Amazon Prime offers an extensive catalog of educational recovery movies to Amazon Prime members for free. If you are a parent of a teenager, watching documentaries and movies that deal with addiction on Amazon Prime can open up a dialogue between yourself and your teen regarding the dangers of drugs and alcohol. With a variety of valuable mini-series, documentaries, and films freely available on the platform, Amazon’s movies about addiction and recovery can be highly educational for you as a parent and your teen. The addiction and recovery experts at Teen Rehab have identified the following top 10 recovery movies on Prime below.
Best Recovery Movies on Amazon Prime
1. Generation Found (2016 Documentary)
This movie on Amazon Prime is by Greg Williams, the director of Anonymous People, the cutting-edge documentary about removing stigma around recovery groups. This compelling substance abuse documentary shows how one community overwhelmed by addiction started a youth addiction recovery movement that proved to be quite inspiring.
2. Addiction Counseling You Can Finally Beat This! (2016 Mini-Series)
Starring Edem Agbley, this show addresses addiction as one of the common problems encountered by people. Each episode runs about five minutes and reveals a new tool that can help lead to long-term recovery.
3. Addicted (2012 Mini-Series)
Director, Michael Webster, examines the lives of people suffering from a variety of addictions as they struggle to find a path to sustainable sobriety. Each heartbreaking episode runs about 45 minutes, and features a family interventionist who uses her past experiences as an addict to help other addicts into recovery.
4. The Neuroscience of Addiction (2015 Miniseries)
As directed by Ron Meyer and starring Bill Ambrose, this incisive series examines the human brain’s role in addiction, how addictive behaviors can affect the brain, and scientific research regarding treatments for addiction. By taking a scientific approach, it can open the door for young people who are resistant to spiritual approaches to recovery.
5. Clean and Sober (Feature Film, 1988)
This movie on Amazon Prime directed by Glenn Gordon Caron and starring Michael Keaton, chronicles the downward spiral of a young real estate executive whose addiction has taken over his life. Once he hits bottom, he chooses to embrace recovery and attend 12-Step meetings. Although this is an older movie, it’s message still propels it into one of our top 10 addiction and recovery movies on Amazon Prime.
6. Heroin an Epidemic Documentary on Drug Crises (Documentary, 2017)
The sweeping pandemic of heroin use and prescription painkiller abuse is examined. Through interviews and news reports, the dangerous threat of opioid addiction in America is revealed in this hour-long substance abuse documentary, including the issues of relapse and overdose.
7. American Meth (Documentary, 2018)
As directed by Justin Hunt and narrated by Val Kilmer, this powerful substance abuse documentary reveals the devastation that crystal methamphetamine has unleashed across America. From the ugly price of addiction to the rise in violence, the 75-minute long documentary shows how the drug dismantles a family unit.
8. Do No Harm (Documentary, 2018)
As narrated by Ed Harris, this substance abuse documentary is an in-depth examination of the opioid crisis. The piece brings medical professionals across the country together to discuss the crisis, what it costs the country, and potential intelligent response to the drug epidemic.
9. My Strange Addiction (Reality Series, 2011-2012)
By telling the compelling stories of people struggling from truly bizarre addictions, director Joseph R. Fitzgerald provides access to people struggling with more normative addictions.
10. Kids on Ice (2015 Documentary)
As directed by Caro Meldrum-Hannah, this international documentary shows how crystal meth is ripping apart neighborhoods in Australia. Known as Ice, the drug is sold by motorcycle gangs and supplied by drug cartels. Indeed, once quiet towns are torn apart as more children become addicted.
Tips for Watching Recovery Movies with Your Teen
This list of the top 10 recovery movies are just a few examples of the many movies that deal with addiction and recovery available on Amazon Prime. You can also check out our top 10 Hulu Movies & TV shows about addiction recovery and our top 8 Netflix documentaries about substance abuse. However, it is suggested that before watching a substance abuse documentary or movie with your teen, that you watch the content first as a safeguard to determine if it is appropriate for your child’s age. Often, such content, even when valuable, shows drug usage or tells addiction stories that can be triggering to people struggling with addictive disorders. If you teenager already has an issue with substance use disorder, it’s important to filter what they see.
Further, before watching a recovery or addiction film together, speak to your teen in advance regarding what the film is about and how it can educate and draw awareness to the dangers of drug addiction and the need for quality recovery.
After watching some of the above movies and documentaries, Teen Rehab encourages you to speak with your teens. Drug and alcohol addiction aren’t easy topics to discuss, but in speaking about it, it brings awareness to the seriousness of addiction and lets your teenager know that you are comfortable discussing it, should any issues arise. Further, you should ensure that your teen is able to identify signs of drug or alcohol addiction and know that you are available to talk about it to determine the best course of action.
If your teenager or another teen is suffering from addiction, reach out to Teen Rehab to help them get the help they need. It could be the necessary step to protect the health and long-term well-being for the teen and prevent more serious consequences from happening.
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