60+ Books About Addiction and Recovery

60+ Books About Addiction and Recovery

• Mandy Sandhu
• 13 Dec 2021

Substance abuse is a silent epidemic that’s affecting countless people worldwide. The more we know about this complex condition, the more empowered we become to steer clear of personal addiction triggers—or give loved ones whatever they need to power through the journey towards lifelong sobriety. 

Reading books about addiction recovery and memoirs of prominent personalities who share their struggles (which you may identify with) can be significantly beneficial for maintaining emotional sobriety and relapse prevention.

This article shares a comprehensive list of addiction recovery books worth checking out. Let’s delve right in.

Eye-opening, Non-fiction Books About Addiction as an Epidemic

1. 1. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction by Gabor Maté
   2. Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones
   3. High Price: A Neuroscientist’s Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society by Carl Hart
   4. Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction by Maia Szalavitz
   5. Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari
   6. American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis – and How to End It by Ryan Hampton
   7. American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts by Chris McGreal 
   8. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy 
   9. Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka 
   10. Clean: Overcoming Addiction And Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy By David Sheff
   11. Healing the Shame that Binds You by John Bradshaw
   12. Willpower Is Not Enough: Understanding and Overcoming Addiction and Compulsion by Arnold Washton 
   13. Sex, Drugs, Gambling, and Chocolate: A Workbook for Overcoming Addictions by A. Thomas Horvath Ph.D. FAClinP
   14. The Addictive Personality: Understanding the Addictive Process and Compulsive Behavior by Craig Nakken
   15. The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors by Lance M. Dodes, M.D.
   16. Addicted: Notes from the Belly of the Beast by Lorna Crozier
   17. Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception by Abraham Twerski

For Families With Loved Ones Struggling With Addiction

1. 1. Beyond Addiction: How Science And Kindness Help People Change (A Guide For Families) by Jeffrey Foote, Carrie Wilkens, Nicole Kosanke, And Stephanie Higgs
   2. Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction by David Sheff
   3. Addict In The Family: Stories of Loss, Hope, and Recovery by Beverly Conyers
   4. It Will Never Happen to Me: Growing Up with Addiction As Youngsters, Adolescents, Adults by Claudia Black Ph.D.
   5. Terry: My Daughter’s Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism by George McGovern
   6. Smacked: A Story of White-Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy by Eilene Zimmerman
   7. Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie

Memoirs by Famous People and Their Battle With Substance Abuse

1. 1. Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton
   2. The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Six
   3. The Autobiography of Gucci Mane by Gucci Mane and Neil Martinez-Belkin
   4. Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions by Russel Brand
   5. The Hard Stuff: Dope, Crime, the MC5, and My Life of Impossibilities by Wayne Kramer
   6. Hit So Hard: A Memoir by Patty Schemel
   7. Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis and Larry Sloman
   8. Slash by Slash of Guns and Roses
   9. Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol by Steve Jones
   10. Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss by Stephanie Wittels Wachs 
   11. A Very Fine House: A Mother’s Story Of Love, Faith, And Crystal Meth By Barbara Cofer Stoefen
   12. High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict’s Double Life by Tiffany Jenkins
   13. More, Now, Again: A Memoir of Addiction by Elizabeth Wurzel
   14. Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster by Kristen Johnson
   15. How to Murder Your Life: A Memoir by Cat Marnell
   16. Unwifeable: A Memoir by Mandy Stadtmiller 
   17. Dry by Augusten Burroughs
   18. Girl Walks Out of a Bar: A Memoir by Lisa Smith
   19. Spirit Junkie: A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles by Gabrielle Bernstein
   20. BACK ON TRACKmarks: From Hopeless to Dopeless by Matt Peterson
   21. Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man and 90 Days by Bill Clegg
   22. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
   23. Between Breaths: A Memoir Of Panic & Addiction by Elizabeth Vargas
   24. Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs & Lived To Tell My Story by Brian Head

Enlightening Books About Alcohol Disorder

1. 1. Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
   2. Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
   3. Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol by Ann Dowsett Johnson
   4. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous by Bill W. 
   5. Living Sober by Alcoholics Anonymous
   6. The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure: A Holistic Approach to Total Recovery by Chris Prentiss
   7. Drunk Mom: A Memoir by Jowita Bydlowska
   8. A Happier Hour by Rebecca Weller
   9. Letting Go Of The Thief: A Ninety Day Journey Inside The Thoughts Of An Alcoholic by Pamela D. Pesta
   10. Alcohol Lied To Me: The Intelligent Way To Escape Alcohol Addiction by Craig Beck

Books About Sobriety

1. 1. The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober: Discovering A Happy, Healthy, Wealthy Alcohol-Free Life by Catherine Gray
   2. The Staying Sober Workbook: A Serious Solution for the Problem of Relapse by Terrence Gorski
   3. Being Sober: A Step-By-Step Guide To, Getting Through, and Living In Recovery by Harry Haroutounian
   4. Recovery From Trauma, Addiction Or Both: Strategies For Finding Your Best Self by Liza Najavitz

Supplement Books About Addiction Recovery with Continuing Care

Gaining in-depth knowledge by immersing yourself in these books can indeed be incredibly empowering. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to emphasize that reading books about addiction recovery should be supplemental and never deemed a substitute for substance abuse treatment programs.

Serving the entire Greater Toronto Area, Freedom From Addiction is one of the most innovative recovery homes in the country. Our highly dedicated team of qualified medical experts and addiction specialists lead the following programs, among others:

1. 1. • Medically Guided Drug/Alcohol Detox
      • Drug Addiction Treatment
      • Alcohol Addiction Treatment 
      • Co-occurring Disorders Treatment
      • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
      • Relapse Prevention

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about how our evidence-based approaches can help you or a loved one overcome addiction.