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The Golden Boy

The Golden Boy

Before opioids destroyed Grant Matheson’s career, he was a pillar of his community. Respected physician, loving husband, devoted father, and trusted friend. Grant was a straight-laced kid who grew up to be a clean-living adult. No drinking, no smoking, and certainly no drugs. It took everyone by surprise, most of all himself, when he became addicted to narcotics in his 30s. His story hit local press when he was found guilty of professional misconduct related to his addiction, including over-prescribing painkillers to patients so he could buy them back–an infraction that caused his physician license to be suspended.

 

Matheson’s memoir is a gritty account of his narcotic addiction and all that it cost him: various relationships, his career, and almost his life. The Golden Boy takes the reader from the very first day of Matheson’s drug addiction to that moment when he decided to rebuild his life through rehab and recovery.

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average rating is 4 out of 5

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The Golden Boy: A Doctor's Journey with Addiction

*Discussions of substance abuse, addiction, mental health

I find rating memoirs often to be difficult because we, as readers, are so privileged that these people are willing to tell their story, their inner thoughts, and be raw and honest with themselves and the world. Grant Matheson tells us his story of being a physician on Prince Edward Island and his substance abuse and addiction to opioids and alcohol. Matheson acknowledges his story being something that many haven't heard of before, a doctor struggling with the drugs they are providing. In fact until his time in rehab, he felt alone in his addiction.

The book begins with a backstory, then moves into journal entries during Matheson’s time in rehab. The journal section has choppier writing, but keep in mind this is someone’s journal that he never thought anyone would read, and he is also in the process of so much change. To me, most of this book felt like someone being, pun not intended, an open book. Matheson writes like he’s talking to you throughout the memoir.

Something that I loved about this book is the chapters are sectioned with a date and location at the top. I might be biased as someone who has spent much of her life in PEI, but I loved being able to picture the streets of Charlottetown, Montague, and even the Halifax Casino while reading what happened there. This is a treat from reading local authors.

Overall, I think this book gives us insight into someone else’s life and reminds us that we never really know what’s going on in someone’s world. Matheson even hid the addiction from his family. I strongly recommend this to folks working in healthcare to be able to see the signs, know how to help, and to be there for others. I applaud Matheson for his honesty, bravery, and this memoir.

I recommend this book.

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