Christopher K. Realized a Psychic Change Happens Once the Fighting Stops

About This Speaker Tape

Sober Cafe Feb.3rd. 2009 - 2009

High-society privilege and heroin addiction collide brutally in the life of Christopher K. He describes a morning in Boston on February 17 1986 where the view of Commonwealth Avenue felt like 'frozen desolation' and the only solution seemed to be a gun in the mouth. He details a profound inexplicable surrender that led him to call a cousin he had spent his life competing with marking the start of 22 years of sobriety. Christopher K. discusses the labor of interviewing 44 people for his book Moments of Clarity admitting it was a 'huge pain in my butt' and a 'logistical nightmare,' yet provided 'lightning bolts' of connection. He frames addiction as a medical issue and a public health crisis urging those in recovery to engage politically to dismantle the stigma and fix a broken healthcare system.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction to Christopher K.'s background and his history with heroin addiction.
• 3:15 Christopher K. describes his 'moment of clarity' and the profound surrender on February 17, 1986.
• 5:20 Discussion on learning to live life on life's terms and reframing pain as a gift.
• 6:40 The process of and motivations behind writing the book Moments of Clarity.
• 8:50 Laughter: Christopher K. admits the book was a logistical nightmare and a pain to write.
• 11:10 Framing addiction as a medical issue and a public health crisis.
• 13:20 Christopher K. reflects on breaking the chain of addiction in his family and his current life in remission.
• 15:10 Call to action for those in recovery to get politically active and engage with the government.