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Father-son story: overcoming addiction

Posted on January 25, 2020 by Sonoma Valley Sun

The Sonoma Speaker Series presents David and Nic Sheff on Monday, February 3, a conversation exploring the issue of drug addition and its devastating impact on families. 

Sheff and his son share Nic’s heartbreaking and yet, inspiring struggles with substance abuse disorder, and the long path toward recovery.  Their story, captured first in a gripping book, was also the basis for the 2018 movie, ‘Beautiful Boy,’ staring Timothee Chalamet and Steve Carell.

Nic was a gifted, delightful child, a varsity athlete and an honor student. His father David was a dedicated, engaged parent, well aware of the risks associated with drug use. Yet despite repeatedly seeking professional help, facing the drug use head-on, and desperately trying to both control and help his son, Nic slipped into a life-threatening, family-wrenching state of long-term addiction to methamphetamines. 

Sober since 2011, Nic also turned to writing to tell his story. He has written multiple books, including 2009’s Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines and 2011’s We All Fall Down: Living with Addiction. He has also found a successful path in writing for television, including the Netflix show, The Killing, and 13 Reasons Why, where he also served as a co-producer. 

Along with his candid book, Beautiful Boy, A Father’s Journey through his Son’s Addiction, David Sheff has written several other books, as well as articles for the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Wired, and Fortune magazines. 

Today, both David and Nic travel the country speaking together, and individually, about the drug addiction crisis that is taking a toll on families and individuals in every city and state in the nation. Their story offers insights and important knowledge for all parents and families today.    

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