Deviate from Denial
The first of the re-launched Be-Stirred Book reviews is Deviate from Denial: Erasing the Stigma of Addiction and Recovery Through Inspirational Stories by Sam Perez.
My connection to the author: I met Sam when we were interviewed for the Creator Community podcast last year, and I was drawn to her - she is quite the storyteller, and is already on a path to become a world-class journalist. You can read more about her on her website, HERE.
Book synopsis: In Deviate from Denial, Sam tells the story behind why her parents started DV8 Kitchen - a restaurant built to support those suffering from substance abuse as they navigate the rocky road to recovery. She illustrates how that purpose was shaped – and validated – by the personal stories of some of the people she and her parents encountered along the way. The book concludes with Sam’s research (and personal journey) to understand and tell the story of addiction in our society.
What I learned: Each book we read is an opportunity to expand our knowledge about the world we live in and each other in some unique way. I usually judge a book by how it educated me as much as how it entertained me. Deviate from Denial hit me on both counts.
I truly enjoyed the personal stories, even the ones that did not end well, because they were so real and so human. The book reinforced some things I’ve heard from people I know with close family members addicted to opioids and other substances, and it taught me a lot that I didn’t know about recovery. Here’s what I learned:
Addiction does not discriminate. Period. It can happen to anyone. Furthermore, recovery from an addiction is never really complete because of how the brain’s chemistry is altered by that addiction. Societal rules and norms don’t help either. It is really, really hard for those in recovery to find–and maintain–jobs, family connections, and community…yet all of those factors are crucial to preventing relapse. As a result, relapse is common and often leads to death.
I also learned how the for-profit medical system is likely a contributing factor to this pattern of addiction, recovery, and relapse.
In short, Deviate From Denial gave me a more intimate look at substance abuse, addiction, recovery, and the people affected by them.
How you can experience the story: Deviate from Denial is available in paperback, hardcover, e-book, and audiobook formats wherever books are sold online. I initially read the book on my Kindle, and, more recently, I listened to the Audiobook.
Of the two formats, the audiobook was my favorite. Sam narrates the story herself, and her talents as a journalist and speaker really shine through. She does a superb job of telling the individual narratives in the context of her theme with a mixture of sass and class that is more evident in the audiobook version than on the page.
