Addicted to an Addict: Your Life Matters Too by Suna Spry is written for anyone who loves an addict. It aims to help the reader discover and live his or her best life despite the addiction.

Part 1 discusses seven truths about addicts that you need to accept to find your own peace of mind. Although this section was informative, I would have liked to have had access to the author’s sources used to compile the list. 

Knowing that the author was herself in the position of loving an addict was helpful in tearing down the barriers between them and us. Anyone can find themselves in this situation. It’s what you do about it that matters. The first part includes a questionnaire to help you see that you are in a relationship with an addict.

Part 2 is about taking action. Loving an addict will cause you to do things that don’t benefit anyone in any way. It’s time to take back your control and stop repeating those behaviors. Through a series of pointed questions and the aid of select UK resources, the author shows how you can do just that. 

Part 3 talks about obstacles that you might encounter on your way to creating your best life. Grief, uncertainty, fear, and unhealthy behaviors can hold you back. Instead, the author encourages you to replace these emotions with forgiveness, courage, and positivity. 

In the Introduction, the author talks about Part 1, but not about the other parts of the book. In fact, parts 2 and 3 only have one main chapter. The Gratitude chapter in Part 3 is an acknowledgments page. It should be classified accordingly. The ending seems a bit abrupt as well. I would have liked a recap of the main takeaway points before being encouraged to contact the author to set up a life coaching session. 

As an appendix, perhaps there could be a list of places to go for help, hotlines, and support groups, both physical and online. Maybe the author’s suggestions could be more defined too, either in the appendix or within the chapters. For example, The Archangel Michael cards are mentioned. What are they? How do they work in this case? Could the reader see this in action?

Being in a relationship with an addict myself, this book resonated with me in a way that it might not for someone else.

I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery. You can read my review here.