
As Needed for Pain
A Memoir of Addiction
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Narrated by:
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Joe Hempel
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By:
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Dan Peres
About this listen
In the vein of Mary Karr’s Lit, Augusten Burroughs’ Dry, and Sarah Hepola’s Blackout, As Needed for Pain is a raw and riveting - and often wryly funny - addiction memoir from one of New York media’s most accomplished editors which explores his never-before-told story of opioid addiction and the drastic impact it had on his life and career.
Dan Peres wasn’t born to be a media insider. As an awkward, magic-obsessed adolescent, nothing was further from his reality than the catwalks of Paris or the hallways of glossy magazine publishers. A gifted writer and shrewd cultural observer, Peres eventually took the leap - even when it meant he had to fake a sense of belonging in a new world of famed fashion designers, celebrities, and some of media’s biggest names. But he had a secret: opiates.
Peres’ career as an editor at W magazine and Details is well known, but little is known about his private life as a high-functioning drug addict. In As Needed for Pain, Peres lays bare for the first time the extent of his drug use - at one point a 60-pill-a-day habit.
By turns humorous and gripping, Peres’ story is a cautionary coming-of-age tale filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking brushes with disaster. But the heart of the book is his journey from outsider to insecure insider, what it took to get him there, and how he found his way back from a killing addiction.
As Needed for Pain offers a rare glimpse into New York media’s past - a time when print magazines mattered - and a rarefied world of wealth, power, and influence. It is also a brilliant, shocking dissection of a life teetering on the edge of destruction, and what it took to pull back from the brink.
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The narration was tough to listen to. The story was interesting but I had to stop listening mid way through.
- By Amazon Customer on 03-28-25
By: Shelley Louise
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Dreamseller
- An Addiction Memoir
- By: Brandon Novak
- Narrated by: Brandon Novak
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
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Story
At seven, Brandon was a skateboard prodigy. By the time he was fourteen, he was living the dream. Discovered by skate legends Bucky Lasek and Tony Hawk. Touring the US with the elite Powell-Peralta team. Signing autographs and appearing in films and magazines. Brandon had it all. Then he got hooked on heroin. Soon he was living a down-and-out life in a garage, begging for change, and hustling to score his next fix. He stole from his family and friends. He pushed the fantasy that everything was okay, that he was going to rehab, getting help, and getting better. But it was all a lie.
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true story
- By Andi T on 08-07-24
By: Brandon Novak
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Heroine
- By: Mindy McGinnis
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there. The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good. But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.
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Intense and Unapologetic
- By Erin on 03-13-19
By: Mindy McGinnis
Get Ready to Pull an All Nighter
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Fantastic!
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So Sad
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Loved it!
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for all you addicts out there who love to live the drama of getting clean
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This memoir has hours of stories during the author’s addiction, and as important as those are to look at, the author only covers his recovery in the last couple of chapters. This was disappointing. I felt as if the author himself didn’t see the importance of this incredibly hard and brave step that he took. I would’ve really liked to know more about how that journey was for him. Yes he did a lot of terrible things and he made a lot of awful choices and he let situations get very out of hand. But when he was ready, how did he change that, how did he fix that, how did he get better? These, I feel are some of the more important aspects an addict’s journey and the parts that tend to give hope. When you write about addiction, you never know who is reading your book. You never know who is looking to relate and who is looking for hope… don’t be afraid to share the hope.
Full of stories…not much recovering
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Average
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Another romp through drugs
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As Needed For Sleep
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"As Needed for Pain" disappoints on various fronts. The author's self-centered narrative unfolds throughout the story with a lack of awareness, making it both cringe-worthy and perplexing.
Dan Peres was handed a lucrative position as an editor at a prestigious magazine, lacking qualifications and showing no interest in performing well. Holding onto this well-compensated role, filled with incredible luxury and perks, despite openly admitting to never doing much work or even showing up, is particularly offensive to those who work hard to earn such rewards. However, he seems oblivious to this concept, or perhaps he takes pleasure in flaunting his privilege. Effortlessly coasting through life, avoiding responsibilities, he disrespects hardworking individuals and exemplifies unchecked privilege. Despite this, he likely sees himself as a victim.
Peres never engages in self-reflection regarding his issues or the reasons behind his descent into drug addiction. People repeatedly ask him, "What's wrong with you?" Regrettably, the question remains unanswered, suggesting an incapacity for any form of self-reflection on his part. One would anticipate someone in the writing business to acknowledge that a well-crafted book surpasses mere anecdotal stories, involving some form of realization or learning derived from experiences.
In addition, the book's portrayal of women is disturbing. His crude depiction and unnecessary sexualization of women reveal a disturbing mindset. He seems to find it amusing or cool, but it's not.
This book comes off as a self-centered memoir more focused on showcasing the author's supposed successes than on meaningful self-reflection. The lack of depth and self-reflection, coupled with the troubling portrayal of women, make this book a definite no for me.
The Epitome of Male Privilege
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