Semester Award Granted
Spring 2025
Submission Date
May 2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Papatya Bucak
Abstract
Last year there were 43 million Americans in need of addiction treatment and of the mere 1-5% who got it, up to 75% relapsed within six months. But despite 95% of outcomes being unsuccessful, over 90% of addiction memoirs (and podcasts, testimonials, sober-fluencers) tell a success story. Families believe their addicted loved ones will be healed by entering treatment programs, but many families are being misled. Without widespread awareness of what’s wrong with the addiction treatment system and knowledge of how to improve it, things won’t change.
My narrative collection of essays, Unknown Costs, aims to incite such change by embedding research, analysis, and reportage inside of a personal narrative. Like the proverbial Trojan horse, contained within the belly of my own dramatic story is both a critique of the current system and concrete information and suggestions for readers concerned with addiction.
Recommended Citation
Sims, Wilson M., "UNKNOWN COSTS" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 22.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/22