Joe Putignano talks about his memoir Acrobaddict on CBS

[close] Gritty and raw, Joe Putignano's memoir ACROBADDICT (Central Recovery Press / October 2013) is turning heads. Putignano, a gifted gymnast and Cirque du Soleil star, witnessed his passion for gymnastics turn into a nightmare obsession for drugs. His book tells how his perfectionism as an athlete set him up for self-doubt, insecurity and, eventually, the "comfort" of drug addiction. Putignano fell so far from his glory days as a performer that he became homeless and hopeless. After a near-death experience, he finally found recovery and has been sober for the past seven years. But, like most people in recovery, Putignano understands that he walks a tightrope and must remain constantly vigilant to maintain his sobriety. Articulate, boldly honest and empathetic, Joe Putignano views addiction through the lens of his own experiences. It is this hard-won perspective which gives him the ability to help explain the horror of addiction and the possibility of life in recovery.