If you’re looking for a book that will stay with you long after the last page, this is it.
18 Years an Addict: A Mother’s Journey from Despair to Hope is a raw, honest, and deeply moving account of a mother’s lived experience loving a child through addiction. It confronts one of the hardest truths of all: no one can be forced to change. Recovery only begins when the addict has truly had enough — of the lies, the deceit, the stealing, and the emptiness.
Yet at its heart, this book carries an unyielding message of hope. Healing is possible. Recovery is real. And transformation can — and does — happen.
A must-read for parents, families, and anyone touched by addiction
About the Author
Anne Lapedus Brest
Anne Lapedus Brest is a mother, author, photographer, and genealogist whose life and work are deeply rooted in storytelling and truth. Born in Dublin, Ireland, she has lived in South Africa for over 65 years, where her personal experiences have shaped both her creative voice and her unwavering commitment to honesty and compassion.
This is Anne’s third book, and her most personal. Written from the raw perspective of a mother walking alongside addiction, her work reflects lived experience rather than theory — capturing the pain, resilience, and hard-won wisdom that come from loving someone in active addiction.
At its core, this book carries an unyielding message of hope: healing is possible, recovery is real, and transformation can — and does — happen. Anne writes not to offer easy answers, but to remind families that they are not alone, and that change is possible when the time is right.
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