Unwanted: A Memoir of Addiction

Behind journalist Jenny Valentiš’s back are two decades of using psychoactive substances. After a long road of fighting addiction, she wrote her own story and examines the problem from a woman’s perspective. Drawing on the views of leading researchers, clinicians, and psychiatrists, the author looks at early signs of addictive behavior such as trauma, temperament, and impulsivity, explains why eating disorders, shopaholism, and risky sex are interchangeable with substance abuse. From her childhood in the suburbs of London and her turbulent years growing up in London’s music world, we follow Valentiš to Australia, where she experiences first-hand what it’s like to meet drug treatment clinics and Alcoholics Anonymous groups, and she reflects on whether they meet women’s needs. Valentiš is convinced: so that all women who need help can receive it, the specifics of women’s addictions must be considered in research, therapy, and social policy. This honest, candid audiobook will evoke empathy in any reader—and at the same time it can be exceptionally useful for those for whom addiction is a current topic.