This is often described as a biological “reward system,” and though it evolved to help humans survive, it also plays a complex role in addiction: The behavior that triggered the release of dopamine is then associated with pleasure, which motivates us to repeat the behavior. When we engage in certain behaviors, dopamine is released and causes a sensation of pleasure. Holly Jespersen is Shatterproof’s Senior Communications Manager.Develop Healthy Strategies With A Therapistĭopamine is a “feel-good” neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger in the brain). I’ve heard so many rave reviews of this book! I have not read this one yet, but it’s next on my list. It is the real deal and Cat is a talented writer, but most of all a survivor. I found this book uncomfortable at times and very funny at other times. When I worked in beauty, Cat was a beauty editor at Lucky and, so I knew of her. I could not put this book down (literally), talk about gut-wrenching honesty and not holding anything back. (She was also a childhood favorite of mine on “One Day at a Time”-ironic title!) I love Mackenzie’s rawness, and her incredible recovery that has impacted so many others to find recovery. Kristen is raw, funny and holds nothing back. What an incredible story of addiction and recovery. This is one of the first books I read about addiction ever, before I realized I had a problem. James went to my college, Denison University, and is friends with many of my friends, so I loved reading the parts that took place (“fictionally”) in Granville, Ohio. He lost trust of people around him and in his field, but through sobriety he has been able to regain that trust and help many people along the way. He comes from the book publishing world and, again, was someone who was successful and smart, but in active addiction. Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man and 90 Days by Bill CleggĬlegg is an incredible writer. My faith is the foundation for my sobriety today. Eventually my faith brought me to my knees and I began my journey of sobriety after having a spiritual experience. She is a Christian, as am I, and I often battled in my head with being a Christian and being an alcoholic. I really liked this book because it focuses a lot on her spiritual crisis and how it related to her alcoholism. It made me realize the pain I would have brought to my parents if they had lost me. Terry achieved long-term sobriety at one time, and she helped many women. Terry: My Daughter’s Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholismby George McGovern It was shiny on the outside and empty on the inside. I thought my party-girl ways were so glamourous, but it was really sad and unfulfilling, despite the glitz and glamour. I used to work in fashion/beauty/celebrity PR, and I related to her lifestyle before she got sober. I want to meet her and give her a big hug. I did many things I am deeply ashamed of, and reading her book taught me that I am not alone. My addiction always took me to new lows, and cost me many jobs over the years. I too was a high-functioning professional with a drinking and cocaine addiction. Girl Walks Out of a Bar: A Memoir by Lisa SmithĪgain, Lisa tells my story. She made a huge impact on me and is someone I will always be grateful to. She was part of the reason I eventually got sober. This was the first book I read on this subject, and I instantly could relate to her feelings. I wish I could have met Caroline before she passed away. I very much related to her always feeling “less than” in normal life, and only becoming confident and alive once she poured alcohol down her throat. Maybe these stories can help another young woman out there.īlackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola So here’s a list of my all-time favorite reads about substance use disorders. Having been in recovery for many years, and working here at Shatterproof, I often get asked to recommend books about addiction. Little did I know that there was an answer, and it involved finally getting away from alcohol. I spent hours in the self-help section at Barnes & Noble in Georgetown, D.C., seeking the solutions to my problems. I would only read the book secretly in my room, out of fear that someone would see me reading it. I distinctly remember reading my most favorite addiction memoir ever, Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp, at age 22. Why else would I have been mesmerized by When a Man Loves a Woman or 28 Days in my early 20s? These movies and books let me know I was not alone, that there were other people walking around who drank like I did. I think I subconsciously knew it, but was in total denial. I started reading addiction memoirs in college, well before I admitted to having an alcohol use disorder.
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