I’m very excited to announce the publication of the Drinking to Distraction book!
This short memoir is a collection of my thoughts and experiences, from the days when I wondered (sometimes aloud, but mostly to myself) whether or not I was an alcoholic, to my decision to quit and those awkward early days, and finally to my discovery of meditation and learning to become more comfortable with discomfort.
It was important for me to write and publish this book mostly because it is the one I looked for all those years, when I read every alcoholism memoir I could find, hoping to find some glimpse of myself, some instruction manual to tell me what to do. I never found the book I was looking for; instead I found dramatic tales that ended with the author hitting bottom and going to rehab, which made me think I was alone in my experience as a grey-area drinker.
After starting the Drinking to Distraction blog more than 3 years ago, however, I realized I was never alone. There are many of us who chose to stop drinking, not necessarily because alcohol had caused us to lose control over our lives, but because it took away from our lives in more subtle ways, ways we couldn’t totally appreciate until after we made that fearful decision to leave it behind. And there are many, many more of us still struggling with this decision; I’ve received countless emails from readers and I can feel their pain, confusion, and anticipation. Writing about my experience and connecting with all of you has been essential to my recovery. Bringing this important conversation out in the open seems to me the only way to help ourselves and others.
I invite you to check out Drinking to Distraction here. Right now it’s only available through Lulu.com in paperback but soon it will be available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBookstore both electronically and in hard copy.
As always, thank you for reading!
I’m so proud of you jenna how amazing that you are doing this. you are doing this! Way to be true to yourself, carry on your purpose, and pass on your wisdom! I hope you take a deep breath and salute yourself, your heart, you did it!!
Thank you, Jennifer! Your support has been so helpful. xo
I am thrilled to hear of your accomplishment though I hope this doesn’t mean you’ll stop writing your blog. I like the term “grey area drinker”. Did you coin that? It’s nice to have a name to call myself and I like the fact that it clearly implies that you don’t have to be black or white, since so few things are. I do most of my reading on an iPad so when your book is available on the iBookstore I will plan on downloading it. Congratulations again.
Thanks, Dawa. I will keep writing, though I’ll be splitting my time between Drinking to Distraction and my new venture (which you can read about at http://www.eat2love.com, if you’re interested). I’m not sure who coined the term “gray-area drinker.” I’ve been saying it for years but have heard it more and more lately. It might have been a group effort! I’ll keep you posted as far as when the book is available to download. Thanks, as always, for reading!
Congratulations Jenna; We’re so proud of you! This was one of the major accomplishments you wanted to complete in 2013. Here you are; and don’t stop writing. It’s one of your many gifts.
Now on to Eat2Love!!!!!!
Thank you both. I don’t know where I would be without you. xo
How exciting that you have written this book and given it to the Universe! I am one of those people that struggled for years with alcohol – but no one from the outside would have guessed. Your blog has been a great support, and I’m excited to read your book! I am 61, stopped drinking five months ago, and am so grateful that I can live my retired life without alcohol. Without my meditation practice I don’t think I would ever have seen that this was an option. Our thinking and our minds can be such a trap. Thank you – and congratulations on your accomplishment!!
Thank you, Susan, and congratulations to you! I agree that thinking can sometimes lead us astray. As someone who “lives in her head,” I’m trying to connect more and more with my heart these days. Thank you for sharing your experience and for reading. Much love.
I have been drinking for about 25 years mostly daily and some times over. I want come out of it, any suggestions? what will happened? I read some things online like you can die from it so want it to check with you friends.
Dear Kristina:
It depends on a lot of variables. If your body is dependent on alcohol, then yes, it is possible to have a life-threatening withdrawal syndrome when you quit. I would talk to your doctor or a counselor to make sure that you get the help you need.
Best,
Jenna
I’m looking forward to reading it. Congratulations on completing your book.
Thanks, Mark!
Jenna, I’ve been a covert fan of your blog for the last year and a half. I must express my gratitude to you for illuminating that there are vastly different styles of addiction than the usual stereotypes. I’ve been to recovery groups and, like you, have felt the effects of drinking on me were so different than many of the others that it was tough for me to feel part of the group. And I strongly concur with the belief that although I’ve not had the catastrophic misfortunes of others dealing with addiction (I would be a “high bottom”, too), my struggle with it can still be very painful – each instance of addiction is deeply personal. My copy of the book arrived today – I look forward to reading it as well.
Dear Rich:
Thank you for sharing your experience. We are not alone. I hope you enjoy the book!
Best,
Jenna
So far so good. I’m enjoying the book very much. Sounds like we had a lot in common in our drinking days. Thanks for your insight and continued success in living a life of sobriety one day at a time. Be well. D
Loving this book. You and I had a lot in common in our drinking days. Many blessings to you! Continued success. David
Hi there, after reading this amazing piece of
writing i am as well happy to share my knowledge here with colleagues.