ABSTRACT

Addiction is something that affects many different people from all walks of life and can be difficult for a therapist to treat, and the client to conquer. In this book fifteen people who have formerly had serious addictions speak about their experiences.

Survivors of Addiction draws on first-hand narratives to provide an overview of how and why people become addicted, and explores what happens after the addiction is left behind. Divided into four sections it covers:

  • being caught up in addiction
  • how and why users stop being addicted
  • the early days after surviving addiction
  • long-term outcomes.

By considering psychodynamic and Jungian perspectives as well as the clinical vignettes, this book examines the process of recovery from addiction. It will be key reading for therapists, clinicians and healthcare workers who encounter addictions in their day to day professions and will also be of great interest to those who are, or have been addicted, and their families.

chapter 1|12 pages

Setting the scene

part 1|34 pages

Lost in the labyrinth of addiction

chapter 2|7 pages

A shameful secret

chapter 3|8 pages

Down and out

chapter 4|9 pages

Ambivalence second time round

chapter 5|8 pages

Lost in the labyrinth of addiction

part 2|42 pages

The turning point

chapter 6|8 pages

I did it my way

chapter 7|9 pages

Time to stop drinking with the boys

chapter 8|10 pages

I was able just to be me

chapter 9|8 pages

The prize fighter

chapter 10|5 pages

The turning point

part 3|44 pages

The new task

chapter 11|9 pages

Starting from scratch

chapter 12|8 pages

Putting away my crutches

chapter 13|9 pages

What I learned after I stopped drinking

chapter 14|9 pages

A most astonishing thing happened

chapter 15|7 pages

The new task

part 4|47 pages

In the long term

chapter 16|11 pages

A bleak picture: Hoping against hope

chapter 17|10 pages

A very major change for me

chapter 18|10 pages

Stepping out of co-dependence

chapter 19|9 pages

This intense relationship with life itself

chapter 20|5 pages

In the long term