# Quotes about addiction - Quotes: 20 - Authors: 11 - Narrower topics: [alcohol](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/alcohol.md), [drugs](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/drugs.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.json ## Quotes > "It's not that I'm not social. I'm social enough. But the tools you guys create actually manufacture unnaturally extreme social needs. No one needs the level of contact you're purveying. It improves nothing. It's not nourishing. It's like snack food. You know how they engineer this food? They scientifically determine precisely how much salt and fat they need to include to keep you eating. You're not hungry, you don't need the food, it does nothing for you, but you keep eating these empty calories. This is what you're pushing. Same thing. Endless empty calories, but the digital-social equivalent. And you calibrate it so it's equally addictive." [Dave Eggers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dave-eggers.md) · [The Circle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dave-eggers/the-circle.md) · p. 134 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dave-eggers/the-circle/its-not-that.md) Topics: [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > There are, broadly speaking, two types of drinkers. There is the man whom we all know, stupid, unimaginative, whose brain is bitten numbly by numb maggots; who walks generously with wide-spread, tentative legs, falls frequently in the gutter, and who sees, in the extremity of his ecstasy, blue mice and pink elephants.... The other type of drinker has imagination, vision. Even when most pleasantly jingled he walks straight and naturally, never staggers nor falls, and knows just where he is and what he is doing. It is not his body but his brain that is drunken. [Jack London](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-london.md) · [John Barleycorn](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-london/john-barleycorn.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-london/john-barleycorn/there-are-broadly.md) Topics: [alcohol](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/alcohol.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > The fortunate man is the one who cannot take more than a couple of drinks without becoming intoxicated. The unfortunate wight is the one who can take many glasses without betraying a sign; who must take numerous glasses in order to get the kick. [Jack London](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-london.md) · [John Barleycorn](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-london/john-barleycorn.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-london/john-barleycorn/the-fortunate-man.md) Topics: [alcohol](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/alcohol.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > And it's certainly bad, but when a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains. I don't know of any landowner around here who begrudges those children any game their father can hit. Of course he shouldn't, but he'll never change his ways. Are you going to take out your disapproval on his children? [Harper Lee](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harper-lee.md) · [To Kill a Mockingbird](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harper-lee/to-kill-a-mockingbird.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harper-lee/to-kill-a-mockingbird/and-its-certainly.md) Topics: [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > “But hatred and viciousness are addictive. You can get high on them. Once you've had a little, you start shaking if you don't get more.” [Margaret Atwood](https://www.leafyquotes.com/margaret-atwood.md) · [MaddAddam](https://www.leafyquotes.com/margaret-atwood/maddaddam.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/margaret-atwood/maddaddam/but-hatred-and.md) Topics: [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > A good addiction takes the guesswork out of death. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Choke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke/a-good-addiction.md) Topics: [death](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/death.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > The magic of sexual addiction is you don't ever feel hungry or tired or bored or lonely. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Choke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke/the-magic-of-sexual.md) Topics: [sex](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/sex.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > In America, if your addiction isn't always new and improved, you're a failure. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Choke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke/in-america-if-your.md) Topics: [America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/america.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > When you're an addict, you can go without feeling anything except drunk or stoned or hungry. Still, when you compare this to other feelings, to sadness, anger, fear, worry, despair, and depression, well, an addiction no longer looks so bad. It looks like a very viable option. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Choke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/choke/when-youre-an-addict.md) Topics: [emotions](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emotions.md), [drugs](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/drugs.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > She was an alcoholic. I didn't blame myself for that. The worst problem in the life of any alcoholic is alcohol. [Kurt Vonnegut](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut.md) · [Hocus Pocus](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/hocus-pocus.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/hocus-pocus/she-was-an-alcoholic.md) Topics: [alcohol](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/alcohol.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > "A woman eats to feed her pussy." Meaning: Anything we do to excess is in compensation for not getting a minimum amount of sexual gratification....Men overimbibe alcohol because their penises are thirsty. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Damned](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/damned.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/damned/a-woman-eats.md) Topics: [sex](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/sex.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > What you have to love about drinking is, every swallow is an irrevocable decision. You charging ahead, in control of the game. It's the same with pills, sedatives and painkillers, every swallow is a first definite step down some road. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Haunted](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/haunted.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/haunted/what-you-have.md) Topics: [choices](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/choices.md), [alcohol](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/alcohol.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > No one wants to admit we're addicted to music. That's just not possible. No one's addicted to music and television and radio. We just need more of it, more channels, a larger screen, more volume. We can't bear to be without it, but no, nobody's addicted. We could turn it off anytime we wanted. I fit a window frame into a brick wall. With a little brush, the size for fingernail polish, I glue it. The window is the size of a fingernail. The glue smells like hair spray. The smell tastes like oranges and gasoline [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Lullaby](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/lullaby.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/lullaby/no-one-wants.md) Topics: [music](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/music.md), [television](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/television.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > The face of "evil" is always the face of total need. A dope fiend is a man in total need of dope. Beyond a certain frequency need knows absolutely no limit or control. In the words of total need: "Wouldn't you?" Yes you would. You would lie, cheat, inform on your friends, steal, do anything to satisfy total need. Because you would be in a state of total sickness, total possession, and not in a position to act in any other way. Dope fiends are sick people who cannot act other than they do. A rabid dog cannot choose but bite. [William S. Burroughs](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-s-burroughs.md) · [Naked Lunch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-s-burroughs/naked-lunch.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-s-burroughs/naked-lunch/the-face-of-evil.md) Topics: [evil](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/evil.md), [drugs](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/drugs.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > You see control can never be a means to any practical end. ... Control can never be a means to anything but more control ... like Junk. [William S. Burroughs](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-s-burroughs.md) · [Naked Lunch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-s-burroughs/naked-lunch.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-s-burroughs/naked-lunch/you-see-control.md) Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > Every time I felt bored I rolled another cigarette out of my can of Prince Albert; there's nothing better in the world than a roll-your-own deeply enjoyed without hurry. [Jack Kerouac](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-kerouac.md) · [The Dharma Bums](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-kerouac/the-dharma-bums.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-kerouac/the-dharma-bums/every-time-i-felt.md) Topics: [pleasure](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pleasure.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > Over Christmas we looked through boxes of family pictures and played a game we call 'Find Mom, find Mom's cigarettes.' There's one in every picture. We've got photos of her pregnant, leaning toward a lit match, and others of her posing with her newborn babies, the smoke forming a halo above our heads. These pictures gave us a warm feeling. > > She smoked in the bathtub, where we'd find her drowned butts lined up in a neat row beside the shampoo bottle. She smoked through meals, and often used her half-empty plate as an ashtray. Mom's theory was that if you cooked the meal and did the dishes, you were allowed to use your plate however you liked. [David Sedaris](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-sedaris.md) · [Barrel Fever](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-sedaris/barrel-fever.md) · p. 191 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-sedaris/barrel-fever/over-christmas-we-looked.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [mother](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/mother.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > To really enjoy drugs you've got to want to get out of where you are. But there are some wheres that are harder to get out of than others. This is the drug-taking problem for adults. Teenage weltschmerz is easy to escape. But what drug will get a grown-up out of, for instance, debt? [P. J. O'Rourke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/p-j-orourke.md) · [Republican Party Reptile](https://www.leafyquotes.com/p-j-orourke/republican-party-reptile.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/p-j-orourke/republican-party-reptile/to-really-enjoy.md) Topics: [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > Every generation finds the drug it needs. [P. J. O'Rourke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/p-j-orourke.md) · [Republican Party Reptile](https://www.leafyquotes.com/p-j-orourke/republican-party-reptile.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/p-j-orourke/republican-party-reptile/every-generation-finds.md) Topics: [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md) > Gamblers need action, even when the odds suck. And so they return to the ships, night after night—the slot-machine ladies, clutching their plastic cups of quarters; the shouting, hard-drinking craps-table crowd; the roulette addicts, who truly believe, all evidence to the contrary, that there is something lucky about their birthdates; the blackjack loners, with their foolproof systems that don't work—all of them eager to resume the inexorable process of transferring their cash to whoever owns the ship. In the case of the Extravaganza of the Seas, the owner of record was a man named Bobby Kemp, who was usually described in the newspaper as a millionaire entrepreneur. Kemp liked the look of that, entrepreneur, although he personally could not pronounce it. (Chapter 2) [Dave Barry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dave-barry.md) · [Tricky Business](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dave-barry/tricky-business.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dave-barry/tricky-business/gamblers-need-action.md) Topics: [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction.md)