20 Best Books About Addiction And Recovery (2023 Update)

Bestselling author and renowned buddhist teacher noah levine adapts the buddha's four noble truths and eight fold path into a proven and systematic approach to recovery from alcohol and drug addiction—an indispensable alternative to the 12-step program.while many desperately need the help of the 12-step recovery program, the traditional aa model's focus on an external higher power can alienate people who don't connect with its religious tenets. refuge recovery is a systematic method based on buddhist principles, which integrates scientific, non-theistic, and psychological insight. viewing addiction as cravings in the mind and body, levine shows how a path of meditative awareness can alleviate those desires and ease suffering. refuge recovery includes daily meditation practices, written investigations that explore the causes and conditions of our addictions, and advice and inspiration for finding or creating a community to help you heal and awaken.practical yet compassionate, levine's successful refuge recovery system is designed for anyone interested in a non-theistic approach to recovery and requires no previous experience or knowledge of buddhism or meditation.

Hope and healing for childrenhurt by addiction in the family 'i have spent my adult life in the company of children who have been my teachers. they arrive carrying secrets, confusion, and pain. but almost all find their voice. these children can and do heal.' understanding addiction and recovery through a child's eyes shares the poignant and profound healing journeys of children who have found their voice and reclaimed their sense of self-worth. each story reminds us that children have a unique way of viewing the world and shows how, with help, they can build upon strengths and deepen their resilience in spite of living in the shadow of addiction. in addition to the life-affirming stories, esteemed children's counselor jerry moe reveals how the healing process transcends the children and has a dramatic impact on the entire family system–especially their parents, giving them a new, deeper commitment to break the multigenerational legacy of addiction.

Addiction and trauma are two of the most common and difficult issues that people face. in this motivating book, leading expert lisa najavits explains the link between addiction and trauma and presents science-based self-help strategies that you can use no matter where you are in your recovery. every chapter features inspiring words from people who have "been there," plus carefully designed reflection questions, exercises, and other practical tools. learn how you can: *build coping skills so that the future is better than the past. *keep yourself safe and find support. *set your own goals and make a plan to achieve them at your own pace. *choose compassion over self-blame and shame. *move toward your best self–the person you want to be. if you are a family member or friend seeking to support a loved one–or a helping professional–this book is also for you. now in a convenient large-size format, the revised edition features added materials for professional and peer counselors. mental health professionals, see also the author's seeking safety: a treatment manual for ptsd and substance abuse, which presents an evidence-based treatment approach developed specifically for ptsd and substance abuse.

Historically there have been few options available for individuals seeking help for treatment-resistant loved ones suffering from substance abuse. coauthor dr. robert meyers spent ten years developing a treatment program that helps concerned significant others (csos) both improve the quality of their lives and to learn how to make treatment an attractive option for their partners who are substance abusers. get your loved one sober describes this multi-faceted program that uses supportive, non-confrontational methods to engage substance abusers into treatment. called community reinforcement and family training (craft), the program uses scientifically validated behavioral principles to reduce the loved one's substance use and to encourage him or her to seek treatment. equally important, craft also helps loved ones reduce personal stress and introduce meaningful, new sources of satisfaction into their life. key features craft is more effective than other types of interventions. this breakthrough new system is sweeping the recovery field. this is its first introduction to the general public. contains simple exercises readers can practice at their own pace, with no costly or heart-breaking interventions. proven successful for numerous addictions, not just alcoholism. meyers, ph.d., is an associate professor of psychology at the university of new mexico. he is also the associate director of the clinical research branch of the center on alcoholism substance abuse and addictions (casaa). casaa is internationally known for its excellence in substance abuse research and treatment development. dr. meyers has worked in the substance abuse field for over 27 years and has published several books and dozens of articles. wolfe, ph.d., is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress. in addition to her busy private practice, dr. wolfe is involved in research collaborations at the university of new mexico, serves as a corporate consultant for the development of psychologically based services, and is active in various professional organizations. her books and articles have appeared in both the popular and professional press.

“a classic. read it. use it. it can help guide you step by step into the bright light of the world of recovery.” —from the foreword by harry haroutunian, m.d., physician director, betty ford center “the recovery book is the bible of recovery. everything you need to know you will find in here.” —neil scott, host, recovery coast to coast radio hope, support, and a clear road map for people with drug or alcohol addiction. the recovery book provides a direct and easy-to-follow road map to every step in the recovery process, from the momentous decision to quit to the emotional, physical, and spiritual issues that arise along the way. its comprehensive and effective advice speaks to people with addiction, their loved ones, and addiction professionals who need a proven, trusted resource and a supportive voice. the new edition of the recovery book features the revolutionary recovery zone system, which divides a life in recovery into three chronological zones and provides guidance on exactly what to do in each zone. first is the red zone, where the reader is encouraged to stop everything, activate their recovery and save their life. next is the yellow zone, where the reader can begin to rebuild a life that was torn apart by addiction. finally, the reader reaches the green zone, where he can enjoy a life a recovery and help others. readers also learn how to use the recovery zone re – check, a simple, yet very effective relapse prevention tool. the recovery zone system works hand-in-hand with the 12-step philosophy and all other recovery methods. in addition, the recovery book covers new knowledge about addiction mechanisms and neuroplasticity, explaining how alcohol and drugs alter the brain. the authors outline a simple daily practice, called tamers, that helps people to use those same processes to “remold their brains” around recovery, eventually making sobriety a routine way of life. in 26 chapters and over 600 pages, the recovery book tackles issues such as:committing to recovery: identifying and accepting the problem; deciding to get sober. – treatment options: extensive information on all current options, and how to choose a program. – aa and other 12-step fellowships: how to get involved in a mutual-support group and what it can do for you. – addiction science and neuroplasticity: how alcohol and drugs alter pathways in the brain, and how to use the same processes to remold the brain around recovery. – relapse prevention: the recovery zone re – check, a simple new technique to anticipate and avoid relapses. – rebuilding your life: how to handle relationships, socializing, work, education, and finances. – physical and mental health: tips for getting healthy; how to handle common ailments. pain control: how to deal with pain in recovery; how to avoid a relapse if you need pain control for surgery or emergency care. – family and friends: how you can help a loved one with addiction, and how you can help yourself. – raising substance-free kids: how to “addiction-proof” your child. the epidemic of prescription drugs: now a bigger problem than illegal drugs. – dr. mooney has been helping alcoholics and addicts get their lives back for more than thirty years, using both his professional and personal experiences at his family’s treatment center, willingway, and most recently through his work as medical director for the healing place of wake county (nc), a homeless shelter.

Close-quarters and high-stress family life during the coronavirus pandemic may have you worried about a loved one's use or addictions, and what you can do to help. this book offers wisdom and insight from families who have walked this road.with over 75,000 copies sold, addict in the family is a must-have, trusted resource for anyone coping with the addiction of a family member. “when my eldest son became addicted to crystal meth and heroin, i could barely function. i would not have survived without beverly conyers’s addict in the family, which provided guidance and hope. i realized i wasn’t alone on my hellish journey. the book helped me get through interminable nights when i was terrified that his addiction would take his life. it offered a path to healing.” –david sheff, author of beautiful boy, now a major motion picture with years of experience struggling with her daughter’s addiction and recovery, beverly conyers has been where you are. in addict in the family, conyers draws on research, experience, and compelling personal stories from others to explain what families should know about substance abuse, interventions, relapse, and more. although families can’t cure a loved one’s addiction, they can provide support without enabling, set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and find healing through therapy, spirituality, al anon or nar anon, and countless other resources that show no one is alone on this journey. revised and updated in 2015, this classic recovery book is for anyone who has experienced the shame, anxiety, sleepless nights, and physical illness that often stem from loving someone who is struggling with addiction. these stories show that, no matter what is happening with your loved one, you have the power to control your own recovery.

Prevent relapse with practical coping skills for everyday life from the addiction recovery workbook. – preventing relapse in daily life is where the work of a successful recovery starts. the addiction recovery workbook equips you with actionable strategies and coping skills to prevent relapse and succeed in recovery when faced with day-to-day challenges, stressors, and triggers. – from navigating intimate relationships to handling high-risk situations and environments, this addiction workbook offers practical tools and hands-on exercises that you can use in your home, work, and personal life. once equipped with these skills, you'll establish new routines and rituals that do not involve substance abuse, and redefine your personal identity by connecting to what matters most to you. – designed for you to use on your own, or alongside a 12-step program, the addiction recovery workbook gives you the skills you need for successful recovery with: an essential introduction that helps you understand your addiction and outlines the path to recovery. – coping skills to handle thoughts, emotions, relationships, and high-risk situations and environments. – prevention tactics that help you succeed in lifelong recovery by setting new, addiction-free lifestyle habits and routines. – on your recovery journey ahead, there may be obstacles. armed with the skills and strategies in the addiction recovery workbook, you will overcome every single one you face.

As a parent of three sober alcoholic daughters and becoming an addiction psychotherapist with a master of science in substance abuse, as well as working with hundreds of parents with stories similar to her own, mary was able to utilize her knowledge and experience to aid parents in their own recovery, avoiding the pitfalls of enabling and codependency. no one can truly understand the grief and despair that comes with having an addicted child but for another parent that has ridden the same roller coaster of emotions. this book can help parents/family with their own pain and sorrow caused by having an addicted loved one. she feels god has been preparing her for this task her whole life. it's her mission to help as many parents as she can by sharing common behaviors, attitudes, and emotions that come with having an addicted child, letting them know they are not alone. by reading her book, parents/family will realize there is "hope in hell." parents/family can find out where they are in the grieving process, gaining insight for moving through their grief, ultimately finding hope, joy, peace, serenity, and the vitality for living life. added note: there are 23.5 million adults in the united states that are addicted to alcohol/drugs, including subscription pills. this means every 1 out 10 adults in the united states are addicted to alcohol/drugs. for every one addicted person, there are 9 people that are negatively impacted by this disease. addiction has a negative impact on approximately 211 million people living in the united states.

A groundbreaking self-help method for daily recovery, written by a former addict – if you're tired of relapses and need fundamental help with recovery or just looking for deep inspiring content, this addiction recovery workbook is written for you. a revolutionary step-by-step self-help method to use in the comfort of your own home. different than most other addiction recovery books, it's written by a former addict: the acclaimed self-help author c.w. v. straaten. he shares his inspiring story now, to give you the fundamental & eye-opening recovery steps in a realistic and practical workbook. how this addiction recovery workbook can help you it focuses on: how to instantly quit or control your addictive behavior and to find peace & clarity in a cooling-off period – how to understand your addiction with provoking thoughts and self-talk – how to become aware of your addictive feelings without actually giving in to the craving – how to feel secure and self-confident enough to deal with life problems and how to create a meaningful life beyond your addiction – included is a 90-day guided self-help journal with unique, transformational & empowering questions to improve the daily recovery process. – you are not put on this earth only to fight addiction. purchase your own copy of the addiction recovery workbook now, and start working on a new future today.

Concise advice on hunting down the personal culprits that sabotage sobriety and personal happiness.in simple, down-to-earth language, dr. allen berger introduces us to twelve of the most common assumptions and attitudes that can sabotage recovery—and gives us the tools to overcome these challenges. although there are many ways to mess up recovery, dr. berger identifies critically important and widespread patterns of thought and behavior.

In this newly modernized repackaged paperback, earnie larsen outlines the stage ii recovery process that he pioneered – this process begins where abstinence from an addiction begins and deals with the rebuilding of one'slife.

Understand addiction and recover at your own pace – addiction is different for everyone, and reflecting on your own experience can help you learn which recovery tools work best for you. this journal shows you how with questions, writing prompts, and simple practices for building a healthier mindset and a lifestyle that protects you against relapse. – reflect and grow–learn more about how addiction works, proven methods for navigating high-risk situations, and how to seek supportive relationships that help you succeed. – for every step of the way–find comfort and wisdom whether this is your first step toward recovery or a new chapter in an ongoing journey. – find even more support–use this journal on its own or alongside its companion, the addiction recovery workbook: powerful skills for preventing relapse every day. – find proven ways to grow stronger as you heal with the addiction recovery journal.

If you feel bad, you feel like you're losing hope, like you can't resist the urge, it's okay! this sobriety and addiction recovery journal coloring book is designed to be a thoughtful and relaxing daily guide for you to help recovering from alcohol, drugs and any addictions.this book gives you access to day-to-day progress as well as do more in depth journaling and reflection with the daily guided questions and space to fill by recording the date, how you feel, a positive affirmation, goal for the day, morning gratitude, mood, if you stayed sober or not, if yes what contributed to it and if no what truggered the setback.. you'll also get 20 unique quote and some swear word with floral mandala style coloring pages (single sided to help avoid bleed through) to help relieve stress and be creative.60 day healthy habits trackerdaily personal inventory20 unique coloring pages (single sided to prevent bleed through) with inspirational addiction recovery quotes116 pages, large sized 8.5"x11"powerful, sweary mantras to help you cope and stay strongan amazing gift for people who struggle with addiction

For years, jay lind lived between the lines of society's moral and legal boundaries. but his smooth, privileged life was interrupted when his dad died and his drug addiction snowballed out of control. between the lines is the moving saga of jay's descent into addiction, his darkest choices, and his struggles in recovery, as told through short vignettes about the many people who touched his life at some of the most critical times. jay gained perspective and strength through the guiding words of his father, the unexpected strength of his brother's love, the heartfelt wisdom of his therapist, and the resilience of the addicts he met along the way. but he also learned from people he never thought he would know: a polygraph administrator, a humble celebrity, a veteran with ptsd, and the assistant state's attorney in charge of prosecuting him. if you've ever wondered whether the small interactions of our everyday lives truly matter or whether a few kind words can really make a difference, between the lines reminds us that they do-and they can.

An empowering account of a lost daughter's fight for her identity and sobriety-and her mission to help others. the only child of a doting ethiopian father and a strong-willed african american mother, fawna asfaw felt her life shatter when she lost both her parents to illness. as grief pulled her into a downward spiral of addiction and shame, fawna had to learn to harness her power and rebuild her life with a new perspective that changed everything. in this emotional memoir, fawna recounts feeling paralyzed by the monumental task of advocating for her parents' medical needs and eventual hospice care. after their heartbreaking premature deaths, she buckled under the realization that she had no idea how to live without them. unable to process her loss and overcome by grief, she collapsed into alcohol-induced psychosis and despair-until a catastrophic seizure landed her in a remote treatment center without a penny left to her name. that's when the backbreaking work of her personal redemption began. now a powerhouse in the recovery industry, fawna asfaw shares how she accomplished a courageous evaluation of self and ultimately sacrificed everything to build a sober life on her own terms. having witnessed firsthand the lack of recovery services readily available to women of color, fawna is devoted to leveling the playing field. the opposite of addiction is not recovery-it's connection, and fawna aims to help everyone fight for their own best selves.

As long as you're operating out of what you've been told addiction is -and all the myths and lies that go along with that- you will never be able to choose beyond it. if you are willing to consider a radically different approach to addiction, this book is for you. right recovery for you does not offer a system that you fit yourself into. it does not tell you what to do or give you answers about your life. what it offers are tools, techniques, information, and processes you can use to clear your issues with addiction and create a life beyond any addictive or compulsive behavior.this is your choice. it may seem a little scary at first, yet with courage and determination, you can move beyond the addictive behavior you thought would own you for the rest of your life.

As long as you're operating out of what you've been told addiction is -and all the myths and lies that go along with that- you will never be able to choose beyond it. if you are willing to consider a radically different approach to addiction, this book is for you. right recovery for you does not offer a system that you fit yourself into. it does not tell you what to do or give you answers about your life. what it offers are tools, techniques, information, and processes you can use to clear your issues with addiction and create a life beyond any addictive or compulsive behavior.this is your choice. it may seem a little scary at first, yet with courage and determination, you can move beyond the addictive behavior you thought would own you for the rest of your life.

This easy to read book will give you the hope and inspiration you need as you begin the process of recovery from addiction. as you take this journey from hell to recovery with george, you will discover insights that will motivate and encourage you to seek the road to recovery. there is no complex scientific data here, just straightforward information that will give you the best chance for recovery. the importance of the 12-step programs already in existence (which are based on biblical principles) are also discussed, but the author adds a spiritual dimension to recovery by emphasizing the miraculous power and love available through jesus christ. you can get a jump-start on recovery by reflecting on the author's journey, becoming aware of the 12-step programs, and contemplating the faith that inspired the song "amazing grace." even though the author felt hopeless at times and thought about giving up, deep down he knew that god was working in his life and saving him for a reason. that reason is revealed in this book as he encourages you to believe that life can be a wonderful experience. you'll laugh and cry as you take this journey with george snodgrass. you have nothing to lose and your life to gain.

Shortlisted for the 2022 sports book awards'brave … visceral … a brilliant, brilliant read … i would recommend this book to everyone.' nihal arthanayake, bbc radio 5 live 'so honest … everybody should read hooked to understand what anybody in this situation has been through.' susanna reid, good morning britain 'a fantastic book … a remarkable read.' richard madeley, good morning britain 'brave, poignant and very moving. this book will change lives.' jamie redknapp'a courageous, emotional and vitally important book.' jeff stelling paul merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction for three decades. for twenty-one years paul merson played professional football. he won two first division titles with arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation. but for thirty years paul merson has also been an addict. alcohol, drugs, gambling: a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. 'i've come to realise that i'm powerless over alcohol … i'm an alcoholic. my drinking and gambling have left a lot of wreckage.' until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. 'i wanted to kill myself. i couldn't go on anymore. i just couldn't see a way out.' then something clicked. 'one day, i was walking home from the pub late on a sunday evening, and i thought to myself: i've had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life. i rang up alcoholics anonymous the next day, and since then i haven't had a drink.' hooked is merson's wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction, searingly charting his journey over three decades. it is absolutely unflinching in detailing his emotional and psychological troughs and in raking over the painful embers of an adult life blighted by such debilitating issues. hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak. 'addiction is the loneliest of places. you're a slave to insecurity and ego. but it has to be you that wants things to change. never be afraid to talk: the more you talk about the addictions the more it takes the power out of them. you're never alone.'

For decades you've been told that addiction is an irreversible disease, a biological force over which you have no control. that defeatist message not only is without scientific foundation, but actually prevents your overcoming addiction. now, world-renowned addiction expert stanton peele demystifies addiction and offers a groundbreaking program that puts at your disposal what does work in treatment and recovery. for four decades, dr. peele has challenged our understanding of addiction and recovery. in recover! dr. peele's perfect program takes you through the key concepts of mindfulness–that is, your ability to detach from your addictive experience and to see that it is not who you are–combined with the buddhist idea of loving kindness, or self-acceptance. it's an easily grasped, yet multifaceted program that allows your true self to overcome your addictive urges. instead of focusing on what's wrong with you, the perfect program will help you discover, embrace, and build your recovery on what's already right about you. combining the best evidence-based treatments with the mindful use of meditation, recover! presents a life-transforming philosophy for freeing yourself from addiction forever.