Best 9 Books For Spouses Of Addicts

1. Addict in the Family

By Beverly Conyers

Addict in the Family is a book about the pain of addiction, but more importantly it is a book of comfort, understanding, and hope for anyone struggling with a loved one’s addiction.

As the compelling personal stories reveal, family members do not cause their loved one’s addiction—nor can they control or cure it.

What family members can do is find support, set boundaries, detach with love, and eventually discover how to enjoy life more fully. This book helps them do just that—whether the loved one achieves recovery or not.

2. When Your Partner Has an Addiction

By Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Beverly Engel

The research proves that, while you cannot “fix” your partner, you can have a positive impact on their recovery. Whether you suffer from codependency, and whether your partner is already in recovery, When Your Partner Has an Addiction provides you with proven techniques and strategies to drastically improve your relationship and help get your partner the help he needs—without leaving and while taking care of yourself in the process.

3. Addict in the House

By Robin Barnett EdD LCSW

Written by an expert in alcohol and drug addiction and recovery, this no-nonsense guide will help you understand the causes of addiction, end enabling behaviors, support your loved one’s recovery, and learn how to cope with relapses.

With this revealing and straightforward book, you’ll have the support you need to take an honest look at how addiction has affected the family, cope with the emotional hurdles of having an addicted family member, create and maintain firm boundaries, and make informed decisions about how to best help your loved one.

4. You’re Not Crazy – You’re Codependent.

By Jeanette Elisabeth Menter

Find out how codependency has created life-long challenges such as endless guilt, anxiety, perfectionism, need to control, depression, and a history of dysfunctional relationships.

Learn how to break free and create the life you were always meant to have.

Note: this book contains references to God/Higher Power.

5. Loving Someone in Recovery

By Beverly Berg MFT PhD

In her book, therapist Beverly Berg offers powerful tools for the partners of recovering addicts.

Based in mindfulness, attachment theory, and neurobiology, this book will help readers sustain emotional stability in their relationships, increase effective communication, establish boundaries, and take real steps toward reigniting intimacy.

6. If You Loved Me, You’d Stop!

By Lisa Frederiksen

This book helps those who are struggling with a drinking problem understand what has happened to them and what they can do to change and/or treat it.

It can also help family members whose loved ones have an opioid or other drug use disorder.

7. Intimate Deception

By Dr. Sheri Keffer

Drawing from her experience both as a marriage and family therapist and a woman who personally experienced the devastation of sexual betrayal, Dr. Sheri Keffer walks women impacted by betrayal through the pain and toward recovery.

She explains how the trauma of betrayal affects our minds, bodies, spirits, and sexuality.

She offers practical tools for dealing with emotional triggers and helps women understand the realities of sexual addiction. And she shows women how to practice self-care, develop healthy boundaries, protect themselves from abuse or manipulation, and find freedom from the burden of shame and guilt.

8. A Couple’s Guide to Sexual Addiction

By Paldrom Catharine Collins

A Couple’s Guide to Sexual Addiction discusses common relationship issues within the context of sexual addiction and provides the reader with exercises, information, and advice on the following topics:

• Trust
• Communication
• Healthy sexuality & sexual behaviors
• Family

9. Loving an Addict, Loving Yourself

By Candace Plattor

This Workbook will show you how your life can improve by helping you to understand what will and won’t work in your relationship with your addicted loved one–and in your relationship with yourself.