Some Assembly Required

An intriguing story that addresses the twin challenges of addiction and chronic pain, and presents a model for successful recovery from both of these serious life-altering conditions. The author grounds his story in psychological theory along with the principles of twelve-step philosophy and spirituality as he moves from intellectualized awareness to a deep emotional and spiritual connection in recovery. Between 1991 and 2010, prescriptions for opioid painkillers rose from 75 million to 209 million. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2010, enough opioids were prescribed to treat every person in the US with 5mg of Vicodin every four hours for a month. As the number of opioid prescriptions increase, complications, including death, are rising. In 2009, more people in the US died from prescription medication overdoses than from motor vehicle accidents. There are more deaths from prescription drug overdose than from cocaine and heroin combined. With the onset of a chronic pain condition, the author's need for prescribed opioid painkillers reawakened an addiction to narcotics that had been dormant for nearly twenty years. Presents a holistic approach to recovery combining psychological theory, twelve-step principles, the ancient wisdom of meditation and other non-Western spiritual practices. Uniquely highlights the vicious cycle of addiction and chronic pain and the powerful connection between these co-occurring disorders. Written in lyrical yet gritty prose, it makes the recovery process accessible to a wide audience. The author is an experienced behavioral health professional who has worked in a broad range of behavioral health and addiction treatment settings. The author is in long-term recovery.