Book suggestions for son in rehab?
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Join Date: Nov 2012
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Book suggestions for son in rehab?
I posted a few weeks ago about discovering my son is addicted to Meth. He's in a 12 step, faith based program and seems to be doing well. He has a lot of downtime at the program and he loves to read.
He's only allowed to read books about faith or addiction. He has been reading "Fearless" and has enjoyed that but I would like to send him another book.
I am reading "Beautiful Boy" but don't think that's right for him so much. I know the son in "Beautiful Boy" wrote a book but the reviews were iffy on that one. A friend of mine mentioned "Methland" and I definitely plan to read that one, but I don't know if it's appropriate for my son.
Any suggestions on good books on addiction or faith for someone in his position?
He's only allowed to read books about faith or addiction. He has been reading "Fearless" and has enjoyed that but I would like to send him another book.
I am reading "Beautiful Boy" but don't think that's right for him so much. I know the son in "Beautiful Boy" wrote a book but the reviews were iffy on that one. A friend of mine mentioned "Methland" and I definitely plan to read that one, but I don't know if it's appropriate for my son.
Any suggestions on good books on addiction or faith for someone in his position?
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Hi still, When I was early in recovery novels, movies - any graphic war story about my drug of choice was a serious trigger for me. I would steer away from anything that talks about drug use. It's like being on a diet and then going out to dinner with friends at a restaurant that you love. You read a menu that has mouthwatering descriptions of all your favorite foods, but then you are expected to choose a glass of water and a salad with no dressing. Even if you know the rest of the food on the menu is horribly bad for you, you still want to eat it.
"Just for Today" meditations are a nice inspiring read.
"Just for Today" meditations are a nice inspiring read.
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Join Date: Nov 2012
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Originally Posted by hello-kitty 
Hi still, When I was early in recovery novels, movies - any graphic war story about my drug of choice was a serious trigger for me. I would steer away from anything that talks about drug use. It's like being on a diet and then going out to dinner with friends at a restaurant that you love. You read a menu that has mouthwatering descriptions of all your favorite foods, but then you are expected to choose a glass of water and a salad with no dressing. Even if you know the rest of the food on the menu is horribly bad for you, you still want to eat it.
"Just for Today" meditations are a nice inspiring read.
"Just for Today" meditations are a nice inspiring read.
I will check out that suggestion and The Shack, thank you!
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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My husband is a voracious reader. When son was in 30 day detox, he gave him Passages, . It is just a popular novel. However, son gave it away to someone who needed it worse. Yesterday, he got it back. It was sad. The person he gave the book to sent it back to him. My son was awaiting the arrival of that other person, and had told him that, if the book was returned, he would know the fellow changed his mind and checked out.
I'm sure it was hard to see that book again. He had felt so good when he had talked the guy out of leaving once before, and given him his book. I agree, don't give him a book related to the situation. The recovering person is getting plenty of that type info from the facility.
I'm sure it was hard to see that book again. He had felt so good when he had talked the guy out of leaving once before, and given him his book. I agree, don't give him a book related to the situation. The recovering person is getting plenty of that type info from the facility.
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Tweak and We All Fall Down are by Nic Sheff, son of the man who wrote Beautiful Boy.
I second The Shack, awesome book.
Methland I heard was good but I haven’t read it yet.
The Road, Cormac McCarthy should be able to sneak in under faith.
Down These Mean Streets, Piri Thomas, which he may have read depending on his age and where you live it is required reading in some high schools if it isn‘t banned. Addiction, racism…
Broken, William Cope Moyers, many loved it, but I read so many others that were better, but this I would think would be more acceptable and likely well know in the 12 step circuit.
And depending on your view … and the trigger thing
Junky, the basketball diaries, heroin diaries, this is gonna hurt, smack, go ask alice, trainspotting, scar tissue, fear and loathing in las vegas, requiem for a dream, high on arrival, a child called it, a clockwork orange, permanent midnight, on the road, running with scissors, dry…I could go on and on and on.
I second The Shack, awesome book.
Methland I heard was good but I haven’t read it yet.
The Road, Cormac McCarthy should be able to sneak in under faith.
Down These Mean Streets, Piri Thomas, which he may have read depending on his age and where you live it is required reading in some high schools if it isn‘t banned. Addiction, racism…
Broken, William Cope Moyers, many loved it, but I read so many others that were better, but this I would think would be more acceptable and likely well know in the 12 step circuit.
And depending on your view … and the trigger thing
Junky, the basketball diaries, heroin diaries, this is gonna hurt, smack, go ask alice, trainspotting, scar tissue, fear and loathing in las vegas, requiem for a dream, high on arrival, a child called it, a clockwork orange, permanent midnight, on the road, running with scissors, dry…I could go on and on and on.
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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Triple chocolate cake would call your name diet or not, come on you know it is true! lmao
Would a book be a good enough excuse to use? I don't do the trigger thing, read what you like, always, if you are triggered, then you have a point of reference to work on you.
Would a book be a good enough excuse to use? I don't do the trigger thing, read what you like, always, if you are triggered, then you have a point of reference to work on you.
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Would a book be a good enough excuse to use?
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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I already knew the answer 
If one wants to use they will use, they won‘t need an excuse, might use lots of things as one but you know as I do that it is ********. You just want to use, you most likely already did before whatever triggered you, you just were looking for something in your head to justify it…or at least that is what I learned about myself.
But in the end life itself is a trigger, and you gotta learn your own from the get go, this child needs to learn his, keeping things away from him or any addict isn’t healthy. Shifting situation, making things safe, or deciding what is good or bad for him to keep him free of triggers won’t help him. The sooner he learns the better equipped he will be and set his own safety nets as he should. I tend to be real big on not taking the learning away.
If one wants to use they will use, they won‘t need an excuse, might use lots of things as one but you know as I do that it is ********. You just want to use, you most likely already did before whatever triggered you, you just were looking for something in your head to justify it…or at least that is what I learned about myself.
But in the end life itself is a trigger, and you gotta learn your own from the get go, this child needs to learn his, keeping things away from him or any addict isn’t healthy. Shifting situation, making things safe, or deciding what is good or bad for him to keep him free of triggers won’t help him. The sooner he learns the better equipped he will be and set his own safety nets as he should. I tend to be real big on not taking the learning away.
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Originally Posted by cynical one
IMO giving an addict a book about addiction is like giving someone on a diet a cookbook. That triple layer chocolate cake would be calling my name.
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The Glass Castle, Same Kind of Different as Me, and The Long Walk: True Story of A Trek To Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz
The last one I highly recommend. It is a true story of perseverance, but has nothing to do with addiction. It is well written and will show your son that people are capable of overcoming the impossible.
Best of luck to your son.
The last one I highly recommend. It is a true story of perseverance, but has nothing to do with addiction. It is well written and will show your son that people are capable of overcoming the impossible.
Best of luck to your son.
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