I recently read Between Breaths by Elizabeth Vargas and I highly recommend it.
For those not familiar with the book, Elizabeth Vargas is a reporter for ABC’s news magazine 20/20. She has also anchored the ABC Evening News and Good Morning America during various times in her career.
While she has had tremendous success, she has also battled panic attacks her whole life and is a recovering alcoholic.
In the book, she is brutally honest about her numerous stints in rehab and her many failed attempts to stay sober.
Many times I found myself rooting for her to get and stay sober, then only a few pages later to read about her relapse and next attempt at a different treatment facility.
The book is a great account of a woman who is professionally very successful, yet struggles with sobriety.
It is also a revealing look at how people who struggle with panic issues can lean on alcohol to help with the anxiety.
While many people may use drinking to overcome these uncomfortable feelings, Vargas gives you a deep dive into what happens when this causal relationship with alcohol turns into dependence.
Another wonderful aspect of Between Breaths is it is a very simple and straightforward read.
You can clearly tell that Vargas, who wrote the book herself, is a journalist. Never once do you feel lost in the story. It’s touching and personal, but not challenging to follow the string of events, as some memoirs can be.
I’ll be honest, I was a little skeptical when I started the book.
I had heard Vargas on 20/20 talk publicly about getting sober. Then I heard just a few months later when she went back to rehab.
Will this time be different? Will she come out with this book only to relapse again?
I realized as I read, that was a very judgmental stand.
Will Between Breaths be any less true if she does struggle in the future and relapses again? In my opinion-absolutely not. Addiction is a disease.
Once you’re sober, the story doesn’t end with a nice little bow.
In fact, your story has only begun. This book demonstrates that point beautifully.
If you are or have struggled with addiction I think you will really relate to this book.
If you know someone who has struggled, Between Breaths may help you see the cycle of recovery and relapse from a different point of view.
And for those few that still believe addiction only happens to the weak or careless- please read this book.
It depicts how a driven woman with a family and a wonderful career painfully struggled, fought, and eventually got her life back.
