0207 205 2845 0207 205 2845
We have collected 40 of our most meaningful addiction recovery quotes to help you lean on the experience and wisdom in this challenging time.
All quotes are out of context, but through that, they find a context of their own. We all see that sentence in one of the books we are reading that stands out, inviting us to score a line under it or highlight it so we can read it later or quench that irresistible need to share it with friends or family.
Below, we have cultivated a collection of recovery addiction quotes that could inspire you in those times of need.
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” – Joseph Campbell
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
Thinking about the rest of your life, not drinking, and everything you have to change can be very daunting. The general consensus about recovery is that you just have to say you won’t drink today, then do the same thing tomorrow. This can be a great way to approach recovery, especially when life and issues with alcohol can be full of the unexpected.
“If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.” – Benjamin Alire Sáenz
“When you rise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love …” ―Marcus Aurelius
“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
“All the suffering, stress, and addiction comes from not realizing you already are what you are looking for. “– Jon Kabat-Zinn
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” – Rosa Parks
Staying motivated is key. One of the highest periods of relapse is after a year of sobriety. This is the time when we get complacent, but before we are truly settled into our new life. The good news is we can always find our motivation again. Motivational interviewing is a tried and tested method of treating addiction short and long-term. You could consider posting quotes about recovering from addiction in a place you look at every morning, like your bathroom mirror or kitchen table.
“Sometimes, we motivate ourselves by thinking of what we want to become. Sometimes we motivate ourselves by thinking about who we don’t ever want to be again.”– Shane Niemeyer
“I dwell in possibility.” – Emily Dickinson
“All I can guarantee you is that as long as you are searching for happiness, you will remain unhappy.” – U.G. Krishnamurti
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
“Patience, and the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.”
‘It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy.’
‘First, the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes a man.’
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh
‘I’ve been sober for 18 years now. It wasn’t like you flick a switch and you’re sober. It takes a while. You have to learn how to do everything all over again. There is life after addiction, and it’s really good. If I had known, I’d have stopped earlier.’ – Joe Walsh
“A lot of people think that addiction is a choice. A lot of people think it’s a matter of will. That has not been my experience. I don’t find it to have anything to do with strength.” –Matthew Perry
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.” – Elbert Hubbard
“The plain fact is that if you don’t have a problem, you create one. If you don’t have a problem, you don’t feel that you are living.” – U.G. Krishnamurti
“An over-indulgence of anything, even something as pure as water, can intoxicate.” – Criss Jami
“People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them.” – George Bernard Shaw
Relapse is probably the scariest part of recovery. You give yourself a reason to doubt whether you can stay clean and sober. But what you should realise is that relapse is all too often a part of recovery. As long as you pick yourself up again, you can come back stronger and wiser than before.
“Recovery is not for people who need it. It’s for people who want it.” – Unknown
“I am not defined by my relapses, but by my decision to remain in recovery despite them.” – Anonymous
“Part of recovery is relapse. I dust myself off and move forward again.” – Steven Alder
“Life is a series of relapses and recoveries.” – George Ade
“One thing you must realize is that you either kill your addiction or your addiction will eventually kill you.” – Oche Otorkpa
“We should be open to change to ensure that our addiction to life always remains under check.” – Dr. Prem Jagyasi
“Addiction denied is recovery delayed.”- Mokokoma Mokhonoana
“Addiction brings apathy. Break the apathy, and you break the addiction.” – Mango Wodzak
“You think when you don’t want to do anything. Thinking is a poor alternative to acting. Your thinking is consuming all your energy. Act, don’t think!” – U.G. Krishnamurti
Addiction is rarely just about the substance you are using. Those with addiction problems, more often than not, have other mental health or lifestyle issues that are holding back their recovery. Dealing with addiction and its root causes is what makes a true recovery possible.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. – Anonymous
“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
“You don’t get over an addiction by stopping using. You recover by creating a new life where it is easier to not use. If you don’t create a new life, then all the factors that brought you to your addiction will catch up with you again.” – Anonymous
“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
“Loving an addicted child is like grieving his death and fighting for his life at the same time”. All while hated, helpless, and alone.”
– Anonymous
As much as recovery quotes can be of help, it takes more than that to help you through addiction. If you are in recovery, then it is worthwhile picking what quotes hit you the hardest. Then, when you are facing a challenging spell, you can go back and look at them.
If you think that you might need help in your recovery or feel at risk of relapse, then the words of those who have gone through the adventure of recovery can be comforting, but we advise that you also consider contacting us at Rehab Guide. We have a dedicated team that is happy to help you through the addiction challenges and get you the help you need.
