Moyers '81 Writes New Book About Addiction and Recovery
William Cope Moyers continues his quest to help addicts and their loved ones with the publication of his second book, “Now What: An Insider’s Guide to Addiction and Recovery” (Hazelden). The 1981 graduate of Washington and Lee is the vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Center for Public Advocacy for the Hazelden Foundation. Hazelden is, of course, the famed center for the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction.
As the organization’s website puts it, William “ ‘carries the message’ about addiction and recovery into the public arena, especially to policy makers and civic groups across America. He uses his own personal experiences to highlight the power of addiction and the power of recovery.” His parents, Judith and Bill Moyers, the well-known television host, have often joined him in carrying the message.
Among the themes in William’s latest book is his effort to dispel what he considers are many of the myths surrounding addiction. Responding to a question about those myths in an interview on the Hazelden site, he says:
One of the biggest is the whole notion of hitting bottom. That an addict has to hit bottom before they can be saved…I stoutly disagree. The only bottom to this illness is death. So families shouldn’t wait until the end, because that’s too late. It’s never too early to start moving the addict from the problem to the solution. Another myth is that treatment is the cure. There is no cure to this illness.
William’s first book, “Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption,” came out in 2006. It’s a memoir of his years of drug and alcohol addiction and his recovery. He’s also produced “A New Day, a New Life,” a journal and DVD for addicts just starting their recovery. A journalism major at W&L, William reported for CNN, the Dallas Times Herald and Newsday before joining Hazelden.
The new book, “Now What,” provides answers for addicts and their loved ones “through contemplation, intervention, treatment, and recovery.” William also writes a column, “Beyond Addiction,” which is syndicated by Creators.com; his Dec. 1 edition can be found here.
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