The story follows Carr’s unbelievable arc through addiction, recovery, cancer, and life as a single parent to come to an understanding of what those dark years meant. From graduating cum laude from law school despite her excessive drinking to languishing in dive bars, King presents a clear-eyed look at her past and what brought her out of the haze of addiction. When 15-year-old Cat moves to a new town in rural Michigan, she’s ecstatic to find a friend in Marlena, a beautiful, pill-popping neighbor. She’s drawn to Marlena’s world and joins her on an adventure of drinking, smoking, and kissing. Marlena’s dark habits worsen, though, and she ends up dead within the year.
Best Books Related to Healing and Mental Health
As a mother, I relate to her story so deeply—our children were the same young age when we stopped drinking. She’s an iconic, witty literary voice, an engrossing storyteller, best alcohol recovery books and this book too is a great study in memoir. The Empathy Exams author’s stunning book juxtaposes her own relationship to addiction with stories of literary legends like Raymond Carver, and imbues it with rich cultural history.
How to Murder Your Life by Cat Marnell
- (And for good reason!) Atomic Habits offers practical strategies for making meaningful changes to your habits and routines, one tiny step at a time.
- Annie Grace presents the psychological and neurological components of alcohol use based on the latest science and reveals the cultural, social, and industry factors that support alcohol dependence….
- Work events, brunch, baby showers, book club, hair salons—the list of where to find booze is endless.
- However, I found that it offered subtle applications for combating groupthink of any kind.
- In and out of rehab, he falls into relapse, engaging in toxic relationships and other self-destructive behaviors that threaten to undo the hard-won progress he’s made.
- Author and filmmaker Maureen Palmer has been there, and she’s found a better way.
Are they a disaster because they’re on drugs, or on drugs because they were a disaster? Al-Anon’s basic book discusses the mutual-help program of recovery, including personal stories. A beginning approach to the Twelve Concepts of Service is included. We drink at baby showers and work events, brunch and book club, graduations and funerals. Yet no one ever questions alcohol’s ubiquity—in fact, the only thing ever questioned is why someone doesn’t drink….
High Achiever: True Story
The doctors who wrote this book present a compelling case for https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/binge-drinking-how-to-stop-binge-drinking/ 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 withdrawal and post-acute withdrawal, you can optimize your life by conquering bad habits and negative thought patterns. David Carr’s memoir, “The Night of the Gun,” presents a captivating exploration of his life as a cocaine addict, journalist, and single parent. Carr delves into his past, meticulously investigating his own story to unravel truths about his battle with addiction, recovery, and even his experience with cancer. Through his introspective narrative, Carr provides a unique perspective on the challenges of addiction and the possibility of redemption 4.
It also chronicles the true pain that stems from depression and anxiety, the causes that lead many people to engage in substance abuse. It encourages readers to embrace the joys and rewards of sobriety while shedding light on the impact of alcohol on health and mental well-being. These powerful narratives offer hope, inspiration, and a path to healing.
Author
This was the first book I read on this subject, and I instantly could relate to her feelings. She made a huge impact on me and is someone I will always be grateful to. Survival Math is an incredible look at race and class, gangs and guns, addiction and masculinity. Mitchell S. Jackson frames the narrative around his own experiences and those of his family and community. Weaving together poems, historical documents, and photos, this is an essential book about, among many other things, alcoholism and survival.
- Coulter shares her struggles with alcohol use and also the challenges of getting sober.
- A Piece of Cake is her gripping tale of crashing down to the bottom and crawling back to the top.
- His descriptions perfectly capture the out of control life of a youth growing up with addiction, yet his story ultimately yields hope for the future.
- Blackout reveals how sobriety helped her discover the confidence, intimacy, and creativity within her—all of which she previously thought could only be found at the bottom of a bottle.
- It also rests on the premise that an unhealthy attachment to drinking is endemic to a person’s identity, and therefore impossible to get over.
- These insights can introduce a whole new dimension of healing while on a sobriety or moderation journey.
- Elizabeth Vargas takes off her perfectly poised reporter mask and shows you the authentic person behind the anchor desk.
Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction
- Mainstream programs often write these people off as “not real alcoholics,” but this is a dogmatic categorization that often fails to account for real physical dependence at an earlier stage of life.
- Alcohol addiction is primarily a biochemical disorder, one reinforced by neural pathways linking alcohol to desired states of mind.
- Dove “Birdie” Randolph is doing her best to be a perfect daughter.
- She’s an iconic, witty literary voice, an engrossing storyteller, and this book too is a great study in memoir.
White thoughtfully explores boundaries, emotional regulation, body image, shame, and self-care in a way that’s actionable and accessible. The book is short, easy to read, and will leave you with some immediate tools for addressing social situations, sex, and friendship while navigating an alcohol-free lifestyle. A 1996 bestseller, Caroline Knapp paints a vivid picture of substance use and recovery that every reader can appreciate, whether you struggle with substance use or not. Knapp writes elegantly about her 20+ years of ‘high-functioning drinking’. Winning career accolades by day and drinking at night, Knapp brings you to the netherworld of alcohol use disorder. As you embark on a sobriety or moderation journey, building a toolkit to keep you motivated and inspired can help you reach your goals.
Maybe you’re a pretty moderate drinker, but you feel like booze just isn’t your friend anymore. Maybe none of these things apply to you when it comes to alcohol, but there’s something else in your life that’s not a positive force. I read this book before I became a parent and was floored, but have thought about it even more since. It is the heartbreaking and astute account of Sheff’s experience of his son, Nic’s, addiction and eventual recovery. He viscerally paints the picture of the hope-tainted despair, anguish, and havoc that addiction wreaks on an entire family.
A frank, fresh, and empowering take on facing addiction, doing recovery, and savoring the joys of a new way of living…. Commonly referred to as the “Twelve and Twelve”, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions comprises 24 foundational essays by Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill W. Members worldwide both to get and stay sober “one day at a time”…. I did many things I am deeply ashamed of, and reading her book taught me that I am not alone. Dove “Birdie” Randolph is doing her best to be a perfect daughter. She’s focusing on her schoolwork and is on track to finish high school at the top of her class.