Big Talk's Book Talk

a curious read about a topic I’m still not sure how to classify. It’s an aerial perspective on a psychosocial phenomenon, so while I learned a lot, I noticed sensationalizing that feel old school and othering. The Author proposes addiction and specifically, the framework of recovery / the language of abstinence as a metaphorical / literal comparison for limerence. Being published in 2026, we know about the stigmatizing impact of this approach, which made me wonder if this book may have a more stigmatizing effect than intended.

It explores ‘intense feelings’ or obsessive tendencies in really general ways. It could be helpful for new clinicians, therapists, and folks interested in working with obsessive disorders for a window into how to work with these disorders. The treatment and solutions for these experiences in this book were thoughtful and aligned with evidence and if followed would be positive for many!