When Money Is the Drug: The Compulsion for Credit, Cash, and Chronic Debt [Paperback]

Donna Boundy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 1993

A guide to overcoming compulsive spending, hoarding, and borrowing reveals just how widespread money dysfunction is, identifies self-defeating money styles, and explains how society encourages these patterns. 25,000 first printing. $20,000 ad/promo.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Conscientious, literate help for the ``millions of Americans'' who suffer from money-centered addictions. ``Like food and sex,'' says therapist Boundy, ``money is a powerful psychic symbol'' as well as a common focus of cravings. Through case studies and analysis, she demonstrates here how money- -or access to it--can come to represent love, nourishment, sexual potency, unresolved childhood longings, or even ``filth.'' It can also lend itself to behavior associated with obsession, repetition, denial, moodiness, increased tolerance for bizarre outcomes, distorted thinking, lies, secrecy, and self-destruction--all the earmarks of an addictive disorder. Like food addicts, says Boundy, money addicts fall into two broad categories--overusers and self- deprivers. But variations abound, and the causes and symptoms of each variation make for fascinating reading. The compulsive ``image shopper,'' for example, is ``trying to be seen.'' The compulsive bargainer is making a power play. Some compulsive spenders are ``getting rid of their money'' the way a bulimic gets rid of food; others are consuming to the verge of unconsciousness, like gluttons. Hoarders excessively fear dependency; underearners excessively fear loss. All these sufferers, the author claims, can find help by following a 12-step program of recovery and by learning to focus on the ``right use of money'' and on ``true wealth,'' which she delineates against the backdrop of ``a money- obsessed culture.'' Credible--and potentially useful to many. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 318 pages
• Publisher: Harper Collins; 1st edition (January 2, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062502360
• ISBN-13: 978-0062502360
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,759,067 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

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This review is from: When Money Is the Drug: The Compulsion for Credit, Cash, and Chronic Debt (Paperback)

The quality of this book was exactly as advertised, I am not unhappy with the seller at all. The book didn't meet my expectations. It is more about money as an addiction and a discussion of that rather than ways to work on the addiction. I'm going to look through it again, but I've read other books that I got more from.