Johann Hari's Chasing the Scream: How Connection is the Key to Overcoming Addiction

Iulian Dorian Peca: The type of questions on drugs/usage/addictions and politics around it is something I have never seen before. The research is solid and reading it makes me wonder of people prejudices and overall economy. This book shaped my views about the war on drugs. It is a great read.

Germany on Sep 15, 2023

nicholas hill: Hari firmly places the problem of addiction on societal woes and it’s failed efforts to try to crush drugs with tough sentencing and firm abhorrence of drugs. It acknowledges recent studies of the brain and changes caused within it by the drugs themselves leading to addiction but also indicates how other factors are at work. It’s message of compassion , warmth and humane treatment for drug addicts may be too much for some whose lives have been blighted by an addict committing crimes to feed their cravings despite the worldly evidence that it works.

United Kingdom on Mar 04, 2023

kk: As a person in recovery, I thought I knew already the ineffectiveness of our laws. How the the way the system is set up to drive you deeper into isolation and shame. When you find yourself so deep in a rabbit hole and just need help, but instead find stigma and the countless barriers in front of you when all you desire is to travel down the road to recovery and peace! If we as a society could trade judgment for compassion, and jail for treatment, then I think we could benefit immensely. Addicts in recovery are some of the kindest and most humble people I have ever met! Everyday is a gift, and when you reach the point of being done with trying to fill the empty void inside of you with a drug or chemical, you start to dig deep inside yourself and face all of the uncomfortable fears and trauma that led you down that dark hole, and when you begin to see the light and love yourself for the first time, you want to be on a journey everyday of continuous improvement. You are on a daily journey to improve emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This book educated me, and allowed me to develop my own opinions with the necessary information provided to do so. Thank you! Have not enjoyed a...

Canada on Dec 06, 2021

Kieran Fox: I won't repeat what others have said here about the basic content of the book. I agree with its overall message, the writing is brisk and compelling overall, and it is a message many people need to hear in a format many people will be able to appreciate. In general this a courageous and heartfelt look at the war on drugs and the disaster that has ensued everywhere it has been waged, and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone.

But I do feel I need to put a bit of a damper on all the glowing 5-star reviews here. As a neuroscientist and someone who has thought about drugs, drug policy, and the drug war a lot, there are some serious issues here that I haven't seen pointed out in some other reviews.

First, Hari is neither a scientist, nor a historian, nor a physician - and it shows. The book is essentially one long anecdote, and hard numbers and statistics are few and far between. It could be argued that this isn't the point of the book, but nonetheless it is a shortcoming when an author purports to be documenting the facts and real-world outcomes of decriminalization/legalization.

Second, I found that despite his 3-year, 30,000-mile odyssey to explore the war...

United States on Jul 12, 2017

Corn: Durch eine dringende Empfehlung bin ich auf Johann Haris Buch „Chasing the Scream“ aufmerksam geworden. Hari befaßt sich darin mit dem weltweit geführten Krieg gegen die Drogen und seinen Folgen, einem Thema, mit dem ich als Totalabstinenzler eigentlich keine nennenswerten Berührungspunkte hatte und das ich nur so mittelinteressant fand. Dachte ich. Und ich lag völlig falsch: Hari bringt zwingt ungemein eindringlich zu Bewußtsein und belegt nebenher sehr solide (ca. 70 Seiten Anmerkungen und Bibliographie), daß so gut wie alles, was die allermeisten über Drogen, Drogensucht und –süchtige und die Ursprünge der fast weltweiten Drogenprohibition und ihren Folgen zu wissen meinen, grundfalsch ist. Diese Erkenntnis, die einen während des Lesens immer wieder kalt erwischt und derer man sich nicht zu erwehren vermag sowie die damit einhergehende Notwendigkeit, seine eigenen, vermeintlich vernünftigen und vielleicht jahrelang gehaltenen Annahmen über Bord zu werfen, verstören und faszinieren im gleichen Maße. Immer wieder, während ich las, fragte ich mich: „Warum weiß das keiner?!“

Doch der Reihe nach: Das Buch ist hervorragend geschrieben und erzählt und...

Germany on Sep 10, 2015

Niklas Morgan: This is an important book. It has influenced the way I think about drugs and particularly drug addiction and drug addicts. It is difficult to find the right words when dealing with these topics, since the debate is usually full of sharp rhetoric and condescending views on the arguments of the opposing camp. I wish that book was a compulsive read for anybody, particularly politicians and journalists, before they enter the arena of debating this topic, particularly in fierce talk show shout fests.

Hari is very skilled in his writing. This book is not overloading you with facts. It is not a boring textbook on the different drugs and how to best deal with them. It is more a collection of short stories, each story dealing with the life of real person, who ended up somewhere on a particular side of the 100 year long "War on Drugs". Either on the side of the law enforcing officials, or the side of the drug dealers, but mainly on the side of the victims of this war. The author engages you without being sentimental. It is difficult to put the book down, even if you are familiar with some of the arguments and histories. It appeals equally to readers with some background on the topic...

Germany on May 25, 2015

David Seaman: Johann Hari has written the most important book on addiction and the War on Drugs to date. His book is better than anything he cite's, "Beautiful Boy", "Tweak" and even "The Fix.
Hari set off confused, frustrated with a view of the filthy scum littering our culture who are addicts but was tugged bt one question: why was the War on Drugs not working? He spent years researching, traveling the world, interviewing everyone from Billie Holiday's godson to the president of Uruguay. Each meeting raised more questions.
"Chasing The Scream" will make you think; will make you shocked; will bring tears and will make you feel used. Johann Hari went back to The Harrison Act of 1913, researched Prohibition of Alcohol and the changes that occurred after FDR repealed it in 1933. This is a book that could save hundreds of thousands of lives, could save billions in annual tax dollars and should be read by everyone for informed voting. Colorado and Washington have already ceded the War On Drugs. More is coming. It!s your job to be informed.

Using drugs is only a symptom of suffering, and we have to reach the reasons that make addicts want to be outside of their heads much of the time....

United States on Feb 21, 2015