Clean: A New Generation in Recovery Speaks Out

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has a young family member or a loved one with an addiction. The Author does an excellent job expressing and explaining the life of the afflicted in a way anyone can understand. If he can overcome the obstacles/addictions in his life than so can most anyone. This is a must read for those who seek hope for their addictions and it will provide hope for their families as well. I have a new found empathy for the struggles of an addict/alcoholic, and a new found hope for them too.

An outstanding book for the addicted and for the families and loved ones of the addicted. I can only speak personally for the families and friends of those affected by addiction. This story makes you realize that only the addicted person can get themselves clean and into recovery. Family and friends can only love them - and then provide support to them AFTER they admit their addiction AND when they are actively involved in their recovery program. Anything family members and loved ones do before this only ENABLES the addict to continue their active destructive addiction.

EXCELLENT BOOK! "CLEAN: A New Generation in Recovery Speaks Out" is a highly-recommended, well-written, informative, MUST-READ for anyone struggling with addiction, as well as family members, friends, and loved ones of those affected by addiction. Chris Beckman, a former cast member of MTV's Real World:Chicago, shares his journey through addiction to recovery with refreshing frankness and honesty. In addition to Beckman's story, "Clean" also contains accounts of other young people dealing with addiction. "Clean is also filled with an abundance of useful facts, resources, and websites. Topics include: * Risk factors for addiction * The Substances * Side Effects * Finding Help * Recovery * Health Most importantly, "Clean" is filled with HOPE. Chris Beckman's story and others prove that addictions can be overcome, and recovery is definitely possible and achievable. DON'T WAIT -- GET "CLEAN" TODAY!!

Chris Beckman writes honestly and beautifully about addiction, recovery, and being young. Clean: A New Generation in Recovery Speaks Out manages to be entertaining and accessible without glossing over harsh stories and sad facts. This is something that needs to be talked about more often. Clean is a very compelling read all around.

I have just finished reading Clean for the second time. I went through it twice to make sure I saw the factual material as well as just the basic interest in hearing about Mr. Beckman's story. As a professional therapist, I can highly recommend that this book will well serve two specific populations, at a minimum. I think that it is a "must read" for parents today. While the treatment paradigms for recovery are structured the same; I think parents need to know the reality of the disease of addictions. Not what they think they know, but what someone like their sons and daughters see or have experienced. To be frank, living today is not the life of your parents. In essence, an "eye openner" for their denial. This book relates well across all groups and strata as a source of accurate and graphic information. The use of Chris's life and the vignettes of other recovering addicts is a basic draw to the reading. While you may chuckle at the fact that a certain person sat in a garden talking to a gnome; it is a reality that we must face. I say a "must read" because we can not afford to be blind any longer to the potential destruction caused by addictive behaviors. Second, I think this should become another reference in bibliotherapy for all who work with and are recovering from addictions. I agree with the author when he states it is not for the addict in denial, and I also hope that it does not get pushed aside because the specifics of his own history may not match everyone with an addicition. The theme he discusses is universal, and it's appeal is universal in shedding some light on a subject that we need to understand and treat. It is raw reality and emotions. It is a walk throgh the process of getting lost because you need something, and then realizing you sold everything and don't have an answer. Congratulations on sharing your wounds, Chris, because those will awaken the parents and the public alike to knowing about this epidemic behavior. If we start to see it as a disease, then we might move forward to healing.