The first thirty days of sobriety can be rough. Like, want to pull your hair out and scream into a pillow “rough.” You’re going to need to be prepared to tackle both the physical and emotional challenges that await you.
When I first stopped drinking, I found books to be one of the most useful tools in my sobriety toolbox. I read recovery memoirs to help make sense of what was going on with my life. In order to fight my demons, I had to understand them. Luckily, I found excellent books for that as well.
Because big book lists can be overwhelming, I’ve provided you with a perfectly manageable list of five useful books to help get you started on this journey.
Caroline Knapp’s recovery memoir was one of the first things I read when I stopped drinking and it blew me away. For the first time, someone was able to articulate what I had been feeling. I could read Knapp’s story and see myself in it. All the ugly, shameful thoughts and behaviors I had been indulging in were right there on those pages.
It was comforting to know that I wasn’t alone. Knapp’s memoir is raw and vulnerable, which is so valuable when you first stop drinking. I understood that I was a mess, but I wasn’t far enough removed from the behavior to make sense of it. Reading this book helped me begin to do that. Sadly, Knapp died in 2002. Although she didn’t relapse, she continued to be a heavy smoker which ultimately cut her life short.
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