High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction

224 Pages·2019·19.07 MB·English

by  David Sheff

Contents
Title Page
Contents
Authors’ Note
Copyright
Dedication
One Hit, One Drink
Nic’s Story and Why We Wrote This Book
America on Drugs
Choosing to Use
Your Brain on Drugs
Keeping Sane
Just Say Know
Alcohol: Just One Drink
Marijuana: Hits And Myths
Chapter Eight: Pain Pills and Other Prescription Drugs
Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, and Other Illegal Drugs
Addiction
Use, Abuse, and Addiction
Addiction Is a Family Problem
Chapter Twelve: Drug-Free: Treatment, Relapse, and Recovery
Afterword
Father and Son: A Conversation
Appendix 1: Addictionary
Appendix 2: Resources
Appendix 3: Helpful Books
Acknowledgments
Credits
Index
Also Available by David Sheff
About the Authors
Connect with HMH on Social Media
AUTHORS’ NOTE
Over the years we researched High, many people shared their stories. Some spoke
under the condition that we use only their first names or pseudonyms. We’re deeply
grateful to all of them, named or not, for their willingness to speak to us and their desire
to help others. Similarly, we report on visits to treatment programs that allowed us onto
the premises only under the condition that neither they nor their patients be identified.
Several passages in High are reprinted from Clean by David Sheff (Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt).
Copyright © 2019 by David Sheff and Nic Sheff
All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this
book, write to [email protected] or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York
10016.
hmhbooks.com
Illustrations © 2019 by Victor Ochoa
Cover design and illustration by Lisa Vega
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Sheff, David, author. | Sheff, Nic, author. Title: High : everything you want to
know about drugs, alcohol, and addiction / by David Sheff and Nic Sheff. Description:
Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, [2018] Identifiers: LCCN 2017061507 (print) |
LCCN 2018002129 (ebook) | ISBN 9781328530608 (eBook) | ISBN 9780544644342
(hardcover)
Subjects: LCSH: Drug abuse—Juvenile literature. | Drug abuse—Treatment—Juvenile
literature. | Substance abuse—Juvenile literature. | Substance abuse—Treatment—
Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC HV5809.5 (ebook) | LCC HV5809.5 .S435
2018 (print) | DDC 616.86—dc23 | LC record available at
https://lccn.loc.gov/2017061507
This book includes information about a variety of topics related to the treatment and
prevention of addiction and the treatment of mental illness. The ideas, procedures, and
suggestions contained in this book are not intended to replace the services of a trained
professional. All matters regarding the diagnosis and treatment of addiction and mental
illness require medical supervision. This book does not endorse or recommend any
specific treatment program or facility. The author and publisher disclaim responsibility
for any adverse effects resulting directly or indirectly from information contained in this
book.
v1.1218
This book is dedicated to you—whoever’s struggling
with growing up, which means just about everyone.

One Hit, One Drink
· · · · · ·

Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you
finally feel it. —PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE TO HARRY POTTER
IN HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE BY J. K. ROWLING