Book Review: 'American Fix' by Ryan Hampton

✰✰½ The numbers are staggering. Whether you realize it or not, almost everyone knows someone who is dealing with the opioid addiction epidemic in America. It could be your co-worker, neighbor, parent, sibling, or friend. Opioid addiction  can affect anyone. No one is immune. But how did we get to this point? Who is at fault? Many would blame the person with substance use disorder, but there are so many other aspects of this epidemic to consider. American Fix takes a look at Big Pharma, the healthcare community, local resources, and the government.

The author, Ryan Hampton, offers a unique perspective to this issue. As a person in recovery, Hampton has taken on the challenge of putting a face on this epidemic. By sharing his story and that of others, he hopes to encourage people to take action in creating change. If you have an open mind and are interested in discussing what can be done in communities to battle this epidemic, then pick up this book and read on.

The Bottom Line: This is a difficult read that gets you thinking about the current opioid addiction crisis. There is a lot of repetition in the book, and Hampton can sound preachy at times. Nevertheless, Hampton has valuable experience to share. As a person with a substance use disorder who is in recovery, Hampton brings his lived experience to the pages. Hampton succeeds in creating an awareness of the current epidemic, and hopefully encourages the reader to get involved. Recommended for healthcare professionals, mental health professionals, educators, parents, and people struggling with substance use disorder.

Book Club Notes: Members of our group felt very strongly about the issues brought up in this book. Unfortunately, this was one of those rare times when we really did not enjoy the book itself. On a scale from 1 - 5, with 5 being the highest, ratings ranged from a low of 1 to a high of 3.75, with an average rating of 2.5. Why the low ratings? Well, in a nutshell, the author comes across the pages as being very angry and self-serving, which put a lot of people off. Members commented that overall the book was preachy, repetitive, and poorly written; it could have benefited from a good edit. Others commented that Hampton seemed disrespectful to Alcoholics Anonymous and was loose with his facts.

Another issue that really bothered several of us was the comparison of substance use disorder to other chronic diseases, especially breast cancer. While Hampton does have the lived experience of substance use disorder, he made some assumptions about breast cancer, for example, that show a lack of insight. Instead of making comparisons to other diseases, perhaps Hampton could simply focus on the opioid addiction crisis. 

That being said, this book sparked one of our book club's most engaging discussions. Despite all the negatives, this book got us talking to our families, friends, and each other. Hopefully, we will take this discussion into our community, which in turn will allow us to continue to create awareness and understanding about substance use disorder.

This book is a challenging read. Recommended for colleges, communities, and hospitals looking for a way to start a dialogue about the opioid addiction epidemic. Discussion questions are available at Perusall. 

Details: American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis--And How To End It by Ryan Hampton with Claire Rudy Foster. Hardcover published by All Points Books in 2018. 304 p. ISBN: 9781250196262