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Sane: Mental Illness, Addiction, and the 12 Steps
Marya Hornbacher, author of the international best-sellers Madness and Wasted, offers an enlightening examination of the Twelve Steps for those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders.
In this beautifully written recovery handbook, New York Times best-selling author Marya Hornbacher applies the wisdom earned from her struggle with a severe mental illness and addiction to offer an honest and illuminating examination of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders.
Relaying her recovery experiences, and those of the people with whom she has shared her journey, Hornbacher guides readers through the maze of special issues that make working each Step a unique challenge for those with co-occurring disorders.
She addresses the difficulty that many with a mental illness have with finding support in a recovery program that often discourages talk about emotional problems, and the therapy and medication that they require. At the same time, Hornbacher reveals how the Twelve Steps can offer insights, spiritual sustenance, and practical guidance to enhance stability for those who truly have to approach sanity and sobriety one day at a time.
In this beautifully written recovery handbook, New York Times best-selling author Marya Hornbacher applies the wisdom earned from her struggle with a severe mental illness and addiction to offer an honest and illuminating examination of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders.
Relaying her recovery experiences, and those of the people with whom she has shared her journey, Hornbacher guides readers through the maze of special issues that make working each Step a unique challenge for those with co-occurring disorders.
She addresses the difficulty that many with a mental illness have with finding support in a recovery program that often discourages talk about emotional problems, and the therapy and medication that they require. At the same time, Hornbacher reveals how the Twelve Steps can offer insights, spiritual sustenance, and practical guidance to enhance stability for those who truly have to approach sanity and sobriety one day at a time.
163 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
49 people are currently reading
1206 people want to read
About the author
Marya Hornbacher
10 books1,079 followersMarya Hornbacher published her first book, Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia (HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.), in 1998, when she was twenty-three. What started as a crazy idea suggested by a writer friend became the classic book that has been published in fourteen languages, is taught in universities and writing programs all over the world, and has, according to the thousands of letters Marya has received over the years, changed lives.
Her second book, the acclaimed novel The Center of Winter (HarperCollins, 2005) has been called "masterful," "gorgeous writing," "a stunning acheivement of storytelling," "delicious," and "compulsive reading." Told in three voices, by six-year-old Kate, her mentally ill brother Esau, and their mother Claire, The Center of Winter is the story of a family recovering from a father's suicide in the spare, wintry Minnesota north, a story of struggle, transformation, and hope.
Marya's new memoir Madness: A Life (Houghton Mifflin) is an intense, beautifully written book about the difficulties, and promise, of living with mental illness. It is already being called "the most visceral, important book on mental illness to be published in years." It will be published in April of 2008.
The recipient of a host of awards for journalism and a Pulitzer Prize nominee, Marya has lectured at universities around the country, taught writing and literature, and published in academic and literary journals since 1992. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband Jeff, their cats Shakespeare and T.S. Eliot, and their miniature dachsunds Milton and Dante.
Her second book, the acclaimed novel The Center of Winter (HarperCollins, 2005) has been called "masterful," "gorgeous writing," "a stunning acheivement of storytelling," "delicious," and "compulsive reading." Told in three voices, by six-year-old Kate, her mentally ill brother Esau, and their mother Claire, The Center of Winter is the story of a family recovering from a father's suicide in the spare, wintry Minnesota north, a story of struggle, transformation, and hope.
Marya's new memoir Madness: A Life (Houghton Mifflin) is an intense, beautifully written book about the difficulties, and promise, of living with mental illness. It is already being called "the most visceral, important book on mental illness to be published in years." It will be published in April of 2008.
The recipient of a host of awards for journalism and a Pulitzer Prize nominee, Marya has lectured at universities around the country, taught writing and literature, and published in academic and literary journals since 1992. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband Jeff, their cats Shakespeare and T.S. Eliot, and their miniature dachsunds Milton and Dante.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 25, 2012
Sane is an inspiring, hopeful book. Hornbacher has really calmed down, and I'm so happy for her.
I admit that I was expecting a book more like Madness, but I suppose it's clear by just the title that Sane would be much more serene. Neatly organized with each Step and a brief interlude, it's an excellent handbook. Even if you're not an addict, it's worth a read. The book holds important knowledge of growth, something surely worth everyone's while.
I admit that I was expecting a book more like Madness, but I suppose it's clear by just the title that Sane would be much more serene. Neatly organized with each Step and a brief interlude, it's an excellent handbook. Even if you're not an addict, it's worth a read. The book holds important knowledge of growth, something surely worth everyone's while.
April 14, 2019
I am probably very biased in this rating and review for many reasons. I have been reading Marya Hornbacher's work since my first college psych class in 1998 and have followed her writing as she has been published ever since. To read her journey, sharing her story as she maneuvers in life is absolutely amazing. It's a gift to be able to write so well and be so open and honest and brave as she learns and changes, loses hope, and keeps trying to find it again. And again. And sometimes, again. It's a journey. She never pretends to be perfect, she just shows where she has been and where she is now. Then years pass and she shows where she has been and where she is now... and so on. And her whole purpose is to just show that we are all in this crazy humanity together. Our paths might look a little different and we might process our path in different manners and have a complete variety of struggles varying from person to person, but the premise is all the same: life is a journey, no one is perfect, we are all beautiful messes making our way and to share our messy journey is a help and a blessing and pure beauty and brilliance.
This is her take, a personal guide if you will, on the Twelve Steps of Recovery as she has understood them to work the program to deal with her addictions and her illness. One doesn't have to be ill or addicted to read and glean something positive from this. A lot of it is applicable to life in general in dealing with life issues and personality flaws, etc. I love her openness so much. Enlightening to read of her walk through the steps for recovery, sanity, and serenity.
This is her take, a personal guide if you will, on the Twelve Steps of Recovery as she has understood them to work the program to deal with her addictions and her illness. One doesn't have to be ill or addicted to read and glean something positive from this. A lot of it is applicable to life in general in dealing with life issues and personality flaws, etc. I love her openness so much. Enlightening to read of her walk through the steps for recovery, sanity, and serenity.
December 30, 2019
OUCH OUCH OUCH
June 20, 2014
Marya Hornbacher pulls no punches in her book SANE: MENTAL ILLNESS, ADDICTION, AND THE 12 STEPS. This is recovery for the "dual diagnosed." She gives her honest take on what step work, recovery, and the struggles the mentally ill face in recovery. I'd say that for those with mental illness AND addiction, this is a bible for working the steps, a compassionate friend and companion to be always at your side. If I were bipolar, I'd trust her assessment because she has been through the mire and turned her life around.
Each chapter covers one step. Marya draws from AA's Big Book frequently and also AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the Little Red Book. She sticks fairly close to the guidelines of the Big Book on the 4th step. Of step 7 she says she was "in no mood" to revisit her lists from Step 4, but she knew she had to do it, to face her past or end up "drinking and going insane again and again until it killed [her]."
I love how she voices her skepticism of the program's many slogans, promises, and what seems like hype and horse shit to many newcomers. But something kept drawing her back to the rooms, perhaps a belief that it was her last chance. In fact, the Big Book says that for many, AA is "the last house on the block." She also addresses the opinions of the un-informed in the rooms, those who don't understand that there's a huge difference between medication taken to regulate one's moods and sanity versus using mood and mind altering substances to get high or "take the edge off", as they say. This is crucial; I've sat through many a meeting where addicts get into it passionately about whether it's acceptable to take prescription drugs for ANY reason...it's a mess. Sadly, the loudest opponents in the room are often the least qualified to say anything on the topic. There's a lot of ignorance on this topic and Marya attempts to dispel that. At any rate, she encourages those who take psychotropic medications to control their mental illness NOT to be dissuaded from recovery by those in the rooms who are ignorant of mental illness's ravages and demands.
Marya is one tough chick, facing down her demons and winning. She's a recovery warrior and a good writer. This is the 3rd book I've read by her and I look forward to more updates from the field.
Each chapter covers one step. Marya draws from AA's Big Book frequently and also AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the Little Red Book. She sticks fairly close to the guidelines of the Big Book on the 4th step. Of step 7 she says she was "in no mood" to revisit her lists from Step 4, but she knew she had to do it, to face her past or end up "drinking and going insane again and again until it killed [her]."
I love how she voices her skepticism of the program's many slogans, promises, and what seems like hype and horse shit to many newcomers. But something kept drawing her back to the rooms, perhaps a belief that it was her last chance. In fact, the Big Book says that for many, AA is "the last house on the block." She also addresses the opinions of the un-informed in the rooms, those who don't understand that there's a huge difference between medication taken to regulate one's moods and sanity versus using mood and mind altering substances to get high or "take the edge off", as they say. This is crucial; I've sat through many a meeting where addicts get into it passionately about whether it's acceptable to take prescription drugs for ANY reason...it's a mess. Sadly, the loudest opponents in the room are often the least qualified to say anything on the topic. There's a lot of ignorance on this topic and Marya attempts to dispel that. At any rate, she encourages those who take psychotropic medications to control their mental illness NOT to be dissuaded from recovery by those in the rooms who are ignorant of mental illness's ravages and demands.
Marya is one tough chick, facing down her demons and winning. She's a recovery warrior and a good writer. This is the 3rd book I've read by her and I look forward to more updates from the field.
April 14, 2014
I didn't know too much about the twelve step program so this was a good way of finding out about that. As a book I thought it was a bit vague a lot of the time and I think would have been helped by some more personal examples of how she dealt with this step or that step. It came across a bit theoretical for something that is intensely personal.
But there is a lot of good information in here.
But there is a lot of good information in here.
December 30, 2010
Quick easy reference for those working the steps.
June 13, 2017
Thank you Marya for writing a book I have been searching for for years. Finally, a book on recovery/sobriety with an emphasis on mental illness. I've read many recovery books in the past and none have seemed to mention dual diagnosis or the tremendous difficulty mental illness places on a person's recovery.
Reading this book was like finding my Higher Power. Every word I read hit home, and it just felt right. It was like fate that I found this book, and Hornbacher is one of my favorite authors as well so when I found out she wrote it, I was overjoyed.
It's a great read, very informative and powerful. As someone who struggles with the spiritual and/or religious aspect of recovery, especially within the 12 Steps, this book really helped calm my doubts. She addresses it in such a way that really makes you believe in the forces out there that are greater than ourselves.
Definitely recommend this book if you are struggling with addiction and a co-occuring mental illness. It sheds light on this struggle in such a graceful way, and has really brought hope back into my life after feeling so incredibly hopeless for so long due to the weight of my mental illness.
This book honestly may have saved my life. I'm still struggling with addiction, but at least now I see that there is in fact hope for people like me. It's just a matter of really putting in the work.
It works if you work it, right?
Reading this book was like finding my Higher Power. Every word I read hit home, and it just felt right. It was like fate that I found this book, and Hornbacher is one of my favorite authors as well so when I found out she wrote it, I was overjoyed.
It's a great read, very informative and powerful. As someone who struggles with the spiritual and/or religious aspect of recovery, especially within the 12 Steps, this book really helped calm my doubts. She addresses it in such a way that really makes you believe in the forces out there that are greater than ourselves.
Definitely recommend this book if you are struggling with addiction and a co-occuring mental illness. It sheds light on this struggle in such a graceful way, and has really brought hope back into my life after feeling so incredibly hopeless for so long due to the weight of my mental illness.
This book honestly may have saved my life. I'm still struggling with addiction, but at least now I see that there is in fact hope for people like me. It's just a matter of really putting in the work.
It works if you work it, right?
December 27, 2019
This would be a 4-star or above for any reader who suffers from mental illness + addiction. It's alternately uplifting, humorous, but often depressing to read if you're a garden-variety human such as myself. I read it to further prepare myself to help a Loved One on the journey to sobriety and mental health. After nearly two decades of dual diagnosis, "my addict" refused to embrace the wisdom that Hornbacher offers from first-hand experience. My addict wouldn't pick up the book -- after saying she was willing to learn from Hornbacher. Therefore I read "Sane" in solitude, marking recognizable passages that will probably never be considered by the soul who needs it most. "My addict's" failure to apply the 12-steps -- filtered thru Hornbacher's sound, been-there-done-that counseling, rendered all this excellent advice null & void. Thus the three-stars. Unlike a cookbook which can be easily followed, Hornbacher's insights into recovery are only star-quality if they attract addicts -- yet the nature of addiction is that most advice fails to move the target audience. I appreciated her insights, as a helpless bystander... but again, I remain truly helpless in the face of addiction.
March 18, 2018
This isn’t just a 12 step book, having never been a fan of AA programs.... the 12 steps are another. This maps it out brilliantly for those with Co Occurring disorders which is very hard to get from an AA meeting. She was able to do both. She also helped to define the “higher power” issue, that being other than God, for those that don’t want Religion shoved down their throat... She is an amazing writer, and her truths she bares in this book are beyond helpful and necessary for those with more than addiction ...
May 17, 2017
"When we lack hope, we limit ourselves. We don't work on our character because we don't believe it's worth the effort. We think our character is flawed beyond repair and that we're destined to fail." pg 77-78.
April 22, 2019
Helpful in navigating the comorbidity of addiction and mental health.
Read
July 17, 2019Couldn’t get into it, it read like an explanation of the 12 Steps and wasn’t as good as her other 2.
September 3, 2020
Excellent read about mental illness and addiction, pertaining to each of the 12 steps, written with a personal flair. Loved this book!
February 15, 2021
This is a foundational work for me. The first time I ever read so clearly the linkages between mental health and addiction, and how we can approach both with the same tools.
dnf
May 26, 2023DNF at 20%. This book is just evangelizing about the wonders of the 12 steps, which as all fine and dandy, just not for me.
Want to read
February 25, 2017I want to read this book so bad but I can not afford it I suffer from bipolar
January 29, 2013
I've been in twelve-step programs for years and this book would be useful for those who may be trying to sponsor a newbie; those who are new to the program or are on the fence about whetherthe twelve-step program would work for them; and substance abuse counselors. It explains the twelve steps in thorough detail and gives suggestions for how to countermand any arguments from those who are working the steps. I was disappointed not in the explanations or the writing (which is very well done, by the way) but because I thought it would have more of her own personal experience in getting sober and staying sober while dealing with her bi-polarity. I gave up after about half the book because I'm already quite familiar with the program and what the steps mean.
June 4, 2014
If you're trying to work a 12 Step program and have a mental health Dx - forget trying to navigate the journey w/out this book. When you're at Step 4 especially, you'll need this book to help you discern your mental illness symptoms, from your addiction, from your character defects and from your strengths. Unless you have Super Sponsor, you need this book. Even AA "bible" acknowledges it's harder to recover from addiction for those w/ mental illness unless you're willing to be ruthlessly honest - this is the tool that allows that honesty to unravel the mess addicition makes of our lives/minds/souls.
January 2, 2015
It took me a long time to read this book, but every time I came back to it I was impressed all over again. Hornbacher did a great job of explaining how the 12 steps can work for someone with a mental illness. (Considering how many alcoholics have dual diagnoses this should have wide appeal.) Her writing is pragmatic and honest and she has some great insights that I think would benefit anyone, mental illness or not, addiction or not.
September 17, 2015
Incredibly informative, interesting and insightful.
November 15, 2016
Loaned to a friend - haven't finished but great what I read
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews