Review by Leah39 -- Ripcord Recovery by T.T. Sawyer

[Leah39]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Ripcord Recovery" by T.T. Sawyer.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Recovery is different for everyone, and Ripcord Recovery by T.T. Sawyer is one man’s story of what works for him. After 22 years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, he experiences a devastating relapse. Getting back into treatment is the easy part, but he describes a daily struggle with fears of relapse holding him back from living his life. Despite doing everything right, he still feels as though he is teetering on the verge of relapse or worse. Hearing about the suicide of his only media idol, he knows something has to change and takes matters into his own hands. After doing some Internet research, he finds a solution in marijuana. He talks about his rationale and ground rules. According to the author, this method has worked for three years, gotten him through major stressors, and contributed to spiritual awakenings.

As someone who has worked in the field of substance use treatment, I always find it uplifting when someone is able to triumph over an addiction. I like the positive tone of the author’s writing. Something that I especially like about the book is that the author seems to incorporate things he learns from a lot of his experiences, like AA meetings, corporate trainings, prior careers, and hobbies like skydiving. I think being able to learn from very different sources can help broaden a foundation and provide wider perspectives.

Something that I dislike about the book is that it has a tendency to portray marijuana as a magical cure-all. While he doesn’t get into detail about what options he tried in the past to treat what sounds like depression and/or anxiety, he jumps into trying marijuana over using other options like CBD, which gives similar results without the high. While claiming he is using medical marijuana, he also says he is a “self-designated medical marijuana patient,” and is “acting as my own doctor.” These are concerning statements to hear from a person who is in recovery. There are clear signs of rationalization throughout the book, such as “God invented marijuana. Maybe this plant isn’t the demon seed I was raised to believe it was.” Along those lines, opium, coca leaves, and psychedelic mushrooms should be okay as well because they’re natural. Just because drugs are natural, doesn’t mean they can’t be abused. To the person who is struggling with an addiction and looking for a reason to escape how they are feeling through a drug, this book could give them the push towards relapse. The author tells us that his story starts with beer and marijuana. So logically, picking up marijuana, especially when he’s self-prescribing, probably isn’t the best idea.

I give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. There are a lot of spelling and grammar issues, and it needs better editing. The story is a quick read that took about an hour. It is interesting, although the premise of the author’s theory is based on anecdotal evidence and blogs, rather than clinical evidence. Medical marijuana can be helpful for many conditions, but in the states where it is legal, alcoholism or addiction is not one of the conditions it is approved to treat. While the story is uplifting, it can also be used to rationalize a relapse. This story is a better example of harm reduction than it is of sobriety and abstinence, and I think it can ultimately do more harm than good if promoted as a means of attaining sobriety, which is why I assigned it the rating I did.

There is no profanity or sexual content in the book, but there is mention of substance use. The author refrains from sharing the specific details of his past addiction, and focuses more on his emotional and mental state while trying to work on his recovery. He discusses his emotional difficulties and thought process throughout his time in recovery. This book would be appropriate for adults. If you are sober, I would suggest making sure you are secure in your recovery, since this book may make it tempting to relapse on marijuana.

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Ripcord Recovery
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[Diana Lowery]

I also reviewed this book, and I liked reading your review especially since you have worked in the field of addiction recovery. It was interesting to see the book from your perspective.

[djr6090]

Thank you for your insights. I have always felt nervousness when a new recovery book hypes the benefits of a quick fix. Therein lies madness.