Synopses & Reviews
"Where the hell am I? How did I get here?"
Beginning at the age of 12, Jennifer Storm asked herself these questions many times after waking from alcohol-induced blackouts. During her teens and early twenties, Storm turned to alcohol to deal with the traumas in her life. In addition to alcohol, she also experimented with drugs, and eventually began using crack to deal with the deep black hole of sadness, loss, and unworthiness that she felt inside herself.
That is, until she awoke in a hospital psych ward and saw bandages on her wrists. "The doctor came in and said I was a very lucky girl to be alive," she explains, "and for the first time in my life, I believed it." She agreed to transfer to a rehabilitation center, though she wondered how life would be without alcohol and drugs. "Even as I asked myself this question, I quietly just knew I would never need them again. That inherent knowledge gave me a greater sense of peace than I had ever felt before. It was intoxicating in a whole new way."
Review
"A common story. A rare twist. When the American dream became her secret nightmare. Jennifer Storm begins the dark descent into addiction. Then she discovers that the same events that destroy her also create her. Written in a humble, raw voice,
Blackout Girl helps us remember where we came from--and why."
--Melody Beattie, author of Codependent No More, The Grief Club, and other best sellers
Synopsis
A riveting memoir of what happens to a teenage girl whose life is awash in alcohol, drugs, and the trauma of rape.
Synopsis
A riveting memoir of what happens to a teenage girl whose life is awash in alcohol, drugs, and the trauma of rape.
Jennifer Storm's Blackout Girl is a can't-tear-yourself-away look at teenage addiction and redemption. At age six, Jennifer Storm was stealing sips of her mother's cocktails. By age 13, she was binge drinking and well on her way to regular cocaine and LSD use. Her young life was awash in alcohol, drugs, and the trauma of rape. She anesthetized herself to many of the harsh realities of her young life--including her own misunderstandings about her sexual orientation--, which made her even more vulnerable to victimization. Blackout Girl is Storm's tender and gritty memoir, revealing the depths of her addiction and her eventual path to a life of accomplishment and joy.
Synopsis
Here's a can't-tear-yourself-away look at what can happen to the one in five teenagers who have a drinking problem. At age six, author Jennifer Storm was already stealing sips of her mother's cr?me de menthe. By age 13 she was binge drinking and well on the way to using cocaine and LSD.?
While Jennifer Storm found herself anesthetized to many of life's harsher realities, it didn't save her from becoming further victimized. Passing out and blacking out became indistinguishable. Dating and rape seemed to go hand in hand. To cope with the added pressures of young adulthood, drugs were soon added to the mix ??? anything to dull the senses and quell the confusion of growing up gay in perky, straight 1980s America.
The upside is that Jennifer comes through her ordeal to succeed, despite all the odds. Her story of proves that forgiveness and redemption are more than possible through sobriety and a commitment to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Synopsis
Jennifer Storm's Blackout Girl is a can't-tear-yourself-away look at teenage addiction and redemption. At age six, Jennifer Storm was stealing sips of her mother's cocktails. By age 13, she was binge drinking and well on her way to regular cocaine and LSD use. Her young life was awash in alcohol, drugs, and the trauma of rape. She anesthetized herself to many of the harsh realities of her young life--including her own misunderstandings about her sexual orientation--, which made her even more vulnerable to victimization. Blackout Girl is Storm's tender and gritty memoir, revealing the depths of her addiction and her eventual path to a life of accomplishment and joy.
About the Author
Jennifer Storm is the Executive Director of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program in Harrisburg, PA. In 2002, Governor Edward G. Rendell appointed Ms. Storm as a commissioner to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Her media appearances include appearances on all major networks as a spokesperson for victims rights. She has been profiled or appeared in We,, Women, Central Penn Business Journal, Rolling Stone, TIME, and many other media. This is Ms. Storm's first book.