In this book for young people who are struggling with substance abuse, Kyle Keegan recounts his own remarkable story of drug abuse and ruthless addiction. Keegan, now an adult who is in recovery from his addiction, discusses his experience as a well adjusted adolescent who fell victim to heroin and whose life was almost destroyed by the devastating drug. Against the backdrop of these experiences, he also provides useful information that young people struggling with substance abuse need, such as how to recognize and accept that there is a problem, how to find professional help, and how to stay happy and healthy in recovery.

 

This book is part of a book series called Adolescent Mental Health Initiative .

There are 192 pages in this book. This book was published 2008 by Oxford University Press Inc .

Howard B. Moss, MD, is Associate Director for Clinical and Translational Research with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health. Kyle Keegan is a professional diver. He lives in New York with his wife and daughters.

This book has the following chapters: Foreword Preface 1: Crash and Rescue Above the city, steeped in misery Back from the edge Substance abuse and addiction defined Addiction is a disease A hellish journey 2: The Early Days of Using My not-so-shady past A forbidden sip One puff leads to another My uncertain future Heroin A rite of passage versus the slippery slope to addiction The ride down that slope Who becomes addicted, who does not, and why? 3: The Noose Tightens A moment of truth, and then denial First shot at detoxification Learning the life of an addict Desperate moves Returning to an unfamiliar home "This is your brain on drugs" Different types of drugs of abuse 4: Trying to Get Help Overconfidence and denial: do not mix A minor arrest A major arrest Up, down, up, down-the saga of addiction continues A crucial turning point Substance abuse treatment: what to expect Treatment of co-occurring mental disorders 5: Recovery What does recovery mean for you? If a relapse occurs 6: Looking Back, Looking Ahead "Real" recovery is whatever works for us FAQ Glossary Resources Bibliography Index