Dry: A Memoir (2004) Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Burroughs shares his story of early recovery as a twentyshomething guy–receiving ultimatums about treatment, shifting from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation, the “pink cloud”, adjusting interpersonal relationship dynamics; struggling with cross addictions, shame, triggers and cravings, relapse, trauma, grief and loss; as well as hope and healing. Healing and recovery follow a complex process. This book outlines the uneven and chaotic timeline of navigating all of these shifts as one searches for a way to anchor into the commitment and motivation necessary to tolerate the distress of successes and challenges in order to sustain meaningful change. Burroughs is candid about his trauma history, his experiences, and his internal thought process along the way.
As I read through this book, it occurred to me that after all my years in the field I’m used to hearing stories/details like this and may be more desensitized than others. Therefore, I want to posit a bit of a **trigger warning** for the general public.
That being said, if you ever wanted to get inside the mind of an addict/alcoholic, this book could help you do it.
How did I hear about this book: One of my supervisors recommended it to me
Would I recommend it to colleagues: Sure
Would I recommend this to clients: When clinically appropriate–I think it can be beneficial for folks in early recovery to read someone else’s story to feel validated and/or garner hope depending on where they are at and what their experiences are; AND I think it could be helpful for friends/family to read to get some insight on what it’s like from the perspective of their loved ones (more on this below). That being said, the author does not hold back and there can be some triggering topics if you’re not used to being exposed to them and/or are struggling with cravings.
How do I apply this content to my work: Other people’s stories are an incredible tool to support the healing process, and that is why group therapy-based treatment programs and peer support group programs (like 12-Step and others) have been successful in helping people sustain their recovery/sobriety. We need community for survival AND isolation breeds addiction. So to be able to see yourself in someone else’s story can provide validation that may help mitigate shame, and/or may offer hope by helping you see what may lie on the other side of the current challenges. Additionally, reading someone else’s story may provide an opportunity for a friend/family member to get some perspective about what their loved one may be going through by witnessing a comparable story from a more objective standpoint–It’s hard to see the forest through the trees (as my 8th grade teacher used to say). It can be hard for friends/family members to empathize and be able to provide the support their loved ones need when they have been hurt, traumatized, harmed, etc. by their loved one’s addiction. That being said, I have not found it to be an effective strategy to bring my story into therapy with my clients. While I think there is a time and a place for self-disclosure in the therapeutic relationship (and I know other counselors and therapists have had success sharing their story with their clients), this is not a way I utilize it. And so, providing my clients with another person’s story that we can review together with more objectivity has been a helpful way to meet this need in my work with people healing from the effects of SUD addiction.
Disclaimers: These reviews are based on my own personal experience reading these books and do not reflect on the book’s author or publisher. I have not received any commissions or other incentives to promote my reviews. My reviews express my own unbiased opinions.
