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It's not an easy read, and there were times the author's self-doubt really wore on me, but it's SO REAL. And so relatable, whether you're an addict or not. It's not a story of never drinking again and life being magically perfect. It's a story of an addict's struggles and triumphs, and how the wins often look like absolutely ordinary moments. I also find many of those who have been able to overcome an addiction go on to live happier and more fulfilled lives than many of those who never experienced such challenges. They are often people who are more self aware, and have more gratitude for the profound beauty in the simplicity of daily life.
Being in a relationship with a person with an addiction can feel soul destroying, as the destructive behaviour can erode the trust in a relationship and cause long-lasting damage, I am pleased that Bryony was able to overcome it and turn things around between her and her partner. In soul-baring flashes to the past, to recovery and to life after getting sober, Gordon paints the reader a picture of the height of her addiction, and echoes so many messages we've heard so often - I'm not an alcoholic, *I* couldn't possibly quit drinking, going to rehab only happens to OTHER people... I guess I'm left with thinking who is this for? Clearly addicts or alcoholics won't be reading this type of book, or probably any, they have other things to be doing with their time, as the book makes clear. Those in recovery hopefully will have their own programme, sponsors, mentors etc. who can more actively support their recovery journey. Perhaps for those impacted by addiction will get the most out of it, gain an understanding from the other side. Living with an addict in your life is so tough I hope this book offers some comfort. Bryony Gordon is a respected journalist, a number one best-selling author and an award-winning mental health campaigner. She is also an alcoholic.This memoir isn't reflective of my story, but like most books about alcohol prove, it could easily have been. Reading it reaffirmed my decision to go alcohol-free (16 months and counting! ✨) and whether you're sober, sober curious or think you'll never be THAT person who needs to give up the sauce forever, I urge you to read this book. PDF / EPUB File Name: No_Such_Thing_as_Normal__From_the_author_o_-_Bryony_Gordon.pdf, No_Such_Thing_as_Normal__From_the_author_o_-_Bryony_Gordon.epub I knew, almost immediately, that me and booze did not get on as we should. But its power to briefly make me feel ‘normal’ was too strong, and so I stuffed this knowledge down beyond several layers of denial. Life was easier that way, until it wasn’t.
Bryony Gordon is a respected journalist, a number-one bestselling author and an award-winning mental health campaigner. She is also an alcoholic. Bryony Gordon is a terrific, compassionate writer whose razor-sharp honesty slices through every sentence of this compelling memoir.’ Liz DayIt is when she contrives to invite a near-stranger to her house for drink and drugs while her young daughter is sleeping upstairs, that she realises she needs help. She can no longer abide by the meagre boundaries she has set for herself. I wanted to shake everyone, ‘DRINK’ I wanted to shout, “you’re allowed to drink so why aren’t you drinking properly!’” I appreciate books written by people who are authentic and honest, with life experience, Bryony is an earnest writer, I could hear it in the emotion of her voice when she was narrating her book on Audible.
This is a good book for anybody with an addiction, overcoming an addiction, or having been involved with someone with an addiction. But the problem was that I had no idea how to live without alcohol, no sure confidence that there was life beyond booze. It was only the intervention of a sober friend, who took me to some Twelve Step meetings, that allowed me to see the possibility of a life without alcohol, one day at a time. I met other people like me. I saw that I had an illness, and a pretty common one at that. I took myself to rehab. It was hard beyond belief. But I reminded myself that it was no harder than the alternative, which was losing everything.
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Bryony’s voice becoming nearly hysterical throughout the narration was a bit much, not because it was gratuitous but simply because her high pitched, highly dramatic delivery was unpleasant to my ears.
However, I can’t help but wonder if she is bipolar which caused her alcoholism and cocaine use to become so extreme. One day we had to lie down on a giant piece of paper and let someone draw an outline around our bodies with a marker. Then we had an hour to fill in said outline, in a way that represented how we were feeling. As I painted my body with glitter, purely because it looked nice, I wondered if I was taking part in an elaborate con. But nothing was as it seemed on the surface in rehab. There was a deeper reason for everything. I was told that the glitter perhaps showed a person who was keen to hide their true self behind a sparkly front. ‘That’s way too obvious,’ I laughed, secretly annoyed that I was so obvious.” The truth is, I decided to stop drinking because if I didn’t, I was going to die. I was going to die either by accident – falling off a balcony or down a flight of stairs or choking on my own vomit. Or I was going to die on purpose, by actively making the decision to kill myself. Or – absolutely worst of all – I was going to die very slowly, by living in only the most literal of senses, my so-called life tiny and toxic, a Groundhog Day of misery and anxiety. I stopped drinking because I wanted to start living. With the support of her husband, family and friends, she undergoes a rehabilitation programme and, through the book, she takes us through that process. It's a fascinating, revealing, moving and compelling account. Known for her trademark honesty, Bryony relives the darkest and most terrifying moments of her addiction, never shying away from the fact that alcoholism robs you of your ability to focus on your family, your work, your health, your children, yourself. And then, a chink of light as the hard work begins – rehab; AA meetings; endless, tedious, painful self-reflection – a roller-coaster ride through self-acceptance, friendship, love and hope, to a joy and pride in staying sober that her younger self could never have imagined.
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The term “mental health awareness” is bandied about in such a facile way to the point where it’s lost all meaning, but Bryony genuinely does raise awareness of incredibly debilitating and life changing conditions. Before I got sober, I had no idea it was possible to like myself, or respect myself, or wake up every morning and just get up and be without first having to go through my phone to see who I needed to apologise to. Before I got sober, I had no idea that it was possible to live a life in which the world doesn’t constantly feel like it’s going to end.
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