Carl Erik Fisher’s The Urge: Our History of Addiction is a remarkable exploration of addiction, using his personal experience, historical insights, and a call for greater understanding. Fisher, both a psychiatrist specializing in addiction and someone in recovery himself, is well-positioned to publish a work of this nature. Retelling his addiction and recovery story makes this book informative and profoundly human.
Fisher begins with his journey—a medical student grappling with substance use while working in a system ill-equipped to offer real support. From there, he takes us back in time, uncovering the roots of addiction in ancient cultures, religious practices, and early medical theories. Most of the historical narrative builds a case for how misunderstood addiction has been in society, especially by people without personal experience with addiction. Fisher draws compelling parallels between the past and present, particularly in how societal attitudes toward addiction often reflect fear, judgment, and a lack of empathy rather than informed solutions.
What stands out most about this book is the use of history to frame the evolution of how people with an addiction were treated in society. His accounts of addiction across different cultures and eras remind readers that this is a universal issue—not confined to one time, place, or group of people. Towards the end of the book, he delves into heavy topics like defining who “qualifies” as having a substance abuse disorder or addiction and abstinence versus non-abstinence approaches to treating addiction. He does not resolve these slippery slopes but puts context on the conversations.
One of my favorite things he does in the book is call readers’ attention to Mrs. Marty Mann’s massive impact on changing the public perception of alcoholism. Marty was one of the first women in Alcoholics Anonymous and, not representing AA, founded the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA) in 1944, currently known as the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). The committee’s success was a key driver of AA’s growth.
The book covers a lot of ground, and some historical sections can feel dense if one is not fascinated with history. However, Fisher interweaves his personal experiences with broader themes to keep the narrative flowing. He has a gift for making complex ideas approachable, even for readers who may not be familiar with addiction science or history.
The Urge is written in a manner that is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning more about addiction, whether they’re personally affected, in recovery, or simply looking to challenge their assumptions. It’s a book that calls for empathy and action, showing how much we gain when treating addiction with humanity rather than judgment.
Verdict: The Urge is more than a simple history of addiction. The book lays the foundation for society to alter its view on addiction and change the narrative by applying lessons learned from the past. I put it in the “must read” category for anyone in recovery or the addiction treatment industry.
The Sobees #QUITLIT Score: 4 out of 5
TSC LIBRARY: Welcome to The Sober Curator Library! We don’t just read books; we immerse ourselves in literary journeys, tune in on Audible, and craft insightful reviews. Our digital shelves are organized into three genres: #QUITLIT, Addiction Fiction, and Self-Help.
