The Romeo and Juliet Delusion

In this compelling memoir Lori Abbott chronicles her dangerous relationship with her ex-fiancé who was a meth and heroin addict. In addition to the overwhelming aspects of loving a drug addict, there was domestic abuse, including a series of traumatic events during the relationship that escalated to an attempt being taken on her life 2015.

Lori Abbott is an attorney who spent fifteen years of her career representing victims of domestic abuse who one day became a victim herself.

The Romeo & Juliet Delusion provides a rare and unique insight into the reality of deeply loving a drug addict, remaining in a dangerous relationship for too long, and watching one's own life deteriorate while desperately trying to save someone else. It was by divine intervention that Abbott did not die in that hotel room. She feels it is now her responsibility to share not only what she experienced in those moments when she believed that she was dying (as the man she deeply loved eerily stood by and watched), but also how she took actual aspects of her near death experience to significantly heal herself and unexpectedly find her own sobriety from alcohol along the way.

The Romeo & Juliet Delusion provides inspiration to anyone who’s life has been touched by addiction or domestic violence. Abbott relies on raw, uninhibited storytelling to convey the methods she used to explore healing and freedom from trauma.

After escaping her relationship, Abbott spent the next several years experimenting with different ways of healing from trauma. She learned to live her best life alongside PTSD every day, and discovered that to be the best version of herself and heal to the highest extent possible, she needed to show up in this world as a sober woman. In the midst of Abbott's healing journey, she dealt with the lingering knowledge that she had an issue with alcohol, which heightened to new levels after the trauma, as alcohol and PTSD are not a good combination. Ultimately, Abbott was able to begin to break the trauma bond she had with her ex-fiancé (She was as addicted to him as he was to meth and heroin) and learned to fully embrace sober living.

Individuals suffering from addiction or who are experiencing domestic violence are isolated, but reading about someone’s true life experiences provides them with the hope they are desperately seeking. In this book readers will learn how to:
Recognize and break trauma bonds
View addiction with compassion and curiosity
Release the shame associated with abuse and addiction
Reclaim their voices
Live an extraordinary life free from the weight of trauma
The Universe intentionally imprinted upon Abbott's soul the experience of this particular relationship and what happened in that hotel room, which forever changed the trajectory of her life and left her with no alternative for peace or purpose until she placed her message out into the world. Abbott's intention is that by authentically sharing her story, she can help to change the lives of people in similar situations and inspire others to view addiction and domestic abuse with compassion and curiosity.

Most importantly, Abbott has learned how to live an extraordinary life alongside the haunting memories, PTSD and a lingering soul connection to her ex-fiancé. It is Abbott's hope that The Romeo & Juliet Delusion will shake the glass house of those who live in their ivory towers looking down on a woman like her wondering how she could possibly find herself in the situation that she did. The fall down from an ivory tower is going to cause a lot more damage than the fall down for those who live with their feet firmly planted on the ground, owning their stories and using them to inspire, educate and heal others.