Review of Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?

[Nivedita BookBee]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?" by Kyle Oh.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The society we live in comes with both good and bad aspects. One of such aspects that affects an individual and society is drug abuse. We all know at least one person or a few people who lost the war against the evil of drug abuse. Why Can’t Johnny Just Quit? by Kyle Oh is a refreshing and factual take on addiction, drug abuse and, topics that come with them. Kyle Oh is a pain specialist who not only clears up everything about these issues but also gives a new insight to every individual through his remarkable book.

Kyle Oh is a pain specialist in a rehab center. His journey towards specializing in treating the pain of his patients started when he lost one to drug abuse. The death of his patient left him with immense guilt, and that’s when he took the step to treat pain in a way that doesn’t harm his patients. His procedure included asking the patients a very important question where he asked them to tell them how the drug made them feel. People usually skip this necessary question, which can tell a lot about a patient's addiction and the reason which got them hooked. He mentions the traditional ways of staying clean and keeping the drug cravings under control, which are AA and NA meetings. These methods have been there for a long time and are helpful, but Kyle Oh dove deeper and established a method where the patient who is getting on pain medicines or drugs knows everything about them. This helps the patient in getting a deeper understanding of what they’re consuming and how it’s affecting them. This leads to the patient restricting the drug use on his or her own to a limit where he or she doesn't get addicted to it. The author lays a great emphasis throughout the book on the fact that these substances make a person thrilled initially but, later it takes all of it away.
In the search for euphoria, people become incapable of functioning normally. We should avoid something that has the capability of ruining us completely on all terms. He defines that addiction to something can be determined by associating it with immediate cravings. If you are addicted to a substance, then you’ll instantly crave it right after using it for the first time. Kyle Oh remarkably clarifies the concept between the drug of choice and just abusing a drug to fill a void. He introduces concepts of memory triggers, questionnaires like SOAPP-R and CAGE that help people understand their addiction well.

I liked how Kyle Oh restructured the meaning and definition of addiction. He gave it a better and more suitable meaning. He busted many myths and misconceptions that come with drug abuse and addiction. I learned many facts. I wasn’t aware of the fact that everyone cannot get hooked on the same drug with the same intensity. I didn’t know it and found it quite interesting. The book increased my curiosity. The genes can affect someone’s susceptibility to a particular drug, and that blew my mind away. The book is so well-researched and resourceful. I really liked how Kyle Oh mentioned that media representation of euphoria is not accurate and way off the track. Everyone should have the correct information. I liked how he particularly mentioned that victims of drug abuse shouldn't be ridiculed. They all just need support. I found the author very empathetic and knowledgeable.

There’s nothing I dislike in the book. Kyle Oh has done a wonderful job of exploring the root cause of drug abuse to finally provide the people who struggle with an immensely helpful toolkit to understand addiction, dependence on it and, preventing it from ruining our lives.

I rate this book four out of four stars. This book can help many people. It contains a vast amount of knowledge and has the ability to solve major drug abuse problems. Kyle Oh provided numerous case studies at the end of the book. Many people who are suffering can relate to these case studies and learn from experiences of the others.

I’d first recommend this book to people who want to get help with drug abuse and addiction. This book will surely give them new insight. It’s also great for someone who is doing research on addiction or just wants to know more about it. The book has separate chapters for highly common abuse substances and has a collection of brilliant case studies.

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Why Can't Johnny Just Quit?
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[Adrian Rondon Salazar]

Love this book, it is excellent. The author magnificently clarifies what addiction is. I love too how the author makes us understand that victims of drug abuse shouldn't be ridiculed; your perspective changes.

[Hyacinth Bella]

I feel like drug use and abuse are the topics that most of the time doesn't get much attention as it should be. A praise on the author for writing such book to educate us on drugs, and a praise to you for creating this review. Thanks!