Documentaries and films on addiction discuss substance abuse disorder, recovery, and the increasing drug problem America faces today. It helps people understand the effects of alcohol and drugs on their lives.
Documentaries about addiction may help you or a loved one struggling with addiction understand what you’re facing and see the different lives addiction has changed.
7 Addiction Documentaries That You Must Watch
These documentaries show that you can live a drug-free life. They are stories of hope, survival, and change that can inspire others with their own recovery journeys.
Here are some documentary recommendations from havenhouserecovery.com. After seeing this, you will understand the stages of recovery from addiction.
1. “Recovery Boys”
“Recovery Boys” is a documentary about the American opioid crisis. The film focuses on the struggles and triumphs of four men trying to regain sobriety.
It shows their perspectives on the whole process, including the highs and lows. It also shows how they managed to regain their lives and reconcile broken relationships.
2. “Montana Meth “
“Montana Meth” is one of many documentaries about methamphetamine addiction. It delved deeper into the lives and struggles of people in Montana struggling with addiction.
It told the stories of three people: a young woman who traded sex in exchange for drugs, a high school athlete who had straight As but quit after using meth for a year, and a tribe member who began using meth when he was 11 years old.
“Montana Meth” revealed the physical effects of methamphetamine addiction, including tooth decay, brain damage, and skin lesions.
3. “Drugged — High on Alcohol “
“Drugged – High on Alcohol” demonstrates the harm alcohol can do to the body. Ryan, a 28-year-old man who can’t live a day without three pints of vodka, is the topic of this documentary.
It tells of his descent into alcoholism and the different tests he takes to help him figure out his drinking problem.
Ryan began drinking shortly after the death of his father, an alcoholic. Despite knowing how dangerous alcoholism is and its severe damage to his body, he still chooses to drink every day.
4. “Ben: Diary of a Heroin Addict “
The addiction documentary “Ben: Diary of a Heroin Addict” is a must-see. It follows the story of Ben Rogers, a young man who developed an addiction to heroin.
He captured his struggle to get clean from heroin addiction. There are multiple poems about addiction and recovery. And this documentary is no less than that.
Ben began using heroin at the age of 16. He was a gifted student and was raised in a wealthy family before he became addicted to heroin. He realized he wanted to lead a sober lifestyle after 18 years. This video is the diary of his struggle to overcome addiction and make amends.
5. “Addicted: America’s Opioid Crisis “
Apart from the documentaries previously mentioned, “Addicted America’s Opioid Crisis” is another addiction documentary worth your attention.
It begins with different children discussing the effects of their parent’s addiction on their lives. Children also spoke out about their distressing situations, including abandonment and fear.
“Addicted: America’s Opioid Crisis” is an essential addiction documentary to watch because it goes deeper into America’s opioid crisis. It covered the following topics:
- People struggling to abstain from opioids
- Overdoses have caused the death of many parents
- Agents of drug enforcement stopping drug cartels from delivering opioids
- Overwhelmed drug counselors
- A whistleblower who exposed the practices at Purdue Pharma LP
This documentary about addiction also exposed the chief engineers from the project and pharmaceutical firms whom every filmmaker believes are behind the nation’s opioid epidemic.
6. “Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street “
This documentary about addiction is one you should not miss. This documentary focuses on the lives of heroin addicts between 18 and 25 years old. Uncensored, “Black Tar Heroin – The Dark End of the Street” shows the dangers heroin addicts face:
- AIDS
- Incarceration
- Overdoses
- Crime
- Rape
- Prostitution
- Death
The documentary also features the families of five heroin addicts. Family scrapbooks were kept that showed their lives before heroin became a major part of their lives. The documentary also showed the pain felt by the families as they watched their loved ones’ lives waste away.
7. “The Anonymous People “
The primary purpose of “The Anonymous People” is to end the stigma associated with addiction recovery. It examined the increasing substance abuse issues millions of Americans are experiencing and followed the recovery of addicts who lead different lives, from volunteers to executives.
The documentary shows that recovering addicts can form meaningful relationships with one another, as evidenced by the addiction recovery documentary.
It aims to change how people view substance abuse and addiction recovery and how people respond to their loved ones struggling with addiction.
Key Takeaway
Inspiration and motivation to get sober can come from different places. Sometimes, it comes in the form of stories from people with the same experiences. Watching documentaries is one way to view these stories and their revelations, the struggles, and the hope the subjects have to recover from their addiction.
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