The best 38 Overcoming Addiction books

Salt Sugar Fat examines the rise of the processed-food industry in America and globally, and why it has been fueled by the liberal use of salt, sugar and fat. These three ingredients are near irresistible to us humans, but their overuse also comes with devastating health effects.

• Anyone who wants to eat more healthily
• Anyone interested in why processed foods are so popular today

This book is about our serious addiction to consumption: affluenza. Since the Industrial Revolution, we’ve become addicted to shopping, believing we can buy happiness. Affluenza affects us and our society like a disease, and this book offers advice on how we can immunize ourselves against it.

• Anyone interested in sociology
• Anyone interested in media
• Anyone interested in curing our addiction to consumption

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking (1985, 2011) isn’t just a book about giving up cigarettes; it aims to put smoking in a completely new light. Smoking is no habit and nicotine no hard drug; smoking is an addiction, but one that can be overcome with the right mindset. These blinks outline the necessary steps and address those questions that’ll arise on your journey to a life without cigarettes.

• Smokers struggling to quit
• People interested in the case for quitting
• Those who want to learn why willpower alone won’t help you quit

Sugar addiction is a very common affliction these days, and one that carries serious health risks – but it can be overcome. Beat Sugar Addiction Now! (2010) explains the four different kinds of sugar addiction, as well as their root causes, associated health implications and the steps you can take to beat them.

• Anyone who feels powerless against their sweet tooth
• People looking to lead a healthier lifestyle
• Women who get irritable and have sugar cravings during their periods

Irresistible (2017) shows how dangerously dependent we’ve become on the smartphones, tablets, video games and social platforms that we’ve surrounded ourselves with. Is our attachment to these devices strictly related to the convenience they provide? Or have we actually grown addicted to the psychological rewards they offer?

• Psychology students
• Technology addicts
• Anyone looking to be more productive

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang’s The Distraction Addiction (2013) takes a look at attention in today’s distraction-riddled society and asks how we can stay connected and productive. Drawing on fascinating new research by neuroscientists and psychologists, as well as traditional Buddhist thought, Pang offers hands-on advice on how to stay focused and overcome our internet addictions in a new digital age.

• Parents with internet-addicted children
• Anyone who feels they couldn’t do without the internet for a day
• The seriously distracted looking for tips to boost their attention

Digital Minimalism (2018) is a practical guide to navigating today’s media landscape, where multiple billion-dollar companies are out to keep your eyes as glued to their platforms as possible. Fortunately, there is growing skepticism surrounding new technology and digital media. People are eager to regain their autonomy and, while they’re at it, live more satisfying and healthy lives. With these tools and methods, you too can regain the focus and productivity that comes from stepping back from new technology.

• Anyone feeling overwhelmed with social media
• People looking for tips to boost productivity
• News junkies in need of a detox

Love Warrior (2017) by Glennon Doyle is a memoir that recounts how one woman battled through addiction, disordered eating, and betrayal by confronting and ultimately owning her vulnerabilities. More than that, it’s a meditation on what pain has to teach us, and how, by embracing our own failings, we can live as our most authentic selves.

• Women who try not to take up too much space
• Mothers struggling to reconnect with their own identities
• Anyone who’s ever hit rock bottom and wanted to get back up

Hooked (2021) explores our complex relationship with processed food. It explains why certain foods leave us wanting more, and reveals how our brain chemistry and our evolutionary biology are exploited by the fast-food industry.

• Parents wanting to give their children a healthy start
• Anyone struggling to lose weight
• Psychology buffs looking for fresh insights

The Addiction Inoculation (2021) is a parents’ guide to raising kids who have the knowledge, support, and self-confidence necessary to steer clear of the twin dangers of alcohol and drug use. From peer pressure to self-efficacy, it examines the risks kids need to avoid, and the defenses they need to acquire, in order to live happy, healthy, and substance-free lives.

• Parents who want to raise drink- and drug-free kids
• Teachers interested in the psychology of addiction

Dopamine Nation (2021) explores the connection between pleasure and pain. Our modern world is filled with more dopamine-inducing stimuli than ever – including everything from drugs and sex to smartphones and shopping. Citing years of clinical experience and patients’ stories, this book helps to understand addiction and explains how to achieve a healthy balance in our lives. 

• People struggling to break bad habits
• Family members of loved ones struggling with addiction
• Anyone who can’t seem to put down their phone

Codependent No More (1986) is a modern classic that sheds light on codependent relationships. It’s filled with helpful insights into codependency and outlines some basic tools that people can use to recover.

• People who are compulsive caretakers
• Those attracted to dysfunctional relationships
• Anyone affected by a loved one’s drinking or substance abuse

Elizabeth Taylor (2022) is an enthralling authorized biography of one of Hollywood's most famous stars. This fascinating and complete portrait of the legend chronicles her life of fame, tragedy, love, and loss.

• Elizabeth Taylor devotees
• Classic Hollywood aficionados
• Romance fans

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing (2022) is the intimate memoir of critically acclaimed actor Matthew Perry. From his troubled childhood to his meteoric rise to fame in the hit sitcom Friends to his lifelong struggle with substance abuse and addiction, Perry holds nothing back as he reveals his life, thoughts, and soul.

• Friends fans looking for a deeper insight into one of the show's strongest comedic voices
• People curious about the darker side of celebrity lives
• Anyone struggling with addiction

Your Brain on Porn (2014) examines the explosion of internet pornography addiction. In the age of high-speed internet, porn is more widespread than ever. And although excessive porn consumption can negatively affect mental health and sexual function, the damage can be reversed. 

• Anyone who thinks they might be suffering from porn addiction
• Students of psychology or medicine
• Internet connoisseurs seeking to understand the effects of excessive porn consumption

Kitchen Confidential (2000) gives us an insight into life in the restaurant business. Full of larger-than-life tales about Anthony Bourdain’s life of sex and drugs and haute cuisine, it gives us a no-holds-barred taste of what goes on behind the kitchen door.

• Fans of Anthony Bourdain
• Wannabe pro chefs
• Home cooks looking for hints and tips from a professional

This Naked Mind (2015) challenges our culture's love affair with alcohol. It offers matter-of-fact, actionable insights that help free drinkers from its perceived hold.

• Party animals who want a permanent break
• Mindful drinkers seeking balance
• Curious cats who question cultural norms

Drama Free (2023) is a concise and thoughtful guide to navigating the negatives of one of the most fundamental and unavoidable aspects of our lives: family. Covering a wide range of topics including emotionally absent parents, codependent siblings, substance abuse, and many more, it offers advice on recognizing the patterns of a dysfunctional family, healing from the past, and growing into the full human being you deserve to be.

• Adult children or siblings looking to untangle their current family relationships
• Emotionally troubled individuals who are prepared to analyze their childhood
• Anyone who tenses up when a family member calls

Alcoholics Anonymous (1939) or as it is often known, the Big Book, the Basic Text for Alcoholics Anonymous was first published in 1939 and is now on its fourth edition (2001) and its 31st printing. It’s the basic text for Alcoholics Anonymous and has helped countless alcoholics recover. It details a method to beat alcoholism and provides guidance to alcoholics, their families, and their employers. It also includes personal stories of former alcoholics to inspire those seeking recovery.

• Anyone who has problems controlling alcohol in their lives
• Spouses and families of those who have an alcohol control problem
• Employers who are concerned about an employee with an alcohol control problem

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (2008) is a heartful exploration of the complex condition known as addiction. It tells the real-life stories of addicts, who are so often denied the space to do so, alongside science-based analyses of why and how people get addicted. Importantly, it also challenges us to think of the ways, obvious or not, in which we too are addicts – and what we can do to heal ourselves.

• People with addiction, who know someone with addiction, or who work with addiction
• Pop-science “junkies”
• Social justice advocates and anyone opposed to the War on Drugs

The Porn Trap (2010) is your guide to understanding the powerful grasp that porn can have on people’s lives, and how to escape it. Drawing from real cases, it outlines what porn addiction is and the real consequences it has had. Then it provides six steps for those suffering from addiction to take back control of their lives.

• People struggling with their relationship with porn
• Anyone who suspects their partner has a porn addiction
• Councilors, therapists and supporters for people with porn addictions

Breaking the Cycle (2011) outlines a series of tried and tested exercises that widen the gap between sex addicts and their compulsive sexual behaviors. Sticking to these techniques builds confidence in sex addicts to move on from their obsession toward a richer life that prioritizes their wellbeing and relationships.

• People trying to overcome sex and porn addiction
• People trying to understand the nature of sex addiction
• Counselors or anyone trying to help a sex addict

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Emotional Eating (2019) guides compulsive eaters past the mental traps that lead to overindulgence. It applies the "Easyway" method which has already helped millions quit smoking and expands on it to uncover the psychological roots of our unhealthy impulses, freeing us to rediscover balanced eating habits.

• Emotional eaters looking to quit
• Individuals skeptical about willpower-based methods
• Anyone looking to adopt healthier eating habits

Worth of Her Trust (2014) is a guide for men looking to restore trust in a marriage damaged by infidelity. With exercises and tools based on counseling techniques, it offers practical advice for rebuilding connection and intimacy – and hope that, with sincere effort, even the most difficult challenges can be overcome.

• Men whose relationships with their wives have broken down
• Men seeking to understand how they can rebuild trust after infidelity
• Men looking to proactively sidestep marital problems

Quit Like a Woman (2019) encourages women to reconsider their relationship with alcohol, uncovering the misogynist underpinnings of how alcohol is packaged and marketed to women and proposing a new, feminist road map to sobriety. Through personal anecdotes, insights, and research, the narrative provides a road map for individuals seeking a path to sobriety that aligns more closely with their own experiences and identities.

• Women who feel increasingly dependent on alcohol to wind down and relax 
• Newly sober women eager for guidance on this exciting journey
• Women in recovery who are tired of patriarchal programme-speak

Treating Pornography Addiction (2005) explores why pornography is so addictive and what individuals can do to break the cycle. Its practical tools offer addicts a roadmap to recovery and systems to safeguard against relapse. 

• People struggling to resist the urge to access explicit material
• Individuals wondering if pornography is negatively impacting their life
• Those concerned about a loved one’s use of pornography

The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide (2011) is the definitive manual for psychedelic voyagers and those who guide them. Combining original research, personal reports, and shamanistic tradition, it teaches how to create safe and successful psychedelic experiences that facilitate healing, self-discovery, and creativity. 

• Psychedelic voyagers or those curious about psychedelic experiences
• Therapists and psychology professionals interested in psychedelic-assisted therapy
• Anyone seeking healing from trauma, addiction, anxiety, or depression

The Porn Myth (2017) offers a secular rebuttal to pro-pornography advocacy, drawing on research in neuroscience, sociology, and psychology. With insightful analysis of the latest scientific findings on addiction and harm, the book dispels myths, exposes porn's negative impacts, and provides advice on overcoming porn addiction. 

• People struggling with porn addiction who want to break free
• Activists and advocates against the harms of the porn industry
• Religious people looking for secular arguments against porn

How to Eat to Change What You Drink (2023) draws on cutting-edge science to reveal how food can help change your relationship with alcohol. With a comprehensive 30-day plan to optimize meal timing, food, and lifestyle changes, this guide teaches you how to eat yourself sober.

• Sober and sober-curious people
• Anyone looking to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol 
• Anyone searching for an alternative, holistic approach to sobriety and self-improvement

Dopamine Detox (2020) is a concise guide that addresses a prevalent issue in today's distraction-filled world, offering you practical strategies to overcome procrastination and enhance focus. It reveals the impact of excessive dopamine stimulation on your ability to concentrate and tackle demanding tasks. Through a step-by-step approach, it empowers you to implement a dopamine detox in just 48 hours, enabling you to regain control over your attention and pursue your goals with renewed clarity.

• Chronic procrastinators
• Goal-setters struggling to find motivation
• Professionals seeking enhanced productivity methods

More, Please (2024) invites you to explore the impact of maternal influences and societal pressures on body image and self-worth. Through a blend of personal narrative, journalism, and expert insights, it delves into the complexities of binge-eating disorder and the challenges of navigating diet culture – and encourages a compassionate approach to understanding and improving your relationship with food and body image.

• Individuals with eating disorders
• Anyone interested in body positivity 
• Parents, guardians, and teachers

Mindful Drinking (2017) offers a fresh, practical approach to moderating your drinking without giving it up entirely. Packed with relatable insights and real-life strategies, it shows how small changes, along with a committed step-by-step plan, can lead to a healthier, happier you. 

• Social drinkers
• Health-conscious individuals
• People on a sober-curious journey

Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts (2017) offers practical, science-backed tools to break free from the cycle of fear, guilt, and doubt that fuels these distressing mental loops. With relatable examples and proven techniques, you’ll find out how to take control, quiet your mind, and reclaim your peace.

• Individuals experiencing anxiety disorders
• People recovering from trauma
• Anyone curious about mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies

The Confidence Gap (2010) offers a refreshing approach to combating self-doubt and overcoming the constant pressure to be more confident. With practical tools, and strategies on how to embrace your fears rather than fight them, it offers a path to break free from the cycle of perfectionism and start living a life aligned with your values. 

• Self-doubters 
• Procrastinators and perfectionists
• Anyone who feels constrained by fear

The Science of Revenge (2025) explores how the desire for vengeance functions like an addictive behavior, hijacking the brain’s reward system much like drugs do. It combines neuroscience, psychology, and real-life stories to explain why people become consumed by revenge – and how they can break free from its grip.

• Emotionally overwhelmed victims of bullying or betrayal
• Chronically angry or justice-obsessed professionals
• Curious people seeking insight into human aggression

Human History on Drugs (2025) reveals how mind-altering substances have shaped forty of history's most influential figures, from ancient oracles to modern tech billionaires. The book exposes the hidden role of drugs in world-changing decisions, scientific breakthroughs, and cultural revolutions across five thousand years of human civilization. 

• People interested in the intersection of science, creativity, and consciousness
• History buffs who enjoy learning surprising facts about well-known figures
• Anyone who's ever wondered about the real stories from behind the scenes of pivotal world events

Why We Drink Too Much (2025) reveals why some people can drink socially while others spiral into dependence. It explores how alcohol hijacks ancient survival circuits in the brain, traces the spectrum from casual consumption through grey area reliance to full dependence, and explains why the answer lies in genetics and life experiences rather than weak willpower. It offers 12 science-backed principles for anyone ready to change their relationship with alcohol, from initial abstinence through to lasting sobriety.

• Anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol
• Family members and supporters of people who drink
• Healthcare professionals and addiction treatment specialists

Recovering From Reality by Alexis Haines is a powerful memoir that delves into the author's journey from a troubled past to a life of redemption and purpose. Haines opens up about her struggles with addiction, her time in the spotlight, and the profound transformation that led her to find healing and inner peace. This raw and inspiring book offers hope and guidance for anyone seeking to break free from their own personal challenges.

• Individuals struggling with addiction and seeking inspiration for recovery

• People who have experienced trauma and are looking for hope and healing

• Readers interested in personal growth and finding purpose after overcoming challenges