Warner Park Recovery Center – Woodland Hills Mental Health

10 Books to Read About Addiction

Addiction is often a lonely road, so it is no surprise that many recovering addicts feel lonely during recovery. Sometimes, knowing you are not alone is the difference between failure and success. The following 10 books are written by former addicts and loved ones that can help you through your addiction treatment. They write about their experiences with addiction, their pain and suffering, and their recovery.

Becoming a mother long before she desired and by someone she hardly knew, Janelle Hanchett found herself less than happy with her situation. That displeasure led her to seek relief from wine. She recounts her journey through addiction and eventually into recovery.

This incredible book brings to light the messages we receive on a daily basis of how we are “supposed” to be. The author encourages readers to ignore those messages and know that we are enough.

Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers shares his experience with addiction, recklessness, and loss. Even after losing his band mate to overdose, Kiedis continued down his path of destruction. This memoir is an intriguing look into his experience with fame and success, and the dark road they led him down.

It is easy to think that addiction is a personal disease, but loved ones are affected by it, too. In Terry, former Senator George McGovern tells the story of his daughter who had fallen asleep in the snow outside of a bar. At just 45, her addiction to alcohol had caused her death. This emotional book helps bring to light the pain that addiction and death can bring to those who love us.

Childhood has a way of shaping our adult decisions. Rachel Resnick spent a large part of her childhood with a mother who found herself in multiple bad relationships. Resnick speaks of how she found herself repeating the patterns with which she grew up through by jumping from one dysfunctional relationship to the next and how she eventually ended the cycle.

Unbroken Brain is an incredibly thought-provoking piece on the outdated boxes that addiction is placed in. Maia Szalavitz challenges the school of thought that says addiction is a personality trait or due to a “broken brain”. She provides a new way of thinking of addiction that could impact the entire treatment and recovery process.

This well-loved book is a collection of essays about the transition in her life from alcoholic to recovery. It provides an honest view of life once an addiction is no longer clouding your vision and mind.

Spirit Junkie is a wonderful book that revolves around self love and mindfulness. It has a way of helping those in recovery find hope and peace.

This book is excellent for the families of recovering addicts. Everyone plays a role in recovery and healing. Codependency is not helpful for the families or the recovering addict. This guide helps families regain themselves after the damage that the addiction has done.

Sarah Hepola recounts her experience with alcohol and her blackout periods. As an independent career woman, she was proud to stay out drinking all night- until the next morning when she could not recall the previous night’s events. She speaks candidly of what this “freedom” cost her, including some jobs. Finally, she faced the type of freedom that was never on her mind- recovery.

These books and others like them can play a very helpful role in your addiction treatment. However, those suffering from addiction should reach out for help in addition to reading any books. When you or a loved one are ready to make that change, give us a call at Warner Park Recovery for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

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