Whilst some might find journalling an effective self-help therapy, Alex Herod says that writing horror stories has helped her to finally “make friends with her monsters”.
Alex, who will release her debut novel next year, says she has had a “difficult relationship” with alcohol since her early teens and finally quit drinking in 2019.
“I tried different types of meetings, found online communities, made some real-life sober friends, had several different types of therapy and read all the ‘quit lit’ I could get my hands on,” she said.
But when Alex, who has a diagnosis of complex PTSD, made the connection between her lifelong passion for the horror genre and her own recovery journey, she started writing horror fiction. The head of marketing quickly realised how important this creative outlet was for her sobriety.
“Although I write fiction,” she said, “most of my stories relate back to themes of addiction, trauma, mental health, transformation and recovery.
“Writing horror has allowed me to go into very dark places and come out the other side. I can explore feelings of disgust and monstrousness – how I felt about myself when I was drinking, or how I felt others saw me – and do so in a way that is in my control.”
Alex says that as she is the one writing the story, she can edit or rewrite it, which gives her “a voice and a way to articulate things I used to feel shamed into silence about”.
“Creatively, I feel like horror is very playful and can be full of strange metaphors, fantastical language and narratives,” she said. “For example, I have played with fragmented and nightmarish jumps in time which has helped me to come to terms with the impact that alcohol-induced blackouts had on me,” she said.
Alex, who would “max out” her library card as a child on Point Horror books and was obsessed with The X Files as a teenager, said that penning horror allows her to understand herself and her relationship with alcohol.
“It helps me to process my experiences of addiction and trauma, and learn to accept and embrace the darker parts of myself so I don’t feel disconnected – making friends with my monsters,” she said.
“Those things reduce my feelings of shame, increase self-compassion, give me a voice, and provide creative nourishment – all of which support and sustain my recovery.”
Alex, who works at Salford University, is now part way through a creative writing PhD focused on how writing horror supports and sustains her recovery.
She will deliver a free talk about how horror writing and films can support recovery as part of Recoverist Month. (Recoverist House of Horrors: Making Friends with Your Monsters, 15 September 2026 1-1.45pm, SODA, Manchester Metropolitan University, 14 Higher Chatham St M15 6ED).
The talk will be followed by an optional paid for (£4.50) workshop with George Grace Gibson where you will make a sculptural, horror house-shaped artists’ book.
Through exhibitions, performances and creative events, Recoverist Month places the arts at the centre of conversations on substance use and recovery. Held every September to mark International Recovery Month, this annual programme brings artists, communities and audiences together across venues around the UK.
Recoverist House of Horrors: Making Friends with Your Monsters
15 September 2026 Talk 1-1.45pm (free) and workshop 2-4pm (£4.50)
SODA (School of Digital Arts), Manchester Metropolitan University, 14 Higher Chatham St M15 6ED
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/recoverist-house-of-horrors-making-friends-with-your-monsters-tickets-1994779003698