was professionally edited, I give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Oh's structure, simple diction, and minimal errors made it easy to focus on the information being shared and his repetition of the fundamental points ensured the information sticks. I highly recommend it to those to whom it would be relevant as it can be the red light on a destructive path or the roadblock before a pit that clawing oneself out of will be a lifelong battle.
******
Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Why Can’t Johnny Just Quit?: A Common Sense Guide to Understanding Addiction (And How to Finally Win The War on Drugs!) by Kyle Oh, MD, is a non-fiction book on addiction. Unlike most books on addiction, its primary focus is not on recovery (although it addresses it). The focus is on prevention. He refutes the claims implicit in the "Just Say No" drug campaigns which are that certain drugs are addictive to everyone and movie depictions that misrepresent what a high is.
To achieve his goal, Oh explains why some people get hooked and for which signs to look out. This is done by dealing with everything: the definition of addiction, how we currently think we know that someone is addicted, the conflation of substance abuse and addiction, and the resultant treatment. Using all of this, he builds the case for why Johnny can't just quit.
When reading this book, I learnt many things that had never even crossed my mind. And I think that is its strength: it is genuinely educational and informative. I have come across many writers who, when sharing their experience and thoughts on a matter, tend to linguistically bash those who have are on the other end of the spectrum. Oh, instead, respectfully shares his knowledge and I felt more comfortable reading this than those who sometimes felt like they were pushing an agenda.
I would like to share a cautionary note: Oh intentionally repeats certain points over and over again. As much as I did not find this to be a flaw in the book, I am mentioning it so that you may be warned. This way, hopefully, you will not be annoyed by it but will appreciate its value since you already knew it was coming. Other than this minute matter, there is nothing I can fault.
As the book deals with addiction, I recommend it to those who want to learn about it so that they can identify its warning signs in themselves and others. It will also be helpful to those who think they are or know someone who might be addicted, so that they may find out how and where to get help. Physicians, pain specialists, and medical researchers would also benefit from the points raised in this book, therefore I implore them to give it a read.
Because of the above points and the fact that the book was professionally edited, I give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Oh's structure, simple diction, and minimal errors made it easy to focus on the information being shared and his repetition of the fundamental points ensured the information sticks. I highly recommend it to those to whom it would be relevant as it can be the red light on a destructive path or the roadblock before a pit that clawing oneself out of will be a lifelong battle.
******
Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Intense Reality of Eternity by John Carpenter
