CHASING THE HIGH: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Substance Abuse (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative) - Softcover

MOSS, Kyle

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195314727 ISBN 13: 9780195314724

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Kyle Keegan was like many teenagers: eager to fit in at school, he experimented with alcohol and drugs. Soon, his abuse of these substances surpassed experimentation and became a ruthless addiction to heroin that nearly destroyed his life.

Now in recovery, Keegan tells his remarkable story in Chasing the High. Starting with the early days of alcohol and drug use, Keegan charts his decline into crime and homelessness as his need for heroin surpassed all thoughts of family and friends, of right and wrong. He then goes on to use these experiences to offer guidance and practical advice to other young people who may be struggling with substance abuse. In straightforward, easy-to-understand language and along with the psychiatric expertise of Howard Moss, MD, Keegan discusses what is known about the neurobiology of addiction in young people, how to seek treatment, and how to get the most out of professional help. He also covers such topics as therapies which are used to combat addiction, how to talk to families and friends about substance abuse, and how to navigate risky situations. Both an absorbing memoir and a useful resource for young people.

Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, Chasing the High offers hope to young people who are struggling with substance abuse, helping them to overcome its challenges and to go on to lead healthy, productive lives.

About this title

About the Author

Kyle Keegan is a professional diver. He lives in New York with his wife and daughters.
Howard B. Moss, MD, is Associate Director for Clinical and Translational Research with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health.

Reviews

“The real truth about the worst seems like the best place to start.” From a harrowing night on a rooftop, gravely ill and in withdrawal, Keegan tracks back through his young-adult years spent addicted to drugs, primarily heroin. Now clean and sober in his early thirties, Keegan remembers with dark honesty his slide from experimentation to addiction. This title is more than just a memoir, however. Coauthored with a psychiatrist and produced in conjunction with the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative, a program of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, the book provides a wealth of up-to-date information about the neurobiology of addiction and explains why teens are at a higher risk for drug abuse than are adults. Detailed descriptions of rehab and recovery approaches and lists of resources for further help are also included, while short excerpts from other addiction memoirs add to Keegan’s wrenching story. Teens struggling with addiction are directly addressed, but the publisher is marketing the book to the adults in their lives who are trying to help them. --Gillian Engberg

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195314727
• ISBN 13: 9780195314724
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 170