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A review by emmadthompson
Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff
4.0
It's strange to me how many people disliked this book; do people know this is Nic Sheff's real life from his lived experiences? I thought his memoir was moving, uncomfortable, and thoughtful, and I appreciate his ability to put shame aside and talk so opening about his life. I can't help but want to reach through the pages and hug him. His absent mother, borderline abusive stepfather, and his father's inability to step up as a parent and not a friend, all forced him into the cruel adult world much too young. This is a heartbreaking story of someone losing their way and finding it again, as raw as can be.
Tweak was recommended to me by a friend that is a recovering addict. She said she related to his feelings and thoughts surrounding his sobriety and his using. I know her better now that I've read this, even though Nic's story is so singularly his.
If you have a loved one that is currently using or is in recovery, this book is going to be brutal for you, but brutal in a necessary way, I think. It's easy to fall into the mindset of "if they only thought about their loved ones, they wouldn't do this" or "they had no reason to use again; everything was working out for them," which are all thoughts I've certainly had while struggling with my friend's addiction. Sheff talks about how addiction is a "disease of amnesia," and puts in perspective how difficult it is to stay sober for an extended length of time.
Although I do think Sheff's writing was a bit tedious at times, and pretty repetitive in imagery, his voice is authentic and doesn't feel pretentious. It feels like I'm listening to a friend tell me about their weekend.
Tweak was recommended to me by a friend that is a recovering addict. She said she related to his feelings and thoughts surrounding his sobriety and his using. I know her better now that I've read this, even though Nic's story is so singularly his.
If you have a loved one that is currently using or is in recovery, this book is going to be brutal for you, but brutal in a necessary way, I think. It's easy to fall into the mindset of "if they only thought about their loved ones, they wouldn't do this" or "they had no reason to use again; everything was working out for them," which are all thoughts I've certainly had while struggling with my friend's addiction. Sheff talks about how addiction is a "disease of amnesia," and puts in perspective how difficult it is to stay sober for an extended length of time.
Although I do think Sheff's writing was a bit tedious at times, and pretty repetitive in imagery, his voice is authentic and doesn't feel pretentious. It feels like I'm listening to a friend tell me about their weekend.