Our Drink: Detoxing the Perfect Family

I put off buying this book, because I knew it would feel as if I were sitting in the Volkmann's living room. Someone else sent me the book and I read it. And, yes, I felt as if I were sitting in their living room. Toren's story is arresting (pun unavoidable). It is side-by-side with his mother's memories and heartily-researched chapters. Of course she wanted to know what happened. And right next to all of her memories of Toren's teen-aged years (interspersed with solid research on teen drinking) is Toren's version itself; often divergent; and always searingly honest. My first reaction was, "Scary stuff." It is. --Those teen years when secrecy and breaking away from parents are so paramount. --When parents are trying so hard to let their teens make decisions. --When ultimately, as Our Drink so aptly points out, parents may have to wait on the other side of a no-man's-land for them to emerge, while their teens grapple with the results of their own choices and their own behavior. I read this in one sitting. Everyone connected with kids should probably have a copy and read it at whatever pace is comfortable. The dangers of binge-drinking are well-established in this book. I'm not sure binge-drinking is an epidemic or is pandemic, but if not one or the other, it may be perilously close -- among teens and on college campuses. It's not the only factor in youthful alcohol addiction, however, and the research in the book lays this out in easy-to-understand terms. We should all have a look at our heredity when it comes to imbibing. Good book. Honest. Takes you between mother and son for their views on what happened... and why.

Our Drink: Detoxifying The Perfect Family is the personal testimony of a mother and son, and the son's struggle with alcoholism. The first time she learned of her son's sickness was when he telephoned her, just a year out of college and having served the Peace Corps, with news that he'd checked himself into an alcoholism rehabilitation program. Yet the seeds of his addiction had begun long ago; he was binge drinking as early as high school, and managed to keep his worsening dependency hidden from not only his parents, but also himself. In his own words, "I thought the problem with being alcoholic was you just drank a lot. I did that just fine and things were great. No one ever said, 'Dude, you're gonna start losing your money, your memory, and above all, your longevity and tolerance... and when you stop a mean bender you're going to be a fevering, shaky, paranoid, halfwit for a day or two who can't think, sleep, even relax or eat until withdrawals are over...' That page of my D.A.R.E. book must have been ripped out." A gripping, raw, and absolute testimony, highly recommended as an educational tool to show young people the dangers of alcohol and to reveal to parents how easy it is to miss the warning signs.

I stumbled across this book at an addictions conference in Montana. I was first mesmerized by the authors (Christina and Toren Volkmann) who have such a strong belief in their work and who have exposed the agony of addiction in such an open and educational manner. The book is a roller coaster ride, from heart-warming to heart-wrenching, every gritty detail of the road to alcohol dependence laid out through raw, fresh storytelling. The plot shifts between the mother-who is forced to hear the terrible news of her 23 year old son admitting himself to a rehabilitation program-and son, who tells gripping, lively stories of the years of his young life abusing alcohol until he comes to a life-changing crossroads. The candor is fascinating. The book also switches gears many times to talk more technically about alcohol abuse and the very latest alcohol and addiction research which is affecting the way our health and addictions professionals will treat and prevent this epidemic. As an educator myself, the readability of this book mixed with the well-researched facts makes this book a very desirable tool in the worlds of psychology, sociology, addictions counseling, public health, and drug and alcohol prevention areas. I feel like we will see this book as a learning resource in academia and counseling and treatment for a long time to come. Even away from academics, the quality of writing in this masterpiece of non-fiction cannot be overstated. It is an exciting page-turner for any age, family member, or friend. A truly amazing piece of work.

it should be noted that this book is an informative page-turner that will not dissapoint! very unique in it's format of a dialogue between a mother and son; gripping in it's truth and dynamics. the style of writing is highly entertaining which differs from many other books on addiction or books that offer educational information. this book could be enjoyed equally as an informative, sometimes comedic read, or by those in search of insight individually or in academia. Similarly, would be an ideal reference for support of one's self, a family member, or peer. in the near future i would not be surprised to see this book used as a staple resource in psychology and health classes in high school and university institutes across the nation. a true MUST READ!