Considering Writing Addicts Handbook for Recovery

[emack321]

Working with addicts in a large East coast detox unit, I heard same story over and over again. There were life stories that made using drugs or alcohol seem like a perfectly reasonable means of escape. It became obvious why they were using addicts, what made them use, what they hoped to gain by using. They told me what made them come to detox and why they relapsed. They told me what worked for them and what made them stay clean. I talked to family members. What worked? What didn’t? Attending addiction conferences added some research information, but the heart of what I learned came from the addicts themselves and their families.
I used to write their stories on notepaper. I developed a little list of “gems” that could be applied to any of the addicts. I would use these gems as a learning tool to help the addicts learn about their illness and themselves. I’d write them over and over and hand them out on the unit. One fellow came back two years later to work on the unit and waved this dirty, faded paper in front of me and said, “This is what kept me clean!” I was asked to write them so often I am thinking of putting them in an E-book.
Does anyone think this would be helpful? It’s real life. None of the addicts wanted the lifestyle they were in. I would hope the information in this booklet might save someone from going down the same path or help their families better understand them.

[best]

Originally Posted by emack321

but the heart of what I learned came from the addicts themselves and their families.

This is why support groups work as well as they do.
Go to AA, NA, Nar Anon, Al Anon...
You will find people who know because they have been there.

Thank you for the work you do. A book may help some but nothing works as well as face to face sharing.
Still the book may help some so I would say it is worth the effort.

[wooforever]

I think the book would be really helpful. In my case my ex never told us why he did what he did. Anything to help us understand why or how to stay clean.