Pill Head: The Secret Life of a Painkiller Addict

(Paperback)

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Description

Josh Lyon is a former abuser of prescription medication. His pill popping began in the early 2000s, during the glory days of internet pharmacies. All he had to do was google 'buy vicodin' or whatever else he was in the mood for, increase his credit card debt and the next day he'd have a FedEx package of anything he wanted delivered to his home or office. Lyon's riveting account of his personal struggle with pills is intimate, smart, honest and gripping.

Reviews

"Pill Head is the perfect combination of informative and deeply personal; alarming and even sad. I wanted to hug Joshua Lyon after reading this. Anyone who has ever taken prescription medication recreationally should read this book. It's an eye-opener and it's not pretty, and it will speak to every single person who picks it up."--Lesley Arfin, author of Dear Diary
"Joshua Lyon preferred opiates, America's fastest growing addiction, and in this enlightening and harrowing pill by pill tour, he maps the secret trades that are taking place in every workplace, gym, bar, and neighborhood. With Pill Head, he demonstrates a crafty addict's ability to rationalize illicit pleasure, and a shrewd journalist's sense to doubt the long-term prospects of artificial narcotic happiness."--Michael Stein, author of The Addict: One Patient, One Doctor, One Year
As real as it gets.--Kirkus
Lyon writes powerfully about his own experiences as a young, troubled gay man in New York City, and it's this human story that stays with the reader.--Publishers Weekly
The daring and honest PILL HEAD digs far deeper than the average memoir about addiction. With precision and uncommon empathy, Joshua Lyon exposes the facts about painkillers and those who abuse them; he also fearlessly reveals his own intense, often frightening story. PILL HEAD is a terrific book.--Scott Heim, author of We Disappear and Mysterious Skin

Author Bio

Joshua Lyon is a journalist who has worked for several major publications including Interview, Conde Nast Traveler and Jane; he is currently a contributor to New York magazine and Page Six magazine. This is his first book.