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We’re all searching for an easier life; a less stressful life.
The constant barrage of demands and expectations put on us often becomes overwhelming. And the idea of escaping in some way, grows more and more appealing.
For some people, a weekend away or a walk in the hills is enough to recover from that sinking feeling. But for others, the need for escapism takes a very different and potentially harmful path.
Instead of seeking solace in nature or relaxation, they turn to feeding their addictions as a means to escape the pressures of everyday life. And, while this may provide temporary relief, the damage caused only worsens the situation.
That’s why it’s essential to recognize the destructive cycle that addiction can create. And seek healthier ways to cope with the stresses of life.
Is Addiction Really Your Friend?
We’ve all known someone at some point who took more than they gave. It was likely a friend, or rather someone posing as a friend. And the relationship was very one-sided.
While you gave up your time, your commitments, and even your hard-earned money, they were never there for you. The encounters were likely erratic and unpredictable. And your spirit, crushed a little further, with every demand and expectation.
Addiction is no different. It relentlessly whines at you, begging for attention and fulfillment, until you eventually give in and meet its needs. And once you do, it abandons you, leaving you feeling isolated and unheard in your struggle.
But here’s the thing – you don’t have to go running to the echoing cries of addiction. You don't have to be that person who gives up everything just to satisfy the cravings.
You have the power to break free from its grip and regain control over your life. It’ll take time, effort, and support. But it is possible.
And you’re not alone in this battle. There are resources, professionals, and communities out there ready to help you on your journey toward recovery; towards a life without addiction.
You just have to want it. You have to be willing to take that first step, to acknowledge that you no longer want to be tied down by the ropes of addiction. And to find strength you never even knew you had to cut them.
There is a life beyond the here and now; a life filled with joy and purpose.
So don't let addiction dictate your life any longer. Stand up, speak out, and take the first step towards a healthier and happier future by reading these addiction quotes.
55 Addiction Quotes & Sayings to Help with Your Recovery
- “Recovery is about progression, not perfection.” – Unknown
- “Recovery is not a race. You don’t have to feel guilty if it takes you longer than you thought it would.” – Unknown
- “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.” – Robert Collier
- “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “Addiction is a lot like looking for love in all the wrong places.” – Sinclair Lewis
- “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “One of the hardest things was learning that I was worth recovery.” – Demi Lovato
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
- “Addiction: the disease that makes you too selfish to see the havoc that you created or care about the people whose lives you shattered.” – Unknown
- “I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.” – Charlotte Brontë
- “Addiction is like a thief. It takes away your health, your family, your career, and ultimately your life.” – Unknown
- “The only journey is the one within.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
- “You have to break down before you can breakthrough.” – Marilyn Ferguson
- “Addiction is just a way of trying to get at something else. Something bigger. Call it transcendence if you want, but it’s like a rat in a maze. We all want the same thing. We all have this hole. The thing you want offers relief, but it’s a trap.” – Tess Callahan
- “Addiction is the only prison where the locks are on the inside.” – Unknown
- “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese proverb
Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese proverb
- “Addiction is a lonely place, but the path to recovery is filled with support and hope.” – Unknown
- “She goes from one addiction to another. All are ways for her to not feel her feelings.” – Ellen Burstyn
- “The goal isn’t to be sober. The goal is to love yourself so much that you don’t need to drink.” – Unknown
- “Recovery is an acceptance that your life is in shambles and you have to change.” – Jamie Lee Curtis
- “I would rather go through life sober, believing I am an alcoholic, than to go through life drunk, trying to convince myself that I am not.” – Unknown
- “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
- “Addiction is not a choice, but recovery is.” – Unknown
- “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Elliot
- “Life is a series of relapses and recoveries.” – George Ade
- “Addictions… started out like magical pets, pocket monsters. They did extraordinary tricks, showed you things you hadn’t seen, and were fun. But came, through some gradual dire alchemy, to make decisions for you. Eventually, they were making your most crucial life decisions. And they were… less intelligent than goldfish.” – William Gibson
- “Your best days are ahead of you. The movie starts when the guy gets sober and puts his life back together; it doesn’t end there.” – Bucky Sinister
- “When you rise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love …” – Marcus Aurelius
- “Recovery is hard, but not recovering is harder.” – Unknown
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Your addiction is not you, but it feels like you because you’ve spent so much intimate time together.” – Toni Sorenson
- “Recovery is something that you have to work on every single day and it’s something that doesn’t get a day off.” – Demi Lovato
- “If things go wrong, don’t go with them.” – Roger Babson
- “It is 10 years since I used drugs or alcohol and my life has improved immeasurably. I have a job, a house, a cat, good friendships and, generally, a bright outlook… The price of this is constant vigilance because the disease of addiction is not rational.” – Russell Brand
- “I’m not telling you it is going to be easy; I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” – Art Williams
- “I got sober. I stopped killing myself with alcohol. I began to think: ‘Wait a minute. If I can stop doing this, what are the possibilities?’ And slowly it dawned on me that it was maybe worth the risk.” – Craig Ferguson
- “I am not defined by my relapses, but by my decision to remain in recovery despite them.” – Unknown
I am not defined by my relapses, but by my decision to remain in recovery despite them.” – Unknown
- “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling
- “My recovery must come first so that everything I love in life doesn’t have to come last.” – Unknown
- “Getting sober was one of the three pivotal events in my life, along with becoming an actor and having a child. Of the three, finding my sobriety was the hardest.” – Robert Downey Jr.
- “If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.” – Zen proverb
- “I am not defined by my relapses but by my decision to remain in recovery despite them.” – Unknown
- “Remember that just because you hit bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay there.” – Robert Downey Jr.
- “When everything seems like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.” – Unknown
- “Nobody stays recovered unless the life they have created is more rewarding and satisfying than the one they left behind.” – Anne Fletcher
- “Once I was clear-headed, and I hadn’t been clear-headed in so long, I was like, I can never go back. And I’m still thankful.” – Travis Barker
- “Recovery is hard. Regret is harder.” – Brittany Burgunder
- “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “You are not weak for struggling. You are strong for continuing to fight.” – Unknown
- “I realized that I only had two choices: I was either going to die or I was going to live, and which one did I want to do? And then I said those words, ‘I’ll get help,’ or, ‘I need help. I’ll get help.’ And my life turned around. Ridiculous for a human being to take 16 years to say, ‘I need help.’” – Sir Elton John
- “Recovery didn’t open the gates of heaven and let me in. Recovery opened the gates of hell and let me out!” – Unknown
- “If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.” – Benjamin Alire Sáenz
- “If it wasn’t for that rehab center, I probably wouldn’t have been here. In terms of recovery, it has been very important for me to be a part of a recovery community, to actively be around my people because they understand me. They get it.” – Macklemore
- “Your best days are ahead of you. The movie starts when the guy gets sober and puts his life back together; it doesn’t end there.” – Bucky Sinister
- “Be addicted to improving yourself.” – Unknown
Final Thoughts on Addiction and Recovery
Addiction can be a dark and overwhelming force that takes control of a person's life. It can feel impossible to break free from its grip, but these addiction quotes serve as a reminder that recovery is possible.
They inspire us to hold onto hope and believe that change is possible; to stay strong and never give up on ourselves or our loved ones who may be battling addiction.
With the right mindset and the help of others, it is entirely possible to overcome addiction and find happiness in recovery.
For more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 61 Integrity Quotes on the Importance of Having Character
- 50 Affirmations for Meditation to Feel Positive Energy
- 71 Overwhelmed Quotes for When You Need a Break
Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.
