Various addictions affect millions of people all over the world. From professional clinics to help groups and medical assistance, there are lots of options out there. However, books have always proven to work on a deeper level. They connect to your subconscious level and can influence your decisions from the inside.
No matter how many people you ask for a good title, you will always get different titles. This is because there is no such thing as a perfect book. People connect with books differently. All in all, whether you are struggling with addiction yourself or you want to understand what a loved one goes through, here are some of the best addiction recovery books on the market.
The Addiction Manifesto, by Weaver Jr
Despite being relatively new compared to other top-rated books, this one has already managed to snatch a few awards. It makes a fairly simple statement to understand. Not everyone might be close to you while going through an addiction. Some people will not even believe in you. However, there is nothing wrong with that – this journey is not about the ones around you, but about yourself.
The Addiction Manifesto has gained so much notoriety because it stands out. Simply put, it is different. It has been designed to give you a completely different perspective on life before and after recovery. It will help you see the situation from a unique point of view, and most importantly, it will show you that anything you want is possible and doable.
The author talks about how substance abuse almost killed him over 20 years. He explains the recovery process in the smallest details, but he also talks about how he has managed to handle loss. The approach is direct and realistic. This book gives you a deep understanding of substance abuse, its challenges, and the path to recovery.
Chasing a Flawed Sun, by Daniel McGhee
This is one of the best addiction recovery books for those who struggle with a strong drug – such as heroin. You might be aware of it – heroin can save lives. It is offensive and controversial, but this is what many addicts claim. However, the author explains how this drug has nearly killed him a few times, only to end up saving his life later on.
This is a brutal and direct true story. It is transparent and shows how problematic drug abuse can become. It usually starts in the teenage years. Some manage to get out of this aggressive drug culture, but others get dragged in. The author has almost failed to get out of it – various institutions, help from more directions, inner thoughts, conflicts and drama.
The transparency and harsh reality of this book are what make it stand out in the crowd. This is not the type of book that gives you an insight into an addict’s life – it goes further than that. It shows the struggle, but it also shares hope for those who are in similar situations. The recovery process could be a harsh experience for most addicts, but it is totally worth it.
Chasing the High, by Michael G. Dash
This is definitely one of the most motivational books about addiction. It shows a successful entrepreneurs hassle with ongoing addiction. No matter how successful his career turned up, the addiction was waiting there to ruin his life out of nowhere. It is a real story that can motivate people, but also help them go through a harsh addiction.
To be successful, you must be bold. However, the need to achieve comes with multiple challenges and is also addictive. You end up feeling alone, by yourself only. You are trapped within tough emotions and it feels like a crazy roller coaster that will only go down. However, there is hope out there. Believe it or not, there is a way to get back on track in no time.
Michael Dash is a successful entrepreneur. He is also a recovering gambler and drug addict. At some point, he realized that these two issues would never work together. He was always chasing the high – whether in terms of money or euphoric feelings. He managed to find a winning approach and overcome obstacles associated with his hunger for success – a motivational lesson for everyone out there.
Comfortably Insane, by Neal Linares
Dozens of thousands of people die yearly because of alcohol-related issues. To many, it feels like controllable fun. Many others fail to realize when to stop, so the fun becomes a serious addiction – mothers, sons, sisters, employees, friends and so on. While people around addicts suffer a lot, the truth is that no one is in more pain – both physical and emotional – than alcoholic people themselves.
It may seem difficult, but if you struggle with an addiction, you know exactly what it feels like. This book is written from a personal point of view and brings in some of the challenges associated with alcoholism. It shares a personal experience and apart from helping readers feel like they can have a connection, it is also a valuable lesson to recovery.
The author has put together not less than 42 different lessons. There are 42 valuable tips and tricks that have helped him handle alcoholism. This is the first step in healing yourself – admitting that you have a problem. The book is about recognizing flaws and taking ownership of your life. It is also suitable for those who try to understand what addiction means.
Don’t Stop Dancing, by Eric Anderson
Eric Anderson was 21 and he had everything he wanted – great looks, athleticism, a great family and close friends. One event, one evening, one moment of inattention – this is what ruined him. He looked like he had a great future ahead, but a random disability kicked in and turned his life to 180 degrees. It felt like his whole life was over and depression inevitably kicked in as well.
Eric turned to everything that could make it even worse. He ended up partying in an excessive manner, but he also turned to alcohol and drugs. It took him a whole decade of hassle, emotions, sorrow and grief to realize that suicide was the only thing left to do. It felt like his life was over and he no longer had any hope. Until one day, when another random thing changed his life into better.
He got a link and he clicked on it. He saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It felt like someone got into his head, fixed his brain and changed his life around. He explains this experience in a heartbreaking and emotional book. He aims to help others understand what they go through and what an addiction truly means, but he also exposes the ways to fix these issues.
Dopesick, by Beth Macy
This is one of the best addiction recovery books if you want to go through a different approach. It comes from a journalist, so it has an analytical point of view. On the other hand, it also becomes a bit personal. It analyzes the problem associated with a national drama that has ruined communities for decades. It goes around from bit pharmaceutical companies to the average individual who struggles.
It all starts with a dealer who lands in a small town from Virginia and aims to turn everyone into a heroin addict. The story moves on to a grieving mother who fails to understand how her only son has been killed by a drug. The story underlines the idea of greed and need. Then, the reader gets to learn more about how painkillers have changed an overall perception in the USA – painkillers work for anything.
But at the same time, this culture also leads to death and addiction. The author shows that uniting regular people in understanding the effects of drugs is the only way to move forward. This is the only way to handle this national problem and get rid of a conscious epidemic. Drug abuse in healthcare is often overlooked, but it represents one of the most popular issues out there.
From Chains to Saved, by Adam Vibe Gunton
This is a collection of stories that make one of the most incredible books about addiction. The reader goes through all kinds of events that somehow are connected. You get to read about the Columbine High School shooting, angels, demons, pictures of politicians who feature Jesus in the background or people found dead – it sounds crazy and unusual, but it all makes sense.
The book is interesting and can be exciting at times. However, it is also inspiring. It makes no difference what side of the road you are on. You could be an addict trying to overcome abuse or perhaps you are a family member who tries to help a loved one. On the same note, this book is about finding God, as well as finding a bit of entertainment when you need a good read.
The goal of this book? Showing other addicts all over the world that anything is possible. The book was released on his sobriety anniversary. The author hopes to inspire others to see that addictions can be taken down with a bit of ambition. On the same note, this book raises awareness on certain issues associated with addictions.
High Achiever, by Tiffany Jenkins
Everyone was in shock when they found out that Tiffany Jenkins is trying to recover from an opiate addiction in a cold jail cell. She was a famous cheerleader just a few years ago. She was in a relationship with a deputy sheriff and believe it or not, their friends are the ones who had to actually arrest her and throw her in jail – the news shocked the entire community.
This memoir is raw and unfiltered. It will shock you at times because it feels extremely realistic. It tells Tiffany’s life as an addict – the feelings, emotions, struggle and the impossibility to get out. The book moves further on and tells about the 120 days she had to spend in a jail in Florida – the kind of experience where everyone around her despised what she had done to her boyfriend.
Furthermore, the book also tackles the road to recovery, becoming one of the best addiction recovery books. The honesty in this book is what makes the difference and how people can change will surprise you. It is the type of book that shows you how fast you can go down and how difficult it is to get back on your feet – the good news is it can be done though.
Highlight Real, by Emily Lynn Paulson
Emily Lynn Paulson has written one of the most inspiring books about addiction for women. This book is a gift to women from all over the world. It is not just a gift for women who face addictions, but all women. It is a fast read that will hook you in straight away. It boosts honesty and shows how an apparently beautiful life can turn into an actual nightmare that will lead to self-destruction.
This memoir will most likely become a classic in no time. Back in the day, the author was the head of her class and one of the popular girls in school – she was heading to success. Her life got even better when she was blessed with a husband and five gorgeous children. Then, social media kicked in and her life seemed perfect – the truth is it was perfect.
What most people did not know was the fact that they were seeking inspiration from the wrong role model. Her life seemed perfect, but it was hiding addiction, drama and a dysfunctional reality. Emily realized that her life and family were falling apart – she managed to wake up before it was too late. Her path to recovery is one of the most inspirational books you will ever read.
I Love You More, by Blake E. Cohen
When someone in your family falls ill with an addiction, you simply have no clue where to look for help. Be it a loved one, a parent or a child, you simply do not know where to turn for guidance. This is because society fails to educate people on problems like addiction. Moreover, the stigma associated with addictions usually keeps people away, so no one is willing to step in and help.
This is the type of book that handles emotion as an educational emotion. It is a different type of book on addiction and show how important this aspect is. The author has brought in three different stories. They are all fictional. Their completely different endings tend to make the difference and change one’s perception about addicts – at the same time, the book can help people find support for such issues.
I Love You More is not just fiction. The author himself struggled with an addiction and is on the way to a better life. The book shows different perspectives of this problem, as well as experiences associated with friends and family members. It will teach you what to do and it will motivate you, but it will also open your eyes towards the harsh reality.
In Pillness and in Health, by Henriette Ivanans
Henriette and Kevin made a nice couple. They moved to Los Angeles to follow their dream. But as their dreams get further and further, Henriette develops a passion for pills. She ends up needing a kidney transplant and worried that her husband may not understand the situation, her slight passion becomes a full grown addiction. It turns into a pharmaceutical affair that ends up threatening her life from all directions.
Things escalate when she has her first overdose. Kevin was shattered to pieces, but he loved his wife and decided to sacrifice himself for her. No matter what he is trying to do, it seems that nothing works for his wife. In the end, he believes that donating a kidney will save her life. At the same time, he hopes his kindness will heal his marriage and save his wife from destroying herself.
This book takes the reader into a love story that turns into a drama, only to become a successful story again. It is emotional, sad and devastating at times. It is radical and boosts pure honesty. On the same note, it shines new light in the darkness associated with addictions. An addiction can ruin one’s life in no time, but this book shows how love and ambition can turn everything around.
Conclusion
Bottom line, these are some of the best addiction recovery books out there. While there are plenty of books out there, some of them stand out in the crowd. These are the kind of books that anyone can learn from. Whether you struggle with an addiction yourself or you want to help someone, these books will work wonders in the long run. Again, they will not appeal to everyone, so find something suitable for your needs and it might change your life.