If I have any faith now, it’s in literature’s ability to help us redeem even life’s darkest realities by bringing them into the drug addiction light. But Ditlevsen’s single conventional moment also, I think, underlines her originality. The result was a tale whose bracing darkness is ultimately redeemed not by its perfunctorily hopeful ending but by the extraordinary force and beauty of its telling.
Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man
At a young age, she became both protector and cop to her sister, who was addicted to drugs. After leaving home, marrying, and having a child, she reconnects with a charismatic man from her past, and the two begin best alcohol recovery books an obsessive drug-filled affair that perpetuates a cycle of enabling and mutual destruction. Aron uses this as a springboard to talk about the psychology of codependency and even the roots of the temperance movement.
Addicted: Notes from the Belly of the Beast
- Here she recommends five fabulous works of fiction that bring to life the impact of crimes in historical settings, from Victorian Britain to 18th-century Jamaica.
- White thoughtfully explores boundaries, emotional regulation, body image, shame, and self-care in a way that’s actionable and accessible.
- I’ll mention some more in relation to the books I’ve chosen, but these are, I think, the four most fundamental ones.
Weller has a relatable story for any high-achiever who finds themselves with boozy, foggy evenings that turn into hangovers the next morning. Written with raw vulnerability, the pages of this book are filled with an honest look at her own relationship to alcohol. It got me thinking the one thing I never wanted to be true… maybe it is the alcohol that’s making me so miserable? In addition, the book offers an unflinching look at the impact of addiction and the challenging journey toward recovery. So, it’s a compelling read for anyone interested in the human side of addiction.
- As we believe and as the book suggests, you may not have control over the addict directly, and you do have control over how you cope, react, and treat yourself concerning your loved one’s addiction.
- Get therapy and medical care—just $25 with insurance, no hidden fees— for alcohol recovery, depression, everyday illnesses, and more.
- Henry Cloud and John Townsend do a great job of helping the reader regain control of their thoughts and opinions.
Xanax Abuse: Warning Signs & Symptoms Of Xanax Addiction And Abuse
Finally, at the behest of his coworkers and boss, he ends up in a rehab that specifically caters to gay and lesbian patients. Once his 30 days are up, he has to figure out how to return to his New York City lifestyle sans alcohol. Burroughs’ story is one of triumph and loss, professional success and personal failure, finding your way to sobriety, falling into relapse, and starting all over again. Prolific, brilliant memoirist Mary Karr shines a light on the dark years she spent descending into alcoholism and drug use as a young writer, wife, and mother. As her marriage dissolved and she struggled to find a reason to stay clean, Karr turned to Catholicism as a light at the end of the tunnel.

Laura June on Representations of Addiction in Fiction

In addition to ACOA and Alateen, here are some book suggestions for young people and adults who can benefit from reading. Many family members try to control the situation for fear of the https://www.wollzo.com/most-people-with-alcohol-and-drug-addiction/ situation improving. They are afraid that if the substance user gets better, they will no longer be needed in the relationship, and they will no longer have a purpose.
What are the best books to learn about Alcoholics?
These myths can come from society, media, treatment programs, or even well-meaning friends and family. The problem is, they shape how people see themselves and how others treat them, often adding shame and stigma instead of support. Furthermore, by candidly sharing his story, Clapton takes readers on a journey from darkness to recovery, offering insight into the challenges and triumphs that shaped one of rock’s greatest icons. Also, she shares her journey through denial, destruction, and ultimately recovery, offering hope and insight for anyone grappling with similar struggles. Interestingly, Russell Brand was fourteen years sober at the time of writing Recovery. Overall, this book is perfect for anyone who’d enjoy an entertaining and surprisingly uplifting story about ending the cycle of addiction.
Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction by Elizabeth Vargas

Families continue to control the situation instead of facing the fear of the change that will come if they stop. Don’t Let Your Kids Kill You by Charles Rubin is very relatable to intervention professionals who have difficulty helping parents focus on themselves and not their child’s substance use problem. As you read through all the other counseling strategies that came after, you will find equal similarities. The point is the foundational message, vision, and solution of Alcoholics Anonymous cannot be completely avoided regardless of which method works for someone to achieve sobriety. Regardless of how one finds their way out of addiction, the chances are excellent that some of the successfully applied strategies run parallel an idea, thought, action, and structure to suggestions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Access State-Specific Provider Directories for detailed information on locating licensed service providers and recovery residences in your area.
Support Starts with A.S.K.
The pain you feel from Emmy keeping mom’s alcoholism a secret is overwhelming. Any family reading this article and who reads this book will probably think twice about waiting another day to intervene in their loved one’s addiction when the addicted person has children who are being affected. If you read enough addiction memoirs, the genre’s particular narrative cadence become easy to spot. There’s the firecracker-bright memory of the first time using, often recounted in crackling prose.
