You Are Not Alone: Personal Stories on Surviving the Impact of Addiction

Description

Here the many sides to addiction are explored in stories which, though often raw and at times heart-breaking, are bound together by their courage, honesty, hope and resolve. Each one recognises the power of openness in emerging from the dark shadow cast by addiction. In looking to a brighter day, they assert the loudly and clearly that, even when we feel at our most isolated, we are never alone. Help is at hand. With contributions from well-known public figures who have struggled with addiction, including Paul McGrath, Ben Dunne, singer Mary Coughlan and Oisin McConville, the accounts are interspersed with the thoughtful reflections of addiction therapist Frances Black on many themes of recovery. You Are Not Alone is a book that will give hope and practical advice to the hundreds of thousands of Irish people out there whose lives have been affected by addiction.

France's Black's childhood home had a constant soundtrack of traditional and contemporary Irish music. Born in Dublin's Liberties, she became well-known when she began touring with her family's music group, The Black Family, of which her sister Mary was also a member. She joined the band Arcady in 1988 and then went on to have a highly successful career as a solo artist, with her first solo album spending eight weeks at the number one spot in the Irish charts. A recovered alcoholic who has been publicly vocal on the subject of addiction, Frances qualified as an addiction therapist in 2004, and established The RISE Foundation - a charity that aims to help the families of addicts - in 2008.Frances lives in Dublin with her husband and children.