Empirical studies often lag behind clinical knowledge, particularly in an emerging area like behavioral addictions. Drs. Ascher and Levounis have done a remarkable job in combining both research to date and experts' practical experience on this issue. What emerges from this is an excellent text for all clinicians.—Marc Galanter, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, and Director, Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, NYU School of Medicine

This casebook is Petros Levounis' second publication covering the topic of Addiction through case vignettes. With lead author, Michael Ascher, they compile a panoply of a dozen real life clinical cases with catchy titles, thoughtful introductions and enticing histories with ample space for the patient's own discourse. The conclusions summarize the available treatment options. The vignettes are preceded by a couple of introductory chapters reviewing relevant diagnostic and forensic implications. The knowledge acquired in each chapter is then anchored through a listing of key points, multiple choice questions and an accompanying DVD. This is a state-of-the-art educational offering that is clinically relevant, easy to read and fun!—Nady el-Guebaly, M.D., Professor & Head, Addiction Division, University of Calgary, Canada, Research Director, Alberta Gambling Research Institute

Behavioral addictions are one of the most vexing problems facing psychiatry, posing questions about diagnosis and treatment; the use of the diagnoses in courts of law; and the public image of psychiatry. Ascher and Levounis have managed to pack this book with everything we know about each of these questions. At once scholarly and practical, it belongs in the library of every clinician seeing patients with these sometimes devastating disorders.—Nada Stotland, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Psychiatry, Rush University

Kudos to Ascher and Levounis for recognizing that addiction is a disease defined symptomatically by the discomfort experienced by an individual in the absence of a particular substrate, and for further recognizing that the substrate may be more than simply a substance that can produce physiologic dependence. The substrate can include emotional states, activities, and pastimes. The addict, to enter recovery, must remain abstinent not merely from dependence-inducing substances, but from all activities which, for that individual, generate a response that ultimately stifles interpersonal relating and intimacy. The editors and their chapter authors recognize this and have taken on the topic in a compelling and constructive manner that will assist the field in moving forward.—Stuart Gitlow, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., President, American Society of Addiction Medicine

This book raises awareness and fosters understanding of the clinical presentations and approaches to treatment of a new frontier of non-substance addictions, many of which have been engendered by the proliferation and popularization of new technologies. It is a must-have resource for psychiatrists and other behavioral health practitioners.—Annelle B. Primm, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Medical Director, American Psychiatric Association