Books Dealing with Addiction discussion
Would anyone want to read addiction books with me?
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Jess
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Feb 18, 2014 12:58AM
I have a few highly recommended books on my To-Read list, and would love to share the experience with anyone who's willing...
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Possibly. What did you have in mind? Just finished Infinite Jest. (Tremendous) work of fiction, but highly pertinent to anyone interested in addiction.
Its on my To Read list. I recently picked up my copy of Living Clean again, and it could use a little attention. I have quite a few of the NA/AA books, I just need a bit more motivation to pick them up.Other than that, I am open to pretty much anything.
Kristen Johnson's "GUTS:..." is at the top of my list, and has been highly recommended.
(See my To Read list if you can't find it via search).
Hi Jess,I'm a fairly new recovery writer as my e-book just came out this past May 2013 on Amazon. It's called "Addicted To Dimes" (Confessions of a liar and a Cheat)...It is my life story of gambling addiction, childhood sex abuse, mental illness, and my recovery.
I have my next 2 books almost completed and soon will self-publish, but I'd love to be of help. I'd be happy to also "Share" the recovery books & the reviews as Guest Books on my Recovery Blog here: http://catherinelyonaddictedtodimes.w... or on my writers blog: http://anAuthorandWriterinProgress.wo...
I'm so bust with the books I haven't had to much time to read now a days :-) Author, Catherine Townsend-Lyon
Then send me an email to me at tomcat@yahoo.com and I'll send one to you from Amazon as a *gift* if you will do a Review here for me, good or bad about the book??? How does that sound? "-)Let me know...*Catherine* :-)
Permanent Midnight by Jerry Stahl, And Night of the Gun by David Carr are both excellent .
I just added Little Girl Lost by Anonymous to the list. I found it very different from the run-of-the-mill type of books generally available about addiction. One of the main reasons it stood out to me was due to its frankness concerning events that lead up to the author's addiction. Also, the book doesn't have a "happy ending". That is VERY different from what you usually read (Books that moralize addiction through a 12-step program in order to treat the issue), yet there is much more to learn from it, such as the revelation that all addiction is a result of childhood trauma. I think the book is probably less important to read by an addict themselves since the book covers familiar territory, but incredibly useful to the friends and family members of the addict in order to understand them better.
Sounds interesting, but I don't believe all addiction stems from childhood trauma.
Fair enough.
I spent the first half of my career working with folks who were dually diagnosed (mental health/addiction). Many were self-medicating. I do agree some people get addicted dealing with trauma. Others get addicted post surgery, and still others because AOD are a lot of fun, at first.I also agree that people do get addicted to AA/NA, and the 'rooms' become their lives. My experience is most people learn to live in the real world. Can you clarify what you mean by personal responsibility?
Institutionalized thinking is not fully realized personal responsibility. It is simply "going through the ropes". Doing what is expected. It is my belief that the real path to recovery begins, when it "clicks" with an addict is when the decision comes from within. Not because the addict was confronted through an intervention, or became incarcerated, or was forced to undergo treatment by court order, or other similar event where the addict themself isn't ready. They are only forced into compliance, and then "working a program". This is not the same as when one is truly "sick and tired of being sick and tired".
*Ken, I had previously edited my other post because I realized it didn't come across the way I had intended, after re-reading. I didn't mean to post "all addicts" in that earlier post. As far as my personal feelings towards AA/NA, I can agree that for some it is a necessity, however I got clean from a $100/per day intravenous heroin addiction cold turkey, without needing the use of a rehab facility. I only attended meetings as a condition of my probation, after I turned myself in on a warrant that was a decade old. I had literally been clean from ALL drugs, no alcohol or tobacco either.(except coffee, I can't give it up!)
I was already clean from drugs for 9 and a half yrs when I decided to finish cleaning up my past. I'm not going to write everything here, but I do not agree that institutionalized thinking is the true path. I do agree that most people learn to live in the real world, but are their lives what they'd like them to truly be? I'm not sure that's true for everyone. ;)
*Addicted post surgery, and AOD a lot of fun at first... Are we having an honest discussion regarding the need to take more than or not as prescribed? Where does that need come from? Any desire to push limits, no matter how big/small, what piece of the heart is missing that tempts us to do so? I think it all comes from the same place once it's broken down.
Oh, I'd like to add that I've now been clean for 23 years! :)
Lola wrote: "*Addicted post surgery, and AOD a lot of fun at first... Are we having an honest discussion regarding the need to take more than or not as prescribed? Where does that need come from? Any desire to ..."Ahh, there's the crux for me - I don't believe all addiction arises from need. To be sure the addiction rates are higher for people suffering from trauma and mental illness. But, many people discover they like opiates after minor surgery. No depression, no trauma, just a mistaken believe their good lives could be even better with a little more Percocet People with no depression whatsoever like the way cocaine makes them feel. They're not trying to fill a hole. they're trying to climb a ladder. Never ends well.
Lola wrote: "Oh, I'd like to add that I've now been clean for 23 years! :)"Congrats!!
Lola wrote: "Institutionalized thinking is not fully realized personal responsibility. It is simply "going through the ropes". Doing what is expected. It is my belief that the real path to recovery begins, when..."We'll have to agree to disagree. Too many people are forced to attend Twelve Step meetings, no doubt. Not really AA/NA's fault. Nobody ever told me anybody but me was responsible for my recovery. Early on I was told "We carry the message, not the alcoholic."
I understand that you believe there is no "need" that compels an addict when they are "mistakenly believing that their good lives could be a little better..." and that's the point. It is not always conscious. We are not always aware of the hole, otherwise why would they feel any need at all? Why aren't they content? Are you aware that the success rate of AA/NA is pretty low?
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/arc...
*I thought it was important to point out, although I would be supportive of anyone seeking treatment of any kind because at least that effort should be applauded. I'm not intending to be argumentative, just really believe that the power is within, grounded in our feelings of self worth, and success is honestly based upon the addict's desire to change their own life. I'm not claiming that it's easy to get there, but the concept really is that simple.
So you're saying there's always some underlying deficit that drives all addiction? That any desire for more of something you like is a sign of a subconscious 'hole'? Can't buy it. Sometimes the brownie is a lump of nurturing you never got, BUT, sometimes a brownie just tastes so good you gotta have one more...I read the orange papers. Agree AA/NA not for everyone. The conclusions drawn and the methodology leave a lot to be desired: http://www.green-papers.org/
I'm not sure that replying with facts, backed by links adds up to vitriol. *shrugs*
Ah, I see now. You're an author with books based upon the 12-step methodology. I'm simply a reader and a recovered addict, who did not need outside help in order to get clean. I did not find anything of value (for myself) within AA/NA when it was required of me for my probation file, which was something I did in order to close that chapter of my life, and put it behind me.
I know factually that I will never, ever touch heroin again. That part of my life is so distateful, against everything I am about now, that I can say freely that I am no longer an addict. I'm not because I am no longer bound by the same mindset that caused my addiction. I understand how that goes against AA doctrine. I'm sorry. There are other ways to beat it.
Lola wrote: "I'm not sure that replying with facts, backed by links adds up to vitriol. *shrugs*"
Not your vitriol, (should have been clearer, sorry) the author of the Orange Paper's vitriol. If you limit the Orange to facts, it would cut the length by 2/3.
I don't believe I've said in any of these posts, or anywhere in any of my books, AA/NA is the only way. In fact, I've said just the opposite several times.
I hope you don't think I'm being sarcastic, because I'm truly not. I want to thank you for the most reasonable discussion I've ever had on this topic. I stopped discussing it in other forums because the same pattern kept repeating itself:Someone trying to agree with me validates every negative stereotype re: Twelve Steppers you can think of. Another claims more murders happen at NA than at any other gathering of two or more people anywhere in the world. She has data to prove it. Name calling starts. A third party claims Bill W. was the devil and anyone who attends an AA meeting is going to the microwave section of hell. Because every online interaction must be used as a marketing tool, someone else hawks her book on kale being the key to recovery. I discover her books outsell mine 100 to 1.
We may disagree on some issues, but I appreciate your candor. Again, congrats on beating your addiction to heroin - never an easy thing to do!
Thank you! And actually your last link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...It backs up the orange papers findings. The green papers have been disputed point by point, citing sources and links to more info.
I'm not anti-AA/NA, because I believe any help is a step forward. Some people need that extra support. I just think that the most who make it, didn't really need the extra help. It was their own convictions that saw them through.
Internet drama is not my thing. If the conversation devolved to such I would simply bow out. I like to hear an opposing view sometimes, it helps me to learn new things. I can't be right ALL of the time, LOL! I'm willing to bend if I see data that supports the opposite view. :)
Oh! On the kale recovery book...it seems that books that provide magic cures tend to attract more attention because isn't that what everyone is looking for? A magical cure for everything? So yeah, doing hard work is no fun! BOO! LOL (I have a friend who is vegan, and avoids gluten, etc., for various disorders she "has". Funny thing, she's been on such a restrictive diet for well over a decade and she's STILL SICK. I wonder why? ;)
Lola wrote: "Thank you! And actually your last link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...It backs up the orange papers findings. The green papers have been disputed point by point, citing sources and link..."
One of these days I'm going to swallow my pride and write a book touting a miracle cure. My problem is all the good remedies are taken ;)
Ah Todd, the thing is, there's a difference between one placing the burden of "faith" on a higher power which would most often be taken externally,and KNOWING that they ALREADY HAVE THE POWER WITHIN to make whatever change is necessary. Are both acts spiritual? I suppose the definition applies but AA/NA tends to push the definition to be taken as "outside of oneself", and that is where I believe they start to lose people. The majority of people attending such a program becomes disillusioned when they find they are stuck having to take full responsibility, and there is no "spiritual" power to depend on. (Not in the classic sense anyway.)
As I've said before, the ones who actually do find success in breaking free from addiction are already motivated and willing to take full responsibility for their recovery. It's not the program itself that helped them, they did it all on their own and they could've done it DESPITE the program. That is my entire point.
The ones who are searching for a program to "fix" them are not ready to be fixed...yet. Can a program help lead them in that direction? Maybe. Or maybe, as it is with the majority, they will drop out until they figure it out on their own. (As the statistics prove.) And to address the stats for AA, yes there are many success stories in AA, of course! But the facts prove that the majority of people who try AA drop out within the first month, many of those that stay in past the first month do not make it a year. Some drop out and then try again. Some that stay in get clean, some that stay in DO NOT GET CLEAN, they go to meetings but backslide regularly. AA/NA can only help if the addict is ready to stop, bottom line.
Ken, one of my miracle cures is hula hooping! I got so caught up in trying to learn how to do several tricks with the hoop that I had no time to think about getting "high". (I really wasn't thinking about getting high anyway.) In the meantime I lost more weight, and my muscle tone improved, which made me feel a LOT better about the way I looked. Plus I felt healthier which made others take notice of my positive improvements which deepened my self esteem. I started writing again. I began painting as well as other art that I had set aside. I stopped worrying about what others had to say TO me and ABOUT me, and instead focused on what I loved about myself. I found myself again, a person that I felt was lost due to everyone else's expectations of who I was supposed to be. Anyway, I thought I'd share that.
Lola I think you have the makings of a self-help bestseller! Hula hooping is gluten-free, leaves no carbon footprint, and hearkens back to an innocent age. Combine it with some eastern mysticism and you've got this summer's mega-trend ;).Seriously though, compared to some of the 'get unsick quick' books out there, hula hooping has a lot of advantages. It's rhythmic, aerobic, and you have to do the work.
DiamondCheck out a true story of a woman addicted to sex in "Confessions of a Female Sex Addict". Believe it or not, more young adults than ever are starting to have sex earlier and earlier and this book will show you that more sex isn't always better sex. You can find it on Amazon.com at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H716RWC Written by Diamond Sky Get yours today!
“Chasing A Flawed Sun”Let me know what you think
I recently published a book about my own recovery - Heartbeats - and here is a link for anyone interested:https://www.amazon.com/Heartbeats-Wes...
Good evening, I would suggest you to read my book on alcohol addiction. It includes a comprehensive overview of the options available to recover with practical tips. Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/170225...
It is available in kindle, paperback and audiobook versions.
Any feedback or review are very much appreciated since I am planning to write a second edition soon. Thanks!
Hi Silvia, I will be adding your book to my "Want To Read" list here on GR. I do have two ahead of your book but enjoy reading as reading gives us power to learn about other addictions. Mine was addicted gambling and I'll celebrate my 13th year maintaining recovery and I did write a book of the WHYS and HOW I ended up turning to gambling addiction as a memoir if you are interested ... https://www.amazon.com/Addicted-Dimes...
I look forward to reading yours and will do a review when done!"-)
Catherine
Thanks Catherine! I will have a look at your book too!
