Book description
Here the many sides to addiction are explored in stories which, though
often raw and at times heart-breaking, are bound together by their
courage, honesty, hope and resolve. Each one recognises the power of
openness in emerging from the dark shadow cast by addiction. In looking
to a brighter day, they assert the loudly and clearly that, even when we
feel at our most isolated, we are never alone. Help is at hand. With
contributions from well-known public figures who have struggled with
addiction, including Paul McGrath, Ben Dunne, singer Mary Coughlan and
Oisin McConville, the accounts are interspersed with the thoughtful
reflections of addiction therapist Frances Black on many themes of
recovery. You Are Not Alone is a book that will give hope and practical
advice to the hundreds of thousands of Irish people out there whose
lives have been affected by addiction. France's Black's childhood home
had a constant soundtrack of traditional and contemporary Irish music.
Born in Dublin's Liberties, she became well-known when she began touring
with her family's music group, The Black Family, of which her sister
Mary was also a member. She joined the band Arcady in 1988 and then went
on to have a highly successful career as a solo artist, with her first
solo album spending eight weeks at the number one spot in the Irish
charts. A recovered alcoholic who has been publicly vocal on the subject
of addiction, Frances qualified as an addiction therapist in 2004, and
established The RISE Foundation - a charity that aims to help the
families of addicts - in 2008. Frances lives in Dublin with her husband
and children.
