“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

How One Book Changed My Life: From Addiction and Depression to Hope and Growth

If you had met me a couple of years ago, you probably wouldn’t have recognized me as the person I am today.

Back then, I was drowning in addiction.

Drinking almost every day. Smoking like a chimney. I did everything to numb feelings I didn’t even want to face.

Depression had me in a chokehold.

I was stuck in this cycle of trying to feel better, but I was only making things worse.

Photo by the author on Instagram

I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers. Khalil Gibran

I didn’t see a way out, and honestly, I wasn’t even sure I deserved one.

Then, one random day, everything changed. This is how one book changed my Life

It wasn’t some big event or life-altering moment. It was just me stumbling across a book at my local library that shifted everything for me.

Now mind you, I wasn’t looking for it, and it wasn’t looking for me, but somehow, that book ended up in my hands, and my life hasn’t been the same since.

The book was Healing What You Can’t Erase by Christopher Cook.

I wasn’t a big reader at the time, but I started flipping through it out of boredom.

The first few pages hit me like a punch in the gut. It was like the author was talking directly to me, calling me out on my excuses, my self-doubt, and the way I was running from my problems instead of facing them.

One of the first lessons I learned from the book was this: you’re not stuck unless you choose to be.

That blew my mind because I had spent so much time blaming my situation—my childhood, my environment, my pain—for why I couldn’t change.

But the book made me realize that while those things were real and valid, they didn’t have to define me forever.

I could choose something different. Later on, that month, I stopped at the library, and another book caught my eyes, which was Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown.

And I’ll be honest—I almost didn’t read it because the cover kinda looked corny, but it was a 7-day loan, so I figured, hey, “Why not?”

To my surprise, it was a fun read. Both of these books talked about habits and how they shape our lives. and they made me see how my drinking and smoking weren’t just bad habits—they were coping mechanisms.

In other words, I wasn’t dealing with my emotions; I was burying them.

That realization hurt, but it was the first step toward change.

I tried going cold turkey overnight, but that didn’t last. I relapsed very shortly. So I did the next best thing and seek help. And that’s when I started going to these Twelve Steps program and seminars, with their support, I started to make small, but transcendent shifts.

Instead of immersing myself in these vices to deal with stress, and the burden of being a human being, I replaced these habits with skillful, positive habits. For example, I’d go on walks with the kids when I feel the urge to smoke or bottoms up, I’d breathe deeply and remind myself why I wanted to quit.

Healing What You Can’t Erase taught me that change isn’t about being perfect—it’s about progress, having the courage to stand alone and being true to oneself.

Another thing it taught me was the importance of self-worth.

I didn’t think much of myself back then.

I figured I was just a screw-up who wasn’t going to amount to much. But the book challenged me to see myself differently.

Photo by the author on Threads

It asked, “What if you’re more than your mistakes?

What if you’re worth fighting for?”

That question stuck with me, and slowly, I started to believe it.

Over time, I began building healthier routines.

I begin reading more books, I spent less time with those who weren’t ready to give up on these vices, I steered clear from drama, gossiping, instead I’d journaled my thoughts, and minding my damn business.

It wasn’t easy in the beginning, but the more I put these disciplines into practice, the easier it gets, to mind my own business, and setting healthy boundaries.

The book taught me to forgive myself and keep moving forward.

Now, a couple of years later, I’m not perfect, but I’m proud of the man I’m becoming. I don’t drink anymore, apart from a few glasses of wine here and there, and I’ve also quit smoking! going three years strong now.

My depression is something I manage instead of letting it control me.

That book lit a fire in me, but I had to do the work to keep it burning.

If you’re in a dark place right now, I want you to know something: you’re not alone, and you’re not stuck. Change is possible, even if it feels out of reach. Always keep that in mind.

Sometimes, all it takes is one small step—one book, like Malcolm X would say, one conversation, and one moment of clarity—to get you started.

For me, that step was picking up a random book that ended up saving my life. For you, it might be something different but trust me when I tell you this: Your life can change, too.

Just take that first step.