PRAISE FOR WHAT ADDICTS KNOW
“In this revealing and readable book, Christopher Lawford sets out 10 lessons of recovery—drawn from his own struggles and those of others—that can help everyone enhance and enrich their lives.”
—JOSEPH A. CALIFANO, JR.,
founder of CASAColumbia, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University
“In a way, we’re all addicts—addicted to the fears and limitations of the world in which we live. By shedding light on the realities of recovery, Lawford sheds light on how anyone can best achieve the mindset of wisdom and inner peace.”
—MARIANNE WILLIAMSON,
New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Miracles and founder of The Peace Alliance
“Not to be overlooked in the wisdom contained within is the acknowledgment of the enormous personal courage to bare all for all to benefit. To have had secrets and give them up into public view as markers on Life’s Highway, and to face degrading thoughts by thoughtless people, is far greater illustration of moral character than it sounds. Chris is Witness; he is authentic in his pain, insights, and desire to help.”
—RICHARD DREYFUSS, actor
“The insights in What Addicts Know are unparalleled. Christopher Kennedy Lawford provides a unique perspective on the enlightening lessons gleaned from recovering addicts’ experiences. This is a book that will change the way we think about the wisdom of healing.”
—ED BEGLEY JR., actor
“With his 10 lessons, Christopher Kennedy Lawford eloquently explores how the insights offered by recovering addicts can benefit individuals in any walk of life.”
—CHRIS MATTHEWS, host of MSNBC’s
Hardball and author of Tip & the Gipper: When Politics Worked
“Simply reading and seriously considering the list of 10 lessons at the beginning of this extraordinary book will move your life toward wholeness.”
—RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, actor
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. Mr. Lawford’s book offers such knowledge and we can all benefit from it.”
—JOHN LARROQUETTE, actor
“As we learn from Christopher Kennedy Lawford, ‘What Addicts Know’ is a lot. We would never wish addiction on someone we love, but Lawford shows us that those in recovery from addiction have gone through the eye of a needle. It happens to those of us whose loved one is addicted, too. When the addicted come out the other side, they appreciate life in a new way. They never take for granted those they love. They are empowered to reach goals they never thought they could attain. They can lead full lives free from the pain that plagued them and the disease that controlled them. Addicts’ families change, too. In What Addicts Know, not only does Christopher Kennedy Lawford help us to heal, but to thrive. As he has consistently, Lawford blazes new trails, guiding and inspiring us.”
—DAVID SHEFF, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction
“I am thrilled by the way my cousin, Chris, communicates the very essence of recovery and its benefits. For me and millions of others in recovery, he reignites the magic of self-knowledge and self-sacrifice, echoing our uncle’s admonition to ask what we can do, not what others can do for us. He also offers the hope and some of the tools we need to melt away stigma and discrimination, and emerge as a greater caring community.”
—PATRICK J. KENNEDY, founder of The Kennedy Forum
“Those of us who treat addiction know that recovering addicts are strong and inspiring individuals. What Addicts Know makes their courage and wisdom accessible for everyone. I am so glad to see this accurate, honest resource on shelves today.”
—PATRICK CARNES, PHD, CAS, author of Out of the Shadows
“Addicts using alcohol and other drugs know suffering. Addicts in Recovery know how to live in ways that inspire everyone, including their psychiatrists. My patients in Recovery have been my professors for more than four decades. Now Chris Lawford has put this hard-won and uniquely valuable wisdom onto the pages of a magic book. Read it!”
—ROBERT L. DUPONT, MD, first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; second White House drug czar; and author of The Selfish Brain—Learning from Addiction
“Christopher’s practical ‘lesson plan’ can help you achieve the resiliency needed for successful recovery. He captures the idea that recovery is a lifetime of learning rather than just a one-time event. This book of lessons, along with the 12 Steps, provides a basis for recovery and a fruitful life of service to you and to others.”
—KITTY S. HARRIS, PHD, LMFT, LCDC, professor and author of Women and Recovery—Finding Hope
“Like his previous books, in What Addicts Know, Chris Lawford provides an essential and important perspective. In this book, Lawford reminds us that, too often, observers dismiss people with addiction struggles whole cloth—as if they have little to offer. However, despite or perhaps because it is a demanding master, addiction shapes people’s existing skills and teaches new ones. In What Addicts Know, Lawford describes a repository of vital life skills and lessons—derived from the experience of addiction—that are essential for living a full, satisfying, successful, and happy life. Lawford puts the resilience, compassion, acceptance, problem solving, independence, empathy, hope, creativity, risk-taking, forgiveness, and the many other essential gifts of people who have struggled with addiction on display for all to see. Lawford describes a path to enlightened recovery that is essential for everyone: finding an authentic sense of self and learning to connect it to purpose within the world-at-large. Ultimately, What Addicts Know is a book for everyone interested in finding a place for themselves, learning more about the human condition, and ultimately advancing their own sense of humanity.”
—HOWARD J. SHAFFER, PHD, CAS, associate professor, Harvard Medical School and director, Division on Addiction, The Cambridge Health Alliance
WHAT
ADDICTS
KNOW
10 LESSONS
FROM RECOVERY TO
BENEFIT EVERYONE
CHRISTOPHER
KENNEDY LAWFORD
Foreword by Drew Pinsky, MD, Host of HLN’s
Dr. Drew on Call
BENBELLA BOOKS | DALLAS, TEXAS
Copyright © 2014 by Christopher Kennedy Lawford
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
BenBella Books, Inc.
10300 N. Central Expressway
Suite #530
Dallas, TX 75231
Send feedback to [email protected]
First e-book edition: January 2014
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lawford, Christopher Kennedy, 1955-
What addicts know : 10 lessons from