My Suicide Race: Winning Over the Trauma of Addiction, Recovery, and Coming Out

At the tender age of six, Mark Turnipseed received what he felt was a clear and devastating message: it isn't okay to like other boys, and if you do, you're bound for hell. His confusion and self-hatred made him determined to become the boy he believed he was supposed to be, but in attempting to live a lie, he descended into a hell of his own making. In this unflinchingly honest debut memoir, Mark takes us on a harrowing journey as he bounces off the restrictive walls of his closet and plunges into the darkness of drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, and suicide attempts. He bravely lets us inside the raw, tragic mind of an addict and sexual trauma survivor whose self-denial threatens to destroy him and everyone who loves him. After surviving numerous relapses, Mark finally finds a surprising key to saving his own life. While training for a triathlon, he embraces a fresh commitment to sober strategies that lead to good health, self-acceptance, and authenticity-offering hope for all who struggle with the shame and self-hatred that fuel addictions. While showing that recovery is possible even for those who struggle for years to reach sobriety, My Suicide Race also unveils the often-unseen links between addiction, suicidal ideation, and the trauma of coming out.
 
Author: Mark Turnipseed
 
- 100% of all proceeds go towards our fundraising efforts for the conference!
- Paperback
- 226 pages
 
Review: 
 
"This book is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt desperate, hopeless, marginalized, or "beyond saving". It's also a reminder of how our environments and self-images can trigger substance abuse and addiction, often without us even realizing it until it's nearly too late. Most of all, however, it's a reminder that it's actually never too late to marshal your inner-strength and lean on the people who love you to live the life you want.”
 
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