Bisaga, an addiction psychiatrist and researcher at Columbia University, aided by coauthor Chernyaev, lays out the depressing facts (though less than five-percent of the world's population, Americans consume 80-percent of the world's painkillers) and outlines a commonsense solution to opioid dependency. Opioids change the brain so much that willpower and 12-step programs fall short. To prevent relapse, addicts need medications like naltrexone, says Bisaga, who oversees a national program that trains physicians to treat opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, only one in five Americans with OUD get treatment. Bisaga includes such helpful information as signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose, which include slow, shallow, or irregular breathing and lips and fingernails turning a blueish-purple or gray. The book also includes stories of composite patients like Eric, a high school football player who gets hooked after taking painkillers for a sports injury. It's a worthy read in a time when the stakes of opioid addiction are high in 2016, drug overdoses contributed to a drop in life expectancy in the U.S. for the second year in a row.--Springen, Karen Copyright 2018 Booklist

Opioid misuse and addictions are at epidemic levels in the US and abroad. In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a public health crisis. In Overcoming Opioid Addiction, Bisaga (Columbia Univ.) uses his wealth of expertise in addiction psychology and in the field of opioid addiction to provide a practical discussion accessible to the lay reader. Important information is highlighted in text boxes throughout the book, which makes locating major points easy. Individuals facing opioid addiction will find the treatment scorecard helpful. The book is divided into sections that examine opioid addiction from various angles: first, in a historical context compared to previous addiction epidemics; then moving on to consider the science, practice, and challenge of treating opioid use disorder (OUD). A brief guide for families follows, and the final chapter highlights what patients should expect in treatment and beyond. The appendixes on drugs used to treat OUD are particularly helpful for non-medical readers. A valuable resource for undergraduates and the lay public. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers. --Janet A Ohles, Moravian College