Excellent books for parents of an addicted adult child?

April 27, 2017 11:25 AM

I am looking for recommendations for books you've found helpful for parents of an addicted "child" -- a child in her 30's who is addicted to opioids. How to understand and how to help. What not to do and say. Etc. Not religious! The less moralistic, the better.
posted by DMelanogaster to Human Relations (7 answers total)

Metafilter's own Maia Szalavitz wrote an excellent book about addiction called "Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction." It is excellent and couldn't be farther from being moralistic. I understand she has also written more specifically about how to find evidence-based treatment.
posted by wyzewoman at 11:58 AM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]

Over the Influence
Unbroken Brain (by Mefi's Own maias)
Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy as well as David Sheff's other book, Beautiful Boy.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:59 AM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

It's Not About You, Except When It Is: A Field Manual For Parents of Addicted Children

Based on the author's own experience as a parent with an addicted child, she provides straight-talking self-preservation tools and techniques for parents of addicts in and out of recovery. An essential book to help parents navigate this confusing and uncharted landscape—in the author's words, "Planet Paradox."

Barbara Victoria is a parent who struggled with her own child's addiction. She has been active in Al-Anon for many years.
posted by rogerrogerwhatsyourrvectorvicto at 12:25 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Beyond Addiction about using CRAFT skills, which are science-based and formed specifically for parents to talk to their children about their addiction.

(disclaimer: I work for an addiction-related agency who works with CMC, the publishers of this book.)
posted by knownassociate at 1:04 PM on April 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

I really liked the book "The truth about addiction and recovery."
posted by Michele in California at 6:46 PM on April 27, 2017

Thirding the suggestion of Unbroken Brain, not just because it's by one of Mefi's Own, but because it helped me understand the hidden logic of addiction without asking me to give up the compassion I wanted to feel for my loved ones.
posted by harriet vane at 7:12 AM on April 28, 2017

What do I say
posted by SyraCarol at 9:23 AM on April 28, 2017