Addict in the House

A No-Nonsense Family Guide Through Addiction and Recovery

By: Robin Barnett EdD LCSW, Darren Kavinoky - foreword

Narrated by: Denice Stradling

"This is a straightforward, rich resource for anyone who lives with, and loves, an addict." (Publishers Weekly)

Everyone suffers when there’s an addict in the family. Created by an expert in alcohol and drug addiction and recovery, this no-nonsense guide will help you understand the causes of addiction, end enabling behaviors, support your loved one’s recovery, and learn how to cope with relapses.

If you’re the family member of an addict, you may feel confused, guilty, and scared of doing the wrong thing. And when you don’t know how to help, you may find yourself in a codependent role, trying so hard to keep your addicted loved one alive, out of jail, or emotionally appeased that you may actually prevent them from realizing they need help.

Drawing on her own personal experience with her brother’s addiction, Addict in the House offers a pragmatic, step-by-step guide to dealing with a loved one’s addiction, from accepting the reality of the disease to surviving what may be repeated cycles of recovery and relapse. You’ll learn how to encourage your addicted loved one to get help without forcing it and finally find the strength to let go of codependence.

With this revealing and straightforward book, you’ll have the support you need to take an honest look at how addiction has affected the family, cope with the emotional hurdles of having an addicted family member, create and maintain firm boundaries, and make informed decisions about how to best help your loved one.

©2018 Robin Barnett and Darren Kavinoky (P)2018 New Harbinger Publications

Critic reviews

"This is a straightforward, rich resource for anyone who lives with, and loves, an addict.... Having grown up in a household marked by addiction, behavioral health specialist Barnett is the ideal guide through a journey that, as she writes, is rocky at best. Rather than adopt the tone of an expert, which risks coming off as condescending, she writes as a fellow traveler. Navigating a life with an addict is not easy: the most basic aspects of communication are compromised, and freedom from the cycles that entangle most addicts’ families requires breaking long-established patterns. Barnett presents her discussion with the qualification that it is condensed, in keeping with the 'no-nonsense' self-description of the title. Each chapter is introduced by the words of addicts, but readers seeking more detailed, first-person accounts will not find them here. And instead of answers, they will find a process, presented more as a hopeful beginning than an ultimate cure." (Publishers Weekly)

“In a world wrought with more addiction nightmares than ever before, it is essential that families know how to respond and take action when confronted with addiction in the home. Robin Barnett’s Addict in the House is a must-read for anyone looking for answers when addiction hits home.” (Loni Coombs, television legal analyst, former prosecutor, and author of You’re Perfect and Other Lies Parents Tell)

“Robin Barnett is a true authority on the topics of addiction, addiction treatment, and family strategy. Her book Addict in the House is an absolute gift of knowledge and inspiration for all families struggling to find a solution and a workable plan when addiction rears its ugly head at home.” (Harry Phillips, award-winning producer of ABC News, 20/20, and Nightline)

Excellent Help!!!

I appreciate this excellent help and will certainly refer back to it OFTEN! THANKS!

What a Godsend

This book was suggested by a friend when I was at my lowest point. My son had just relapsed and I made the decision to no longer enable him. This book gave me the understanding and tools I needed in order to stand my ground, despite all his pleas for help (money.) I loved it so much I am going to listen to it again. I hope this book will speak to anyone out there who is struggling with losing a loved one to drugs or alcohol. I pray it gives you peace and most of all, hope!

life changing

A must read if you have an addict in your life!
Any addiction will do..

Thorough introduction to all aspects of addiction

A helpful, well written guide to all aspects of addiction with practical exercises and good references. I highly recommend this book. I didn’t like the robotic reading by Denise Stradling but others may find her soothing.

Acceptance and help

This book is very helpful for anyone who is struggling with living with an addict.

So helpful

As someone who is “new” to having an alcoholic partner, this book has really helped me. I still am not sure what I will decide, but I know the decision is mine.

Extremely Helpful

The book was very helpful in dealing with my own handling of my addicted loved one. would absolutely recommend to anyone who has an addicted loved one.

living with an Addict?

some really good information on how to cope with how living with an addiction can effect you, as well as thoughts on how to relate to the addiction. definitely worth reading

Audio Voice is difficult to listen to

Many of our family members ordered this audiobook but half of them had to order a physical book because the voice is digital and hard to listen to. This is disappointing since this is the type of book that should be warm and inviting. It’s kind of a “how to get through and support recovery” more than analyzing how someone becomes an addict.

authors background, but reading about riding a bike is different than riding a bike

it's so fake, it would be like a guy telling a mom how it feels to push a child out