Five Essential Books on Addiction and Recovery

Addicts need a lot of personal and professional support to help them get through a difficult recovery. Books are considered as an important source of information, but they can also be motivational source for addicts, where they can be made more aware of their situation. Reading can be quite helpful in helping addicts during recovery, especially when it comes to substance abuse, PTSD, and mental disorders.

If you’re currently helping a loved one get through the recovery phase, Asana Recovery’s Blog can help you choose some of the most recommended recovery books. Coping with addiction is not easy, and therefore, inspiring novels can be effective in empowering addicts to overcome their problems and lead a happier and healthier life.

1. 1. Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget

Blackout by Sarah Hepola is an intriguing memoir that seems to be a very close and personal recollection of the author’s life. As a free and ambitious feminist, the book revolves around her life experiences and mistakes, for which she eventually starts paying a price after suffering from progressive alcoholism. Blackout is a driven and motivating account of Sarah’s life as she tries to infuse humor with realistic experiences, making the book an interesting read.

2. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate gives deeper and unexplored insights into the life of an addict. The author emphasizes that while not all addictions can be traced to past traumatic experiences, the science of addiction has a close relationship with the past life and experiences of an addict. Depending on his years of experience as a doctor helping addicts recover from substance abuse, Mate gives an emphatic account of how psychology is intertwined with the neurology, causing addiction.

3. Drink

Drink by Ann Dowsett Johsnton is more reflective than informative, which traces her story as a young woman who suffered from alcoholism. The story is closely based on the author’s life, and her experiences take the reader on a journey that questions the realms of our society. By speaking of her experiences, Johnson also speaks for many women suffering from alcohol addiction and also traces the reasons for why this happens and how things could be changed in the near future. Drink is an effective and empowering read that gives a better understanding of alcohol addiction and recovery in women and draws a line between what’s morally acceptable and incomprehensible in our society.

4. Awakening the Brain

Neuropsychologist Charlotte A. Tomaino connects psychology, neuroscience, and spiritualism in Awakening the Brain. This book is a slightly different read from the rest, which makes it one of the most effective and distinct reads for someone either going through recovery or somebody trying to understand and help an addict recover. With thoughtful explanations about the sciences of the body and mind, the books also provide powerful techniques that can help rewires the psychology of the brain, helping addicts to reform lives through effective recovery processes.

5. Rewired: A Bold New Approach to Addiction and Recovery

Rewired by Erica Spiegelman is another inspirational read for addicts on coming out clean by understanding the root physical and psychological causes of substance abuse. This book provides a holistic approach to recovery, from highlighting personal experiences of substance abuse to tracing the process of recovery. Rewired is an extremely helpful book that focuses on connecting the mind, body, and soul in order to make recovery easier and effective for addicts.