Jul 23
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Recovering lesbian describes her life in sobriety in Leave the Light On
By Liz Massey
Riding the Storm Out
Many young adults hit a major turning point in their early 20s. For some, it stems from the reality of having to find that first job after college; for others, it’s sparked by a realization that a relationship, or a career path, has turned out not to be all it seemed.
But for Jennifer Storm, age 22 arrived with a truth that rested on the edge of the razor she used to slash her wrists with during a suicide attempt: she was an alcoholic and drug addict and her life had become unmanageable. After 10 years of abusing alcohol and cocaine, Storm landed in a rehab facility after this desperate act — and began a new chapter of her life.
“Rehab was the jolt that I needed to put it all into perspective,” she said. “It was absolutely critical … it saved my life.”
Read On
Jul 10
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Saturday, 10th July 2010
Recovery Tips <http://addiction-recovery-blog.com/category/recovery-tips/
Book Review by Suzanne K of “Leave the Light On: A Memoir of Recovery and Self-Discovery” by Jennifer Storm.
This is the second memoir by Jennifer Storm. Her first, Blackout Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out in America, depicted her haunting descent into addiction which occurred after she had been raped at age twelve. In Leave the Light On: A Memoir of Recovery and Self-Discovery, Storm picks up where the first book left off. Even without reading her first memoir, readers will be captivated by Storm’s account of life in recovery.
Anyone who’s been through treatment for addiction knows that recovery is a scary time. You worry about it when you’re nearing the end of your treatment, and you worry constantly about it during the early days of your recovery. This happens regardless of what your drug or addictive behavior of choice is, how long you’ve been addicted before you seek and go through treatment, whether you’ve relapsed once or several times since treatment, who you are, where you live, how much money you have, how old you are, your sex, religious, political or any other type of affiliation. In short, recovery takes some getting used to.
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Jul 10
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Las Vegas-based Central Recovery Press publishes books with a very tight focus. As their name implies, all of CRP’s titles deal with issues of addiction and recovery. While this might seem an almost impossibly esoteric publishing mandate, CRP’s narrow focus ensures that the message they send to the world is measured and deliberate. “Central Recovery Press is committed to offering exceptional published material for addiction treatment and recovery.” And that’s just what they do.
Considering the topics CRP deals with, it seems possible to me that some of these books have saved lives. Take, for instance, a very recent CRP release, Leave the Light On by Jennifer Storm who is also the executive director of a Pennsylvania-based victim/witness assistance program.
Storm shoots straight from the hip and some of what she shares here is heart-breaking. Storm’s drop into addiction was covered in her 2008 memoir, Blackout Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out. In this new book, we get to see the light with her: but there are some painful passages here to go through, first, including not only her recovery, but her coming out.
Those dealing with similar challenges are likely to find strength and light here. Those who are not will find the tone evangelical, at best. That’s okay, somehow though. It seems to me to be worth knowing that, for recovery reading, I don’t think anyone is doing it better than CRP.
Jun 16
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Lindsay Lohan looked surly and sexy on May 24 as she appeared in court for a mandatory hearing. Her hair dyed black, she wore a low-cut white blouse and a black suit. No doubt Lohan thought she looked demure…
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Jun 7
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So with Oprah leaving daytime talk, she is searching for new show ideas for her very own network. She is holding an open casting call for a new and innovative show idea and I submitting a video!
View my video and vote for me if you think my idea is worthy.
My show would be a very frank and candid discussion about Addiction in America. It seems that almost every day we are hearing stories of people who are dying from untreated addictions. Our country is consumed with the idea of addiction, we are fascinated by those who die from this horrible epidemic yet we aren’t providing viable solutions to this problem. I would love to host a show that would really discuss the ins and outs of addiction. What is a real addiction and what isn’t? How do we prevent addiction? How do we reach out a hand and help an active addict? Are we over drugging our children with pharmaceuticals and creating addictions while we try to treat compulsive disorders? Are we confusing compulsive disorders with true addiction? And if so how do we tell the difference and how to do we offer alternative solutions to compulsive disorders that do not create addictions?
Apr 12
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Play the soundtrack…
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Apr 9
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In the follow-up to Blackout Girl, her memoir of alcohol addiction, author Storm continues her compelling journey to fulfillment as a functional, substance-free human being. Fresh from a 28-day rehabilitation program, Storm finds she must shed many friends and routines from her past in order to work her 12-Step AA program and move forward in her life. Along the way, Storm chronicles her day-to-day in its frustrations and mundane details, but also faces a life-threatening medical emergency, comes out as a lesbian, has a first gay sexual encounter, plans the first-ever Penn State Queer Prom, and finds her passion as an activist. Throughout, she relates her story with candor, humor, and insight, making this an engaging and occasionally thought-provoking memoir of growing up, getting over past mistakes, and extending oneself to others and the world at large.
- Publishers Weekly, 4/5/2010 | Link
Feb 11
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Jennifer Storm's hard-hitting, coming-of-age story, told in unflinching detail, is equal parts Girl Interrupted, Go Ask Alice, and Prozac Nation. 
Coming this spring: my second memoir, Leave the Light On: A Memoir of Recovery and Self-Discovery.