“What a refreshing look at addiction! Thriving with Addiction thoroughly and meticulously explains the latest advances in the science of substance use and behavioral addictions while offering a practical guide to effective treatments and personal recovery. Dr. Avery goes a step further and explores the addictive force in all of us, which may be the active ingredient in eliminating stigma and finding true empathy.” 

– Petros Levounis, MD, MA, professor and chair, Department of Psychiatry, and associate dean, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

“We’ve been thinking about addiction all wrong. Addiction affects more people than diabetes, yet we treat it like a character flaw instead of a health condition. The result? Stigma that kills, silence that festers, and a system built on crisis instead of compassion. Psychiatrist Jonathan Avery has a better way. In Thriving with Addiction, he reveals what the science shows: Addiction isn’t something you simply overcome and leave behind. It’s something you learn to understand, channel, and work with throughout your life.

“Drawing on neuroscience, clinical practice, and his own research on stigma, Dr. Avery makes the case for a complete reframe. Real recovery isn’t just about therapy and medication; it also involves sleep, nutrition, exercise, community, identity, and meaning. It requires not only perfection but also building resilience for the long haul.

“This book confronts what others ignore: Relapse happens, grief is real, and treatment sometimes fails. But there’s a path forward that’s both evidence-based and humane. If you or someone you love is touched by addiction—and most of us are—this book will change how you think about recovery.”

– Samantha Boardman, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Everyday Vitality

“Jonathan Avery’s Thriving with Addiction: A New Roadmap for Lasting Recovery and Health is an important book—a compelling, meticulously researched, and wonderfully written guide for the challenging journey through addiction. People suffering from addiction and their loved ones will find comfort, sage advice, and hope in these pages.”

– David Sheff, journalist and author of Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction

“A brilliant, insightful, eye-opening deep dive into the world of addiction. This is a book everyone should read. I couldn’t put it down.”

– Matt McCarthy, MD, author of Superbugs: The Race to Stop an Epidemic

“As a researcher and psychiatrist trained in addiction, Dr. Avery has a nuanced and empathic understanding of substance use disorders and those unjustly stigmatized by it. He carefully lays out the complex interplay among genetics, trauma, brain biology, and societal perceptions while addressing the pressing need for treatment and care rooted in compassion, science, and a harm reduction framework.”

– Lipi Roy, MD, MPH, FASAM, addiction medicine physician, national media medical commentator, and founder of SITA MED

“Yes, you can recover from unhealthy relationships with substance and thrive! This is the message so many need today. Dr. Avery is a national mental health leader tackling substance use, and he is gifted at giving us new tools from addiction medicine. Get this book and change your habits today!”

– Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist and best-selling author of Healing the Modern Brain and Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety