15 Best Books On Alcoholism And Recovery For 2021

There are many reasons for why a person might develop an attachment to drinking alcohol that leads to physical dependence. Genetic factors, environmental influences, cultural norms, belief systems, and a lack of alternative coping mechanisms can all factor into the risk of developing alcoholism. Alcohol addiction is primarily a biochemical disorder, one reinforced by neural pathways linking alcohol to desired states of mind. As a “disorder,” it shares a collection of common symptoms, including alcohol cravings and withdrawal for people who are physically dependent on alcohol.

• Our team is well prepared to advise on all things treatment and help you find the care you need.
• This book provides real-life examples of how trauma can fuel addiction and how to develop coping skills to help create realistic goals.
• Allen’s powerful, uplifting tale was first published in 1978, and while the slang may belong to another era, the message is timeless.
• Drop the Rock digs deeper into steps six and seven of the twelve-step program.

Because of alcoholics and drug users have notoriously terrible memories, he went back and interviewed the people in his life who had been there to try to piece together what really happened. I would not classify David Carr as a high functioning alcoholic or drug user. The fact that he survived his addiction is a miracle in of itself. I can’t relate to much of Carr’s experience with drugs and alcohol, but I could connect to inner demons that drove him to it. There’s a new kind of thinking in the recovery world, and all of that is thanks to McKowen’s memoir.

The CDC has seen a sharp rise in binge drinking among women – a startling epidemic born of a combination of societal, economic, and psychological factors. Journalist Anne Dowsett Johnston dives deep into the research behind this trend alongside her own story of recovery, shedding light on industry and society that has taken advantage of women’s drinking. One of the best bios about addiction and recovery by an incredible author. I cracked up laughing as many times as I nodded my head in knowing, alcoholic agreement.

Best Books For Reconditioning Your Mind

Bright and beautiful, Annie is an unlikely candidate for meth. Living fast and hard on the streets of Bend, Oregon, she commits crimes against herself, the community, and her own family. ‍From the moment she uttered the brave and honest words, “I am an alcoholic,” to interviewer George Stephanopoulos, Elizabeth Vargas began writing her story, as her experiences were still raw. If you’re struggling with alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder, don’t let the ongoing pandemic stop you from taking action. If you’re finding it hard to work through these steps, semi-anonymous authors give you practical tips on harnessing these steps, improving your character, and forging forward with long-term recovery. This book contains plenty of actionable advice and it gives you a blueprint for recovery without the prescriptive nature of a 12-step program. Author Dr. Harry Haroutounian worked as the physician director at the world-famous Betty Ford Clinic.

• In The Los Angeles Diaries, he reveals his struggle for survival, mining his past to present the inspiring story of his redemption.
• Loving someone who suffers from addiction is one of the hardest things a human being can go through.
• Here, he retells his journey from substance use disorder to a torturous path to sobriety.
• At the end of the day, this memoir is a groundbreaking look into our current drinking culture while providing a road map to cut alcohol out of our lives so that we can truly live our best lives.
• That siren song eventually led broadcast journalist Elizabeth Vargas to admit her addiction on national television.
• She’s just someone who uses alcohol to muster up courage, and well, survive life.

I like that you get the option of reading the blinks or listening to them podcast style. She’s funny and self-deprecating in a refreshing way, but also real. Much like Clare Pooley’s book, I found myself nodding in agreement as much as I was chuckling at her various insights. Especially the evolution of mommy drinking culture and how we got this place where we’ve tried to normalize drinking as a way to cope with the stresses of being a woman in today’s modern world. This is a memoir by Augusten Burroughs of Running With Scissors fame. This book by Caroline Knapp was the first recovery memoir I ever read.

Letting Go Of The Thief: A Ninety Day Journey Inside The Thoughts Of An Alcoholic By Pamela D Pesta

His worried family waited at home where Moyers had left them when he embarked on yet another binge. From that lowly, drug-hazed night, Moyers went on to become an executive at the Hazelden Foundation and travels far and wide to talk about addiction and treatment. Amazing book about one child’s spiral into drug addiction and eventual rehabilitation. If you find yourself struggling with time to get much reading in, but still want to get the main takeaways of these important books, I recommend Blinkist.

She is now a certified addiction specialist possessing a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration. Her focus is on her recovery journey from a street addict to a successful, stable mother of three. Allen is a master at removing the psychological triggers that lead to drinking.

Best 20 Books About Addiction Recovery To Read In 2020

In college, my friends and I joked that it’s not alcoholism until you graduate. best alcohol recovery books Then I told myself it was because I was a journalist working the night shift.

For any mother or person who has felt like an outsider in your own life, you might just relate. Chaney Allen’s book was the first recovery memoir that was published by a Black woman author. Her story tells the story of a minister’s daughter who grew up poor in Alabama, eventually moving to Cincinnati and falling into substance use disorder, all while raising children. Addiction is a family disease, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. When a loved one enters recovery, the whole family enters recovery.

• Ultimately, this journey of self-discovery shows her that a little change is sometimes necessary to get what you truly want in life.
• This memoir is poetic and a treat for lovers of beautiful writing.
• Until the brain has recovered, it is less able so suppress the urge to drink.
• Rarely has a public figure addressed such difficult, intimate issues with such courage and bravery.
• Eventually, she runs through a series of nine-to-five jobs, but ultimately, she ends up living behind a dumpster as she descends into crack cocaine use.

Our staff are highly trained with dual mental health and substance use licensing. Our medical staff includes an ASAM certified addiction psychiatrist & an addiction-trained primary care physician. Mindfulness and self-awareness are essential tools for successful addiction recovery. This book is a step-by-step guide for tapping into your present-moment awareness and letting go of worry and fear that can hold you back in recovery.

Nlp: The Essential Guide

With incredible wit and skill, Sacha Scoblic manages to tell you both what alcohol used to mean for her and how her sober life is going now. She relied on alcohol, and now that this is no longer an option she has to re-evaluate everything in her life, which leads to some witty observations on her newfound life. In this book, she narrates the year in which she went from a cancer diagnosis to her happiest and best self. Her journey covers sobriety, beating cancer, and building a richer life than she’d ever imagined. Growing up in the public eye is never an easy thing, but Fisher didn’t just grow up in the spotlight. To make things even more interesting, Fisher grew up with the world watching while she battled manic depression, addiction, and visited all sorts of mental institutions as a result.

In addition to the supplements that rebalanced my brain and healed my body, this book gave me some timeless tactics for living in the moment and refusing to let negativity get the best of me. For a long time I felt tortured by the mystery of why some people are alcoholics and others aren’t. This nuanced work helped to answer that burning question for me. I did not totally understand the value of high doses of vitamin C until I read this book.

Getting Off: One Womans Journey Through Sex And Porn Addiction By Erica Garza

The majority of “experts” will tell you that you can never drink again if you’re an “alcoholic.” But in fact, there are people who have transcended alcohol addiction and proceeded to drink minimally. Neuro-linguistic programming is a fascinating system for reprogramming behavior by altering cognitive associations. This book is the most basic guide for NLP that I have found, and the authors describe how using NLP has changed the lives of people they care about. Dr. Linus Pauling was the only scientist to have won two unshared Nobel Prizes, and this book is easily the best nutritional guide that I have read. While this book is not explicitly about recovering from alcoholism, the information is very relevant for people who want to repair their brains and bodies after conquering acute alcohol withdrawal.

Some drinkers may be hesitant to let go of drinking because they perceive a sober life as one equated with boredom and misery. Here, Grace encourages readers to consider a life beyond drinking, where they live presently and without strong cravings or compulsions.

Change your focus and healthy choices that rejuvenate body, mind and spirit are bound to follow. The book includes action-oriented, positive affirmations and intentions to help you do so. For the past three decades, Codependent No More has been one of the best books for families of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. This book is a helpful https://ecosoberhouse.com/ guide for everyone whose life has been strongly affected by the disease of addiction. Filled with exercises and self-tests, the book is immensely helpful for the individual who has lost himself or herself in the continuous story of a loved one’s addictive behavior. Codependent No More offers practical advice for regaining one’s individuality.

This is one of the first books I read when I realized that I had a serious problem with drinking. Not only did it help me better understand my addiction from a genetic, scientific point-of-view, it also helped me diagnose myself as an alcoholic. Written for the lay-reader, it’s short, packed with hard facts and eye-opening studies about alcoholism. And it’s also inspiring when it comes to recovery and treatment. I’ve recommended it dozens of times to people who’ve asked me where they could find out more about alcoholism, if not for themselves, then for those they love who have a serious drinking problem. That’s actually a perfect segue into what sets Jamison’s book apart from most recovery memoirs and books about addiction. In a brilliant narrative style, she constantly flips back and forth between her personal story and a history of the alcoholic creatives who came before her, their lives intersecting in fascinating ways.

She also explores new approaches to treatment, including the LEAD program in Washington State. Maia delves into brain chemistry, the physiology of addiction, and the effect of drug abuse politics on society. Without treatment, it can impair your life and your ability to function. A trained therapist or psychologist can help find the right treatment plan for you or a loved one with consideration and compassion. Find a therapist in a directory is a good place to start when choosing a therapist.

This is a highly instructive read for anyone grappling with an addictive personality and a tendency to overindulge. In Beautiful Boy, journalist David Sheff details his sporty son’s descent into crystal meth addiction. Receive 24/7 text support at your convenience with American Addiction Centers. Our team is well prepared to advise on all things treatment and help you find the care you need. We’ve helped thousands recover from addiction and we can help you too.

Alcohol And The Addictive Brain

Here are five must-read books about addiction recovery you can keep on your nightstand to give you a little extra inspiration as you learn to navigate your new life of sobriety. By David Sheff is the heart-breaking story of a father’s struggles to hold his family intact throughout his son’s battle with drug addiction. Sheff gives readers a first-hand account of a parent watching their child go from a healthy, charming little boy to a young man who was suffering from addiction and fighting for his life. It is a tale of one father’s relentless search for the right treatment for his son and the refusal to give up on him. Comedian, actor, and writer Russell Brand offers a hilarious and honest look at his battle with drug and alcohol addiction. Brand speaks very candidly about his addiction to not only drugs and alcohol, but work, caffeine, fame, social media, and toxic relationships as well.

For Caroline Knapp, as it is for many, alcohol was the protective friend that allowed her to get through life. Her protector became her lover and this is the memoir of their twenty-years-long destructive relationship. You could never tell, but she is the perfect example of a high-functioning alcoholic who looks like everything is perfect, even when it clearly isn’t. Especially not when you’re a crucial part of the cultural phenomenon called Star Wars.

Books About Addiction & Recovery

Through failed relationships, serial hook-ups, blackouts, and all of the shame that comes with these experiences, Garza writes a riveting memoir narrating a journey of exploration as she seeks therapy. Eventually, she begins a 12-Step program to find relief, if not salvation, from her addictions. The doctors who wrote this book present a compelling case for utilizing the power of the mind in treating brain disorders. This book is not about alcoholism per se, but it can be an empowering guide for separating yourself from those primitive and demoralizing urges to drink. Once you are past alcohol withdrawal and post-acute withdrawal, you can optimize your life by conquering bad habits and negative thought patterns.

Next to running sprints and lifting heavy weights, reading is my favorite way to let go of stress and achieve a renewed sense of possibility. Opening a good book every night before bed was one of my first strategies for finding a replacement activity for drinking alcohol. A tale of survival more than recovery, Díaz’s memoir is about unlearning the powerful ideas we are raised with – in this case, that violence and chaos are normal.