Additional information
by Deborah Day Aikens (Author)
Without presumption, readers are encouraged to journey on an intuitive path of enlightenment as it relates to a non-fictional account of the insanity of addiction. The power is in its simplicity. It answers the proverbial question: Why? Why do people use drugs? Why do they do this to themselves; to me? Why don't they just stop? It offers the reader an intimate understanding of addiction as they are reminded that the addict is God's child. The book is not laden with speculation and breaking tradition, reference to theories is minimal. In contrast to any other source, it collectively brings together the stark reality of addiction including: self esteem, which is inextricably tied to addiction, the insidiousness of powerlessness, the crippling effects of denial, the intricate web of anger, the cyclic nature of depression, and the loss of one's soul through isolation: all experienced through the mindset of addicts. It culminates in a message from the reader to the addict, validating their existence; followed by a challenge for the addict to assume responsibility and embrace a spirit free from addiction. An ultimate message from the addict to any readers who fall prey to skepticism is for them to turn to the beginning of the book and revisit each page: to hear what was unheard, see what was unseen, and understand the imaginable.
Author Biography
Deborah Day Aikens has a Ph.D in Criminology with a specialization in Social Control and Deviance. She is licensed and certified by the New York State Social Work Board and the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (OASAS). She has extensive clinical experience which spans over a thirty year period with a focus on addiction and recovery. Deborah has served as a clinical director and she continues to provide clinical consulting: developing treatment programs and providing intervention to individuals who are suffering from the disease of addiction. In addition, she has been a professor at Mercy College and Bronx Community College for twenty years. At Mercy, she is the director of a Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Certification (CASAC) program, under OASAS. She has developed and instructs substance abuse curriculum for both their graduate and undergraduate programs. In addition, she is the Associate Dean for an OASAS CASAC Program at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Deborah continuously presents papers educating the public about addiction and recovery. Her mantra is: "As I live and breathe, I will here and for ever more, champion the struggle and the challenges of addiction as well as the power and miracle of recovery."
