The Fox – In the Shadow of Intoxication

Anneli Särnblad Pederson

Softcover, 236 pages

Her future prospects looked bright. As a member of parliament and with friends and family who cared, it couldn't get much better, many thought. Inside Molly, however, there was chaos, which she had managed for a long time with alcohol and pills. Finally, she fell. Hard. Soon she found herself in a treatment center, far from Stockholm life and the parliament seat. " The Fox - In the Shadow of Addiction" by Anneli Särnblad Pederson is a partly self-experienced story that is now being published by Förlagshuset Siljans Måsar.

She falls from a great height. And hard.

Molly surrenders to her alcohol and pill addiction. She has reached the bottom of the abyss and finally asks for help. Even though many in her family and circle of friends consider her knowledgeable and have succeeded in many things, she feels like a complete failure. The alcohol and pills were the solution. She thought so. Soon she finds herself in a treatment center, far from her seat in the Riksdag building.

The road to a life without addiction is long and bumpy. At the treatment center, she is forced to be honest with herself, and the meetings with the other siblings of the accident give her perspective on her life. The challenge for all of them is to dare to look the truth in the eye, let go of shame, forgive and start loving themselves, with their faults and shortcomings – where the difficult thing is not to take the last drink, but to never take the first again.

Despite all the books and TV shows that are made about addictive diseases, the guilt and shame surrounding addiction still live on in society. The story has elements of first-hand experiences, and the author hopes that the book will contribute to more discussions about the disease.

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Votes about the book:

"A strange feeling of emptiness combined with joy came over me when the book was over. Emptiness that I wouldn't be hanging out with Molly anymore and joy at the turn her life seemed to take."

"The Fox in the Shadow of Addiction is a partly self-experienced book but with fictional elements. We get to accompany Molly to a treatment center where she will try to break free from her addiction to alcohol and strong pills. But she also has to work a lot on her self-esteem and being honest with herself."

"Anneli Särnblad Pederson tells the story with great empathy and it is very difficult to put the book down. She highlights the problems with our view of alcohol in a very good way. I myself do not drink beer, wine or spirits for the simple reason that I do not think it is good. But every time I meet new people they always nag me and I have to explain why I do not drink."

"I think it's a very good book for a book club. It's definitely a topic we need to talk about more openly."

"A book written so directly, so shaken that it goes straight to the heart, but also starts up the brain. It gives the aftertaste of "I can do something for someone else". It shows the harsh truth, but also gives hope that it is possible to change the situation. Everything does not depend only on the people with the disease, it also depends on us who are around. We must give each other love, security and thus hope! Read it and let it lead you further to dare to see the reality around you. Read it!"

"About the book The Fox in the Shadow of Addiction by Anneli Sörnblad Pedersen: A strong story and reading experience that touches both heart and brain. The main character Molly shows that the path from a deep addiction to a new life is achievable, with hard inner work and support from others. Molly has the courage to tackle the problems, the strength to dare to face herself, see her shortcomings, but also see her strengths and be able to grow as a person. The book provides a very strong and personal experience and insight into the incredibly hard and difficult path back from addiction. I have followed Molly's struggle from her addiction, from her tangled soul to a whole, strong and warm woman. From deepest anxiety, despair and fear to hope, lust for life and joy. It makes me think of a proverb by the poet Kirkegaard, "to dare is to lose one's footing for a moment, to not dare is to lose oneself" Read the book, recommend it to friends and acquaintances and reflect and discuss it. I myself will take it to my book circle."

"A very interesting and rewarding book, giving an insight into what it is like to be addicted to something, how difficult it is to get out of it and what thoughts affect it. Despite all the anxiety, there is a fighting spirit like no other, she will get through it and does it with flying colors. A faith in life and love."

"Hi Anneli! Glad I bought your book! I have a close relative who is an alcoholic and there have been a lot of difficult events, especially from the time I was about 12 years old onwards. The last 6 years have been calmer. I can never really imagine life as an alcohol addict, but I know a lot about what happens in the body and mind when detoxification takes place. Reading about your experiences at the treatment home felt so terrible and sad. "Is it really that terrible?" I thought many times while I was reading. I imagined myself in your and everyone else's shoes, so sad. I'm so happy that you've made it to where you are today! What a fighter you are and what a journey! While it seemed terrible at the treatment home, it's good for people to read that there is actually help available and that there are those who get well."

"Once I started reading, I couldn't stop."

"In this book you get so close to Molly. You can almost smell the anxiety in the treatment home. The book would be perfect for training healthcare professionals, for example. Thank you Anneli for a fantastic book."

"I devoured your book. So captivating! I laughed too, but above all I cried every single time I read it. Imagine, I who eat salad and drink water and am as far from the disease of addiction as I think one can get. Why was I so taken? The answer is probably: You are who I could have been (Mikael Wiehe). We are all in the same boat, addictions are everywhere. I wish you every success with the book and that you get to go around telling many, many people about it! You have a lot to tell!"