5 Addiction Memoirs Written by Women

Dresner battles through sex addiction and starting over in her 40s after she went as low as she could imagine. But she ultimately forges a path ahead to find a new life worth living. This book will resonate with those who’ve had a tough time at rock bottom. Allen’s powerful, uplifting tale was first published in 1978, and while the slang may belong to another era, the message is timeless. The road to recovery is different for everyone, but with a little courage and faith , it’s possible for many of us to walk it. Maybe you’ve been leaning on alcohol too much to try to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Hart takes many preconceived notions about drugs and the U.S drug war and turns them on their head, analyzing them through scientific and then social lenses. Are currently struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, you are not alone. Senate for 18 years and was the 1972 Democratic candidate for president. Rarely has a public figure addressed such difficult, intimate issues with such courage and bravery. In a moving, passionate memoir, former Senator George McGovern recalls the events leading up to his daughter Terry’s death as a result of alcoholism. Her beloved habit of over-drinking and staying until bars closed, however, meant that her nights and the following mornings were also all about her regular blackouts. The Recovering takes a deep dive into the history of the recovery movement while also examining how race and class impact our understanding of who is a criminal and who is simply ill. She ultimately identifies how we all crave love and how that loneliness can shape who we are, addicted and not.

Drinking: A Love Story — Caroline Knapp

Extremely timely as more and more children are being raised by grandparents due to their parent’s addiction. Krosoczka is a well-known children’s illustrator and author who didn’t realize till later in life that his mother is an addict. Growing up, he Sober House was raised by his grandparents after she can no longer care for his basic needs due to being in and out of rehab and his father is out of the picture. A relationship is, among other things, a shared story – or sometimes, a mutually held delusion.

This was the first book I read on this subject, and I instantly could relate to her feelings. She made a huge impact on me and is someone I will always be grateful to. This is a raw memoir that makes you feel like you’re there with the writer, through all her shame, all her hiding, and all her self-accusations of being a terrible mother because of her drinking. Her struggle is beautifully portrayed, and you also get to emerge with her on the other side once she regains her sobriety once more. Prolific, brilliant memoirist Mary Karr shines a light on the dark years she spent descending into alcoholism and drug use as a young writer, wife, and mother. 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.

Getting Clean

She brilliantly weaves psychological, neurological, cultural, social and industry factors with her own journey. Without scare tactics, pain, or rules, she offers a strategy to give you freedom from alcohol. By addressing causes rather than symptoms, it is framed as a permanent solution rather than lifetime struggle. It removes the psychological dependence; allowing you to easily drink less . Sarah’s writing is sharp and relatable; a more recent, modern voice in the recovery space. So many of us look at “blacking out” as benign, or normal—an indicator of a “successful” night of drinking.

• The cost of survival … Oprah Winfrey as Sethe in the 1998 film version of Beloved.
• Readers looking for sobriety books geared towards women will appreciate Caroline’s honest account.
• That’s what you will get with Leslie Jamison’s The Recovering.

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. I love her perspective on drinking as an act of counter-feminism—that in reality it actually dismantles our power, our pride, and our dignity as women, though we intended the opposite. I followed the AA steps, got a wonderful sponsor and have followed that path ever since. Each of these memoirs offers the author’s unique perspective on not only their addiction but also their recovery. For women who are new to recovery, it can help to read these published memoirs from accomplished women who have been through the depths of addiction, pulled themselves out and gone on to achieve amazing things. Harris Wittels didn’t fit the stereotype of what a junkie looks like. He was a successful comedian, actor, producer, and writer for Sarah Silverman and on shows like Parks and Recreation and Master of None. Even with all his talent and jobs coming his way, he was not able to get clean and stay clean, eventually dying from an overdose in 2015 at age 29. Everything is Horrible and Wonderful is written by Harris’s sister, Stephanie, about his tragic death and the aftermath of losing her younger brother who was her best friend and also an addict. They call into question the beliefs we’ve been raised with, and stereotypes of addiction.

Girl Walks Out of a Bar: A Memoir

“To all of you fortunate enough to celebrate the holidays at Wayside, I hope you find peace and happiness. Recover from addiction at home with medication and online therapy––from the leader in virtual addiction care. Eric Clapton is a world renowned singer, songwriter, rock and blues guitarist, member of the Yardbirds and Cream. The cost of survival … Oprah Winfrey as Sethe in the 1998 film version of Beloved.

Her accounts of her years of drinking, parenthood, marriage and eventual recovery are heartbreaking, hilarious and delivered in her unique fashion. Memoirs give a unique insight into a person’s life, their experiences and how they view the world. Reading the memoirs of celebrities, politicians and artists that we love and admire can help us get to know them better or gain insight into their art or where they come from. A memoir of unblinking best memoirs about addiction honesty and poignant, laugh-out-loud humor,Blackoutis the story of a woman stumbling into a new kind of adventure — the sober life she never wanted. Many famous musicians struggled with various addictions, but many were also able to recover and went on to produce a lot of great music instead of falling victim to the stereotype. Their stories serve to provide strength and inspiration to others on a path of healing and health.

She does not recover in any straightforward way from worry, obsession, or attempts to control her brother or – obviously – the narrative, but she makes her way towards a kind of serenity. This is one of the first books I read when I realized that I had a serious problem with drinking. Not only did it help me better understand my addiction from a genetic, scientific point-of-view, it also helped me diagnose myself as an alcoholic. Written for the lay-reader, it’s short, packed with hard facts and eye-opening studies about alcoholism. And it’s also inspiring when it comes to recovery and treatment. I’ve recommended it dozens of times to people who’ve asked me where they could find out more about alcoholism, if not for themselves, then for those they love who have a serious drinking problem. While this listen might appear to be autobiographical, it’s actually a work of fiction that’s meant to be experienced as if it were a memoir. And the portrait of heroin addiction it depicts is a painful reality for many people. Memoirs Aren’t Fairytales tells the story of Nicole, a 19-year-old girl who leaves college life in Maine behind to start over in Boston with her best friend, Eric. Nicole and Eric think they are running away to freedom, but what they discover instead are the shackles of heroin addiction.

She often wondered if she was an alcoholic but was afraid of the answer. This vulnerable, sobering book is a deep look into gangs and guns, near-death experiences, sex work, masculinity, composite fathers, the concept of “hustle,” and the destructure power of addiction. It is all told through the eyes of Jackson, his family, and his community. Eventually, she runs through a series of nine-to-five jobs, but ultimately, she ends up living behind a dumpster as she descends into crack cocaine use. In this gripping memoir, she turns it all around with the help of a family of eccentric fellow substance users, friends, and strangers who come to her aid. This gripping tale is about the resilience of spirit combined with the worst of modern urban life. Cupcake survives thanks to a furious wit and an unyielding determination. In an era of opioid addiction, wellness obsession and internet oversharing, stories of substance abuse are back. 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. This is one of the first books I read about addiction ever, before I realized I had a problem.

Her beloved habit of overdrinking and staying until bars closed, however, meant that her nights and the following mornings were also all about her regular blackouts. Takes a deep dive into the history of the recovery movement while also examining how race and class impact our understanding of who is a criminal and who is simply ill. Hoping to make her best memoirs about addiction dreams a reality, Michelle Tea recounts her awkward attempts to gain literary fame as she smokes, drinks, and snorts her way through San Francisco. She begins to slowly grow into a healthy, reasonable, self-aware, and stable adult. Her passionate writing shines as she tells of her often difficult relationship with money, her relationships, and more.

There’s still a huge amount of stigma around being a black woman in recovery, which makes Chaney Allen’s voice crucial in the recovery sphere. In fact, she was reportedly the first African American woman to publish an autobiography about the impact of discrimination in recovery and the various hurdles black people have to overcome when they get sober. The best audiobooks on happiness mine learnings from science, philosophy, and psychology to point the way toward a more joyful, carefree life. Laura founded The Luckiest Club in 2020 and it’s now home to thousands of members worldwide.