Addicted to Unhappiness : Freeing Yourself from Behavior That Undermines Work, Relationships and the Life You Want

by Pieper, Martha Heineman; Pieper, William J.

• ISBN13: 9780071385497
• ISBN10: 0071385495
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-08-23
• Publisher: MCG

Summary

A revealing look at a hidden addiction and how to conquer it Addicted to Unhappiness, the powerful new book by the bestselling author team of Martha and William Pieper, is based on the Piepers' discovery that the most common obstacle to fulfillment is a secret addiction to unhappiness. Drawing upon their years of experience in counseling children and adults, the authors explain how parenting styles based on discipline and excessive expectations condition children to equate unhappiness with love. Using fascinating and inspiring case examples, the authors illustrate how this unconscious association often persists into adulthood and leads to a variety of selfsabotaging behaviors, including eating disorders, overspending, compulsive gambling, fear of change, disastrous romantic choices, substance abuse, stalled careers, and more. Most important, it supplies readers with an array of powerful, proven tools, including self-assessments, checklists, simple diaries, and exercises, for overcoming their secret need to be unhappy.

Author Biography

Martha H. Pieper, Ph.D., and William J. Pieper, M.D., coauthored the bestselling Smart Love. They have been in private practice treating children, adolescents, and adults for more than 25 years. Both have supervised mental health professionals and pursued clinical research at the University of Chicago and other prestigious academic and professional institutions.

Table of Contents

Are you experiencing the happiness you deserve?

If you have difficulty keeping resolutions, fight with those you care about, or find it hard to rebound emotionally from upsetting events, you may be suffering from an addiction to unhappiness

Fortunately, the power to improve the most meaningful aspects of your life always remains in your own hands, especially with Addicted to Unhappiness as your guide

Like so many others who struggle to better their lives, you have probably made repeated attempts at improvement that never resulted in lasting change

Best-selling author team Martha and William Pieper apply their years of psychotherapeutic work with children, adolescents, and adults to show you that before you can live the life you want it helps to recognize and understand the internal struggles that stand in your way

In this powerful, breakthrough guide, you'll learn how this addiction to unhappiness stems from parenting styles based on discipline and excessive expectations, which condition children to equate unhappiness with love, and you'll discover how to overcome your addiction and achieve a stable sense of inner balance and happiness

Both optimistic and realistic, Addicted to Unhappiness focuses equally on effective strategies for positive change and on combating the forces that oppose self-improvement

The phases in overcoming the addiction to unhappiness are: getting started (even when you don't feel like it); coping with episodes of backsliding

keeping your resolve when it starts to evaporate; and thinking of yourself as a recovering addict to unhappiness

The Piepers offer you a lifelong program to guide you through the journey to self-fulfillment

You'll learn how to transform those inevitable moments when you lose momentum into opportunities for growth and long-term success

You will discover that backsliding is actually part of the healing process rather than a reason to feel upset and discouraged

Start getting more pleasure out of life

Addicted to Unhappiness arms you with the knowledge to change your life for the better, and forever

Are YOU addicted to unhappiness?

Are you unable to follow through on important resolutions?

Are you frustrated or inefficient at work?

Is your love life unrewarding or filled with conflict?

Are you plagued by unpleasant emotions for no apparent reason?

Break free from discomfort and hold on to happiness

Everyone is born with the potential to live happy, fulfilled lives, but many of us find it difficult to realize that potential

Best-selling authors Martha and William Pieper will help you understand how you unknowingly became an addict to unhappiness and then give you effective strategies to help you recognize and overcome the learned need to undermine your constructive efforts

Using real-life examples drawn from their clinical experience, the authors provide insights and suggestions that help you choose and maintain the happiness you deserve

In Addicted to Unhappiness, you'll discover: The origins of your addiction and ways it interferes in your life

A step-by-step plan to kick your habit

How to turn setbacks into victories

The ability to move beyond relationship conflicts and embrace closeness

Effective ways to get control over painful moods

A successful approach to achieving a healthy weight and a fit body And much more!

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.