Chasing the High A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Substance Abuse

by Keegan, Kyle; Moss, Howard

• ISBN13: 9780195314724
• ISBN10: 0195314727
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-03-04
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Kyle Keegan was like many teenagers: eager to fit in at school, he experimented with alcohol and drugs. Soon, his abuse of these substances surpassed experimentation and turned into a ruthless addiction to heroin that nearly destroyed his life. Now an adult and in recovery, Keegan tells his remarkable story in Chasing the High. Starting with his early days of alcohol and drug use, Keegan charts his decline into a life of crime and homelessness as his need for heroin quickly overpowered all thoughts of family and friends, of right and wrong. In collaboration with science writer Beryl Lieff Benderly, Keegan uses these experiences to offer guidance and practical advice to other young people who may be struggling with substance abuse. In straightforward, easy-to-understand language, and drawing on the expertise of psychiatrist Howard Moss, Keegan discusses what is known about the neurobiology of addiction in young people, how to seek treatment, and how to get the most out of professional help. He also covers such topics as available therapies used to combat addiction, how to talk to family and friends about substance abuse, and how to navigate risky situations. The result is both an absorbing memoir and a useful resource that will help to ease the hopelessness and uncertainty caused by a substance abuse problem. Chasing the High will offer the wisdom of one young man who has been through it all, assuring adolescents that, with commitment and hard work, they too can succeed in beating a substance abuse problem. Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, Chasing the High offers hope to young people who are struggling with substance abuse, helping them to overcome its challenges and to go on to lead healthy, productive lives.

Author Biography

Kyle Keegan is a professional diver. He lives in New York with his wife and daughters.
Howard B. Moss, MD, is Associate Director for Clinical and Translational Research with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

The history behind Chasing the High

What to expect from this book

Crash and Rescue Above the city, steeped in misery

Back from the edge

Substance abuse and addiction defined

Addiction is a disease A hellish journey

The Early Days of Using My not-so-shady past A forbidden sip

One puff leads to another My uncertain future

Heroin A rite of passage versus the slippery slope to addiction

The ride down that slope Who becomes addicted, who does not, and why?

The Noose Tightens A moment of truth, and then denial First shot at detoxification

Learning the life of an addict

Desperate moves

Returning to an unfamiliar home

"This is your brain on drugs"

Different types of drugs of abuse

Trying to Get Help

Overconfidence and denial: do not mix

A minor arrest

A major arrest Up, down, up, down-the saga of addiction continues

A crucial turning point Substance abuse treatment: what to expect

Treatment of co-occurring mental disorders

Recovery What does recovery mean for you?

If a relapse occurs

Looking Back, Looking Ahead "Real" recovery is whatever works for us

Faq

Glossary

Resources

Bibliography

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.