Carrie Fisher, Augusten Burroughs, Leslie Jamison: 15 great recovery memoirs

books for recovering addicts

By embracing the lifelong process of addiction recovery and committing to sobriety, individuals can embark on a transformative journey towards a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life. Through the guidance and support found in books on addiction and recovery, individuals can gain valuable tools and insights to navigate the challenges and achieve lasting sobriety. When it comes to addiction and recovery, books can serve as powerful resources that offer guidance, inspiration, and hope. Here are three lifechanging books that delve into the complexities of addiction and provide valuable insights for individuals seeking recovery.

Top 10 Books for Addiction Recovery

books for recovering addicts

In «My Fair Junkie,» Amy Dresner tells a no-holds-barred story of her addiction to crystal meth and her subsequent road to recovery. Dresner’s story is filled with honesty, wit, and a raw portrayal of the realities of substance abuse. It is a modern classic that doesn’t shy away from the ugly truths about addiction while also providing hope for those fighting to regain control over their lives. 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.

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  • Nina Renata Aron’s relationship with her boyfriend is a passionate fairy tale, right up to the day he relapses.
  • Recovery from substance abuse is a journey that involves both self-discovery and personal growth.
  • Most notably, it’s a brutally honest — and hilarious — reflection on the late writer’s path to sobriety.

«High on Arrival» by Mackenzie Phillips is praised for its complete honesty, rawness, and the impact of the author’s recovery journey on inspiring others to seek recovery. Phillips, a well-known actress, courageously shares her personal story of addiction and the challenges she faced in her quest for sobriety. Her memoir serves as a powerful reminder that recovery is possible and that it is never too late to embark on a journey towards healing and self-discovery. «The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober» explores the impact of alcohol on health and minds, offering a refreshing and insightful perspective on sobriety.

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Whether you’re new to recovery or have decades of sobriety, reading a book is a great way to manage relapse triggers and substance use cravings. Good books allow readers to connect with characters and develop an understanding that can be used in their recovery journey. If you want to learn about the various phases of addiction and recovery, as well as uncover some powerful strategies for staying sober, read this book today. When it comes to addiction and recovery, it’s important to recognize that it is a lifelong process that requires dedication and commitment. Achieving lasting sobriety takes vigilance, commitment, and motivation. It’s not a one-time event, but rather a continuous journey towards a Hope House Boston Review healthier and happier life.

  • Marketed as a memoir, the book took a public relations hit when a 2006 Smoking Gun exposé suggested elements of the story had been fabricated.
  • «Not Only Physical Sobriety» focuses on holistic approaches to recovery, emphasizing the need to heal your whole self, including mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects.
  • As her marriage dissolved and she struggled to find a reason to stay clean, Karr turned to Catholicism as a light at the end of the tunnel.
  • This process requires individuals to address not only the physical aspects of addiction but also the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of their lives.
  • Whether the man she loves recovers or not, Aron is forced into a reckoning of her own — that she is an enabler in a codependent relationship.
  • In Blackout, Sarah clearly explains why there’s nothing benign about it and describes what is actually happening to the brain when we reach that point of alcohol-induced amnesia.

«Not only physical sobriety: A guide to whole self-healing»

books for recovering addicts

At age 20, weighing nearly 300 pounds, Mitchell makes the decision to save her own life. It Was Me All Along is the brutally honest story of how Mitchell lost half her body weight without sacrificing the satisfaction of a good meal. In high school, Tiffany Jenkins was a popular student and the captain of the school’s cheerleading squad. But opioid addiction soon takes over her life, transforming her into a person she barely recognizes. At her lowest point, Jenkins finds herself being arrested by officers who are also her friends.

books for recovering addicts

books for recovering addicts

Readers also mention it’s an amazing guide and applies to many areas of our lives. Based on Fisher’s hugely successful one-woman show, Wishful Drinking is the story of growing up in Hollywood royalty, battling addiction, and dealing with manic depression. Her first memoir is an inside look at her famous parents’ marriage and her own tumultuous love affairs (including her on-again, off-again relationship with Paul Simon). Most notably, it’s a brutally honest — and hilarious — reflection on the late writer’s path to sobriety. Pamela D. Pesta’s “Letting Go of the Thief” gives you a snapshot inside the mind of someone descending into full-blown alcoholism. This book can be empowering and instructive whether you or a  loved one struggles with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

books for recovering addicts

Dry Humping is filled with alcohol-free date ideas, scripts for awkward conversations, tips from experts, prompts, people’s perspectives, and more. Erica Garza’s addiction to sex and pornography leads her down a dangerous path. Grappling with low self-esteem, self-loathing, and loneliness, Garza seeks out a reprieve from her suffering in brothels, hookups, and the inevitable blackouts. Like many addictions, Garza’s will get worse before she seeks help and finally comes to terms with her obsessions. To vote on books not in the list or books you couldn’t find in the list, you can click on the tab add books to this list and then choose from your books, or simply search. To vote on existing books from the list, beside each book there is a link vote for this book clicking it will add that book to your votes.

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From addiction recovery workbooks to inspiring true success stories, the best books on addiction cover everything from practical skills to personal transformations. They help you recognize that addiction isn’t someone else’s problem. It’s a deeply personal journey that requires healthy boundaries, cognitive behavioral therapy, and, most importantly, a commitment to change. One of the most insightful books on addiction is «In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts» by Gabor Maté.

Mikel Jollett, front man for the band The Airborne Toxic Event, has endured more than most of us can imagine. As a child, he and his family were members of the Church of Synanon, an abusive cult that separated children from their parents. After years of isolation, his mother finally decides to escape with Mikel and his brother. Poverty and unaddressed mental health issues consume the family, and drug and alcohol abuse soon take hold. Yet Jollett fights back to reclaim his life, breaking free from the struggles of his childhood to enroll in Stanford University and eventually find his voice as an artist and a performer. Hollywood Park, a New York Times bestseller, is Jollett’s raw and profound memoir.

Her four months in jail serve as the starting point to her eventual recovery. High Achiever is a mind-spinning memoir of how quickly things go wrong and how much hard work it takes to set things right. We provide addiction recovery services in a structured and supportive environment that promotes long term transformational changes. Readers also mention the book provides a strong foundation of recovery philosophies that is easy to teach to clients. The acclaimed author of Prozac Nation goes from depression to addiction with this equally devastating personal account. Wurtzel reveals how drugs fueled her post-breakout period, describing with unbearable specificity how her doctor’s prescription of Ritalin, intended to help her function, only brought her down.