7 Inspirational Books About Recovery – Recovery.org

Books about breaking free from the suffocating grip of addiction are important, especially ones that are brutally honest and challenge the status quo. some have happy endings; some conclude with a palpable sense of anguish. Hundreds of addiction-related memoirs are published each year, and no matter the specific affliction, readers are drawn to fearless and authentic authors.

According to the 2012 World Drug Report, an estimated 230 million people worldwide struggle with some form of addiction. Although the road to recovery is not easy, in the end, it is always worth fighting for. With that in mind, here’s a look at seven must-read books that speak to the heart of addiction.

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• Broken: My Addiction and Redemption Story: Broken is a gritty and realistic story of recovery told by william cope moyers. When he was young, Moyers was locked in a relentless love affair with crack. the addiction eventually brought him to the brink of death, with no apparent light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to a loving support system, the Moyers eventually embraced equal amounts of spirituality and recovery. In the end, Moyers overcame his shame, transformed his life, and dedicated himself to changing addiction policy in America. more information.

• Top Down: A True Story of Addiction Recovery: Hooked on heroin, ted adamson did what he had to do to survive. he spent his days and nights trying to satisfy an addiction that could never really be turned off. from the county jail to the state prison, Top to Bottom gives readers a real-life glimpse into the life of a drug addict. nothing is sweetened; Adamson depicts his world and all of his ugliness with crisp, haunting clarity. From the bizarre addiction therapies of the Church of Synanon to our modern 12-step programs, readers will be amazed by Adamson’s journey and inspired by his ultimate redemption. more information.

• Trick: growing up on meth: nic sheff grew up too fast. In his early teens, Sheff regularly abused marijuana, cocaine, and MDMA. she had also developed addictions to methamphetamine and heroin. despite all the obvious signs of addiction, sheff thought she could quit whenever she wanted. It took a near-fatal relapse in California to convince him otherwise. In a raw and honest voice, Sheff paints himself as a young man at odds with his past, his family, and himself. it’s a harrowing story that, despite trials and obstacles, ends with a welcome sense of hope. more information.

• on my skin: memories of addiction: kate holden, for all intents and purposes, seemed to have it all. she was a college graduate from a solid middle-class home. Despite her outward appearances, Holden was terribly shy and chronically depressed. when she tried her first hit of heroin, she had no idea the drug would take care of her. she eventually lost her job, apartment, and friends. she stole money from her family and, when the time came, she sold her body to support her heroin addiction. Thanks to her family’s unwavering love, Holden finally conquered her addiction and never looked back. more information.

• scar tissue: do you think rock stars are immune to the pitfalls of addiction? Well, Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis disagrees. Scar Tissue is a detailed account of Kiedis’ addictions to drugs and sex. readers learn about his first experience with drugs, which took place under the tutelage of his father. When his band gained popularity in the 1980s, Kiedis and his bandmate Hillel Slovak had severe drug addictions. Slovak died of an overdose in 1988, causing Kiedis to leave town and miss the funeral. Haunted by the death of his friend, Kiedis plunged deeper into his addictions. After a few failed attempts at sobriety, the Chili Peppers singer finally came clean and has been sober since December 2000. Learn more.

• Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Gains and Losses: On the outside, Portia de Rossi appeared slim, beautiful and successful. inside, however, the actress was marching rapidly toward the gates of death. In her first leading role in a movie, de Rossi was battling an eating disorder and weighed just 82 pounds. she finally collapsed on the set of that movie. Unbearable Lightness is the story of de Rossi’s life, first as a child model and then as a highly successful television actress. In this utterly honest book, she captures the complex emotional truth of what it’s like when food, weight, and body image take precedence over everything else in life. She also describes Hollywood’s push to be “perfect” and how that pressure often leads to an eating disorder. more information.

• Born to Lose: Memoirs of a Compulsive Gambler: Set in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Bill Lee’s film Born to Lose breaks gambling addiction and its terrible control over Chinatown culture. From gambling a prized collection of baseball cards at the age of nine to gambling everything he owned at the Las Vegas blackjack tables, each and every loss he read about only made him feel worse. lee details what gambling addicts feel, illustrating the pain and hopelessness that led to their downfall. he also shares the beauty of recovery and explains how the 12-step program single-handedly saved his life. more information.

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