Love and Kisses from My Padded Cell by Ellie Katz

The Synopsis:

Destruction By One’s Own Hand
What is the difference between an addiction and a habit? Anyone with strong particular affinities might well wonder if these urges are a source of danger. Addicts are willing to do anything to scratch their psychic itch. Those around them gape in horror at the ease with which addicts compromise their sanity, good name and fortune.
˃˃˃ Mishaps and Failures And Mind Boggling Compulsions
In Love and Kisses from My Padded Cell, Dr. Ellie Katz recounts the struggles of ten men and women who fell victim to the irresistible draw of addiction. There is no lack of tragedy, pathos or remorse, but there is also a hint of comedy as we explore the lives of people who have run counter to their true essences and behaved like genuine jackasses.
˃˃˃ The hero in each of these tales is not the rehab counselor nor the Twelve-Step Program
The addict is the hero and the addiction is the villain, or maybe they are both the villain. But more than anything else, Love and Kisses from My Padded Cell is about the hope that by sharing these stories other sufferers will be inspired to seek ”” and perhaps even find ”” a better way.

I received a copy of this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Review:

When I first got this book, I had some trepidation. Addictions can have some interesting implications, and I wasn’t quite sure where this book was going to take it. I ended up quite pleased with the results.

This book recounts the pasts of several addicts who had gone through rehab and told Ellie their story. There are several common themes of rape, molestation, verbal and emotional abuse, and absent parents. Ellie deals with some extreme and mature content, and there are a few occurrences of language, but these things weren’t offensive. They made it feel real and authentic.

The realness of this book is what made me enjoy reading it. It is so easy to look at addicts and write them off, because why would anyone intentionally use drugs, self-harm, or alcohol to solve their problems? Hearing their stories, all of which were heartbreaking, made their choices understandable. Were they good choices? No, but they all had good reasons for looking to these less-than-ideal solutions.

Another thing that struck me while reading this was the importance that we as individuals have on those around us. Oftentimes, when these people found one person who truly cared about them, they were able to take the steps to recovery. This is why, as Believers, it is so important to engage with people who come from all walks of life – you never know whose life you might save.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It opened my eyes to a completely different way of life and enabled me to have compassion on people who are suffering in this way. Ellie did a wonderful job telling these stories in a way that held them responsible for their decisions without condemning them.