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Alcoholic quotes to stop drinking. 20 Best Inspirational Quotes to Help Overcome Alcoholism and Addiction

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What are the best quotes to help motivate recovery from alcoholism and addiction? How do sobriety quotes aid the addiction recovery process? Discover the top 20 inspirational quotes to boost your journey to sobriety.

The Power of Sobriety Quotes in Addiction Recovery

During the journey of recovery from addiction, there are often times when individuals need an extra boost of motivation and inspiration to keep going. Turning to sobriety quotes can provide that much-needed encouragement and guidance. Inspirational quotes have long been a source of wisdom and insight, offering a fresh perspective to those facing the challenges of sobriety.

Maintaining sobriety on a daily basis can be a rollercoaster of emotions, with highs of joy and gratitude, as well as lows of worry, boredom, and sadness. Sobriety quotes can help redirect one’s thinking towards a more purposeful and positive outlook, serving as a helpful tool in the addiction recovery process.

Top 20 Sobriety Quotes to Inspire Your Recovery

  1. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life” – J.K. Rowling

  2. “Sobriety was the best gift I ever gave myself” – Rob Lowe

  3. “Everyone wants happiness. No one wants pain. But you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain”

  4. “My recovery must come first so that everything I love in life does not have to come last”

  5. “The mentality and behaviour of drug addicts and alcoholics is wholly irrational until you understand that they are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope” – Russell Brand

  6. “Live less out of habit and more out of intent”

  7. “Addiction vs. Recovery…It’s all about me and what I want vs ‘How can I be of help to others’…Lying, Cheating and manipulating to get what I want vs Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness allow me to get what I need…”I can take care of myself!” vs “There is something bigger than me.”…Rationalise, justify and minimise when I’m wrong vs Owning my part, admitting my faults and trying to grow from them…Projecting a false image of myself vs I am no better and no less than anyone else…Hide and deny my fears so as not to appear weak vs Acknowledging my fears and limitations and asking for help”

  8. “I chose sober because I wanted a better life. I stay sober because I got one”

  9. “The minute you think of giving up, think of the reason why you held on so long”

  10. “I’m not telling you it is going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it”

Harnessing the Wisdom of the Big Book

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, a foundational text in addiction recovery, also offers powerful sobriety quotes that can provide guidance and inspiration:

  1. “When I focus on what’s good today, I have a good day. When I focus on what’s bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on the problem, the problem increases. If I focus on the answer, the answer increases.”

  2. “You’re not going to master the rest of your life in one day. Just relax. Master the day. Then just keep doing that every day”

Facing Fears and Embracing Growth

Overcoming addiction often requires facing one’s fears and embracing personal growth. These sobriety quotes offer a roadmap for this transformative journey:

  1. “There is no shame in beginning again, for you get a chance to build bigger and better than before.”

  2. “F-E-A-R has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ The choice is yours.” – Zig Ziglar

  3. “Sometimes when in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, when actually you’ve been planted.” – Christine Caine

  4. “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten” – Tony Robbins

  5. “One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went though and it will be someone else’s survival guide.” – Brene Brown

  6. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step” – Martin Luther King

Embracing the “One Day at a Time” Approach

One of the foundational principles in addiction recovery is the “one day at a time” approach. These sobriety quotes encapsulate this powerful concept:

  1. “One day at a time – The idea of giving up alcohol or drugs for the rest of your life is overwhelming. The good news is that you do not have to do this. You can approach recovery one day at a time. You do not have to worry about what is going to happen tomorrow or next week. You just have to get up each morning and commit to staying sober for the rest of the day ñ€“ you do not need to commit to anything more than that. By sticking to one day at a time, the days turn into weeks, months, and years of sobriety.”

The Transformative Power of Sobriety Quotes

Inspirational sobriety quotes can be a powerful tool in the addiction recovery process, providing motivation, guidance, and a fresh perspective to those facing the challenges of sobriety. By harnessing the wisdom and insights offered by these quotes, individuals can find the strength and determination to overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. Whether it’s a daily affirmation, a reminder to focus on the positive, or a call to face one’s fears, sobriety quotes can be a invaluable resource on the path to lasting recovery.

20 Best Quotes of Sobriety

During recovery from addiction, there are often times when we need a boost to start our day or give us motivation to keep on going. During these times, we may turn to spiritual practices or sobriety quotes for some inspiration.

Love them or hate them inspirational quotes have been around for many, many years. Some are so profound and insightful that they are still referred to often today.

Here, Delamere list the best top 20 sobriety quotes of all time, as we see them. 

We know from personal and professional experience that recovery is not always easy. Sobriety quotes can be a helpful part of our daily toolbox that we reach into to help aid and motivate us during times of personal conflict or challenge. They can also be used to express ourselves or to reach out and help and encourage others.

Do sobriety quotes actually help addiction recovery?

Staying sober on a daily basis, we experience our full range of emotions. Naturally, there will be times of worry, hardship, boredom, anger and sadness to add to the mix of joy, contentment, freedom and gratitude.  

Sobriety is a very beautiful thing and a miracle to be celebrated, yet there will undoubtedly be times when we do not feel this is the case and need a little encouragement or nudge in the right direction.

Motivational sobriety quotes and inspirational recovery quotes can help to direct our thinking to a more useful and purposeful one, they can also help to guide an already positive outlook.

If you are looking for the best quotes of sobriety to enhance your daily recovery, you need look no further than here.

20. ‘Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life’ – JK Rowlings

https://www.afreshstartsoberliving.com/

19. ‘Sobriety was the best gift I ever gave myself ‘ – Rob Lowe

18. ‘Everyone wants happiness. No one wants pain. But you cant have a rainbow without a little rain’

17. ‘My recovery must come first so that everything I love in life does not have to come last’

https://beatingtrauma.com/

16. ‘The mentality and behaviour of drug addicts and alcoholics is wholly irrational until you understand that they are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope’ – Russel Brand

https://everydaypower.com/

15. ‘Live less out of habit and more out of intent.’

https://www.cumberlandheights.org/

14. ‘Addiction vs. Recovery


Its all about me and what I want vs ‘How can I be of help to others’

Lying, Cheating and manipulating to get what I want vs Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness allow me to get what I need.

“I can take care of myself!” vs “ There is something bigger than me. ”

Rationalise, justify and minimise when I’m wrong vs Owning my part, admitting my faults and trying to grown from them

Projecting a false image of myself vs I am no better and no less than anyone else

Hide and deny my fears so as not to appear weak vs Acknowledging my fears and limitations and asking for help’

https://www.edgewoodhealthnetwork.com/

13. ‘I chose sober because I wanted a better life. I stay sober because I got one’

12. ‘The minute you think of giving up, think of the reason why you held on so long’

https://www.afreshstartsoberliving.com/

11. ‘I’m not telling you it is going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it’

10. ‘When I focus on whats good today, I have a good day. When I focus on whats bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on the problem, the problem increases. If I focus on the answer, the answer increases. ’ –  Big book of Alcoholics Anonymous quote

9. ‘You’re not going to master the rest of your life in one day. Just relax. Master the day. Then just keep doing that every day’

8. ‘There is no shame in beginning again, for you get a chance to build bigger and better than before.’

7. ‘F-E-A-R has two meanings: “Forget Everything And Run” or “Face Everything And Rise.”  The choice is yours. ‘ – Zig Ziglar

6. ‘Sometimes when in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, when actually you’ve been planted.’ – Christine Caine

5. ‘If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten’ –  Tony Robbins

https://www.goalcast.com/

4. ‘One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went though and it will be someone else’s survival guide.’ – Brene Brown

3. ‘You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step’ – Martin Luther King

2. ‘One day at a time – The idea of giving up alcohol or drugs for the rest of your life is overwhelming. The good news is that you do not have to do this. You can approach recovery one day at a time. You do not have to worry about what is going to happen tomorrow or next week. You just have to get up each morning and commit to staying sober for the rest of the day – you do nto need to commit to anything more than that. By sticking to one day at a time, the days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into years’ 

1. ‘Addiction isn’t about alcohol and drugs. Its the absence of self. This absence is described as a hole in your soul. You cant love others when you’re empty inside. Recovery peels back the painful layers and heals that hole through connect, honest and hard work. To love one self is the beginning of a lifetime of recovery’

Staying motivated in sobriety

Sobriety quotes can compliment a persons sobriety but they are not enough on their own to keep a person sober, or indeed to help them to get sober from alcohol.

As Russel Brand quite aptly puts it, structured support is required for a person suffering from addiction to get well. This support may come in the form of attending recovery groups such as Smart Recovery or mutual aid support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Some people cannot stop drinking without professional help and intervention. Even if they could, it would not necessarily be safe for them to do so.

Alcohol is a very dangerous substance to stop where an alcohol dependence has formed. Attempting to stop an alcohol dependence yourself without professional medical help, can result in life threatening alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

If you or a loved one need inpatient treatment for an alcohol problem please call us here at Delamere. Our addiction treatment colleagues are passionate about helping those suffering from addiction to make a full and lasting recovery.

Delamere is the UK’s only purpose built addiction treatment and behavioural wellness facility. We specialise in the medical detoxification and bespoke rehabilitation from all manner of addictive substances, including alcohol and drugs. Each of our treatment programmes and detoxes are intricately tailored to each of our guests specific treatment needs and conducted within luxurious surroundings.

Contact us today for a free and confidential assessment of your private treatment needs and immediate professional help and advice.

Recovery Quotes that Will Help You Stay Sober

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Americans have a complicated relationship with sobriety. Nearly 90 percent of American adults say they drank alcohol at some time in their lives, with 55 percent saying they had a drink in the past month. More than one-quarter met the criteria for binge drinking in the past month, according to data from the National Institutes of Health. One in 12 will struggle with alcohol during their lifetime.

The pandemic hasn’t helped, either. A September study published in JAMA Network Open found that in all adults, alcohol consumption was up 14 percent from one year ago, and drinking was up 17 percent for women.

Drinking too much can have a lot of negative effects on your life, harming your mental and physical health, your relationships with others, your financial stability, and your self-esteem, says Keith Heinzerling, MD, an internist and addiction medicine specialist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute and the medical director of the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine.

It can also be deadly: Worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from the harmful use of alcohol, representing more than 5 percent of all deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Vladimir Vladimirov/Getty ImagesYou quit drinking

Reasons for becoming sober are very individual but regardless of why you did it, the important part is that you stopped drinking—and that’s a huge accomplishment. “Lots of people will say, ‘Oh, I can stop drinking anytime I want’ but then go back when it turns out to be harder than they thought,” says Dr. Heinzerling. But you’ve already overcome that first hurdle of getting sober and have moved into the recovery phase.

Recovery presents its own challenge, mostly because there is no obvious finish line. “There isn’t a point where you say, ‘That’s it! I’m done! I’m sober!’” Dr. Heinzerling says, adding that it requires a lot of small choices every day that add up for the rest of your life.

Staying sober

Know this, though: It is possible to get sober and stay sober long-term. A 2014 survey of more than 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous members, found that over 27 percent reported being sober for up to a year, 24 percent were sober one to five years, 27 percent made it five to 20 years, and 22 percent said they had been sober for more than 20 years.

To help you stay motivated on your road to recovery, we rounded up some inspirational quotes to remind you that you’re not alone in your struggles and that you’ve got this.

thehealthy.comYou’ve already survived 100 percent of your bad days

“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 author of Get Up: A 12-Step Guide to Recovery for Misfits, Freaks, and Weirdos

One of the best things about getting sober is how quickly you start to see positive changes in your health and life,” Dr. Heinzerling says. Within weeks you will likely see lower blood pressure and heart rate, improved blood sugar regulation, better sleep, clearer skin, fewer headaches, less chronic pain, a better sex life, mental clarity, more energy and focus, and less anxiety and depression, he says.

thehealthy.comYour journey is your own

“It does not matter how slowly you go, only that you do not stop.” — Confucius, ancient Chinese philosopher

Forget how easy sobriety appears for your friend or the celebrity in the news and focus on setting yourself up for success. “One thing you can do now is avoid long stretches of idle time because when your mind wanders you may begin to ruminate or focus on cravings,” Dr. Heinzerling says. He suggests finding a hobby that occupies your mind and your body.

thehealthy.comDraw on past life experiences

“I approach sobriety with the same mentality I approached sports with. You’re going to put in the time. You’ve got to suit up, show up, and keep your eyes on the win.” — Molly Bloom, author and former competitive skier

This isn’t the first time you’ve faced a serious challenge in your life and it may help you to look back and draw on what you learned, Dr. Heinzerling says. Write down your strengths and your objectives; this will help keep you sober and focused on your goal.

thehealthy.comSobriety is freedom

“Somebody once asked me how I define sobriety, and my response was ‘liberation from dependence’.” — Leslie Jamison, author of The Gin Closet

Addiction, by its very nature, is a type of mental, physical, and emotional bondage. Addicts often find themselves spending too much time and money feeding their habit, to the detriment of other aspects of their life. Sobriety gives you your freedom back, Dr. Heinzerling says. (Check out these eye-opening revelations on overcoming alcoholism.)

thehealthy.comDon’t drink and text

“All the mistakes I’ve ever made in my life have been when I’ve been drunk. I haven’t made hardly any mistakes sober, ever.” — Tracey Emin, English artist

Many addicts are used to using alcohol as “liquid courage” but it’s not as effective of a tool as they think it is and many people experience serious regret the next morning after a binge. “You have to break the habit of using alcohol as a crutch and learn healthier ways to manage your anxiety, feel comfortable in social gatherings, be able to relax after work, and other tricky emotional situations,” Dr. Heinzerling says.

thehealthy.comAccept the pain

“I wanted a drink [because] I didn’t want to feel what I was feeling, and a voice within was telling me that I needed a drink, that I couldn’t bear it without it. But that voice is a liar. You can always bear the pain. It’ll hurt, it’ll burn like acid in an open wound, but you can stand it. And, as long as you can make yourself go on choosing the pain over the relief, you can keep going.” ― Lawrence Block, author of Out on the Cutting Edge

Sometimes recovery just hurts and pretending it doesn’t sets you up for failure. Don’t try to force yourself through triggering situations, thinking that you “should” be able to handle it, Dr. Heinzerling says. “Accept that eventually you run out of willpower and the best thing you can do to stay sober is to make a plan to avoid triggers altogether.”

thehealthy.comYou are a better person now

“I know now that we never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures.” ― Gail Caldwell, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author

You are not the same person you were when you were in the depths of your addiction. It can be easy to forget how far you’ve come and how much you’ve changed during sobriety. Acknowledging all the good things about you will help you stay focused on the positive aspects of being sober. (This woman says getting sober saved her life.)

thehealthy.comEveryone has their “thing”

“We are all damaged. We have all been hurt. We have all had to learn painful lessons. We are all recovering from some mistake, loss, betrayal, abuse, injustice or misfortune. All of life is a process of recovery that never ends. We each must find ways to accept and move through the pain and to pick ourselves back up. Be patient with yourself.” ― Bryant McGill author of Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life

Not everyone will struggle with addiction but everyone has something in their life that they are trying incredibly hard to get through. You’re not alone. Give yourself grace as you figure it out.

thehealthy.comDrinking is not a personality

“When I got sober, I thought giving up was saying goodbye to all the fun and all the sparkle, and it turned out to be just the opposite. That’s when the sparkle started for me.” — Mary Karr, American poet

Sobriety really gives people a fresh perspective on themselves, helping you see exactly how much alcohol was playing a role in your life. Finding out who you really are, without drinking, is one of the scariest and most beneficial parts of recovery, Dr. Heinzerling says.

The HealthyIncoming: Inspiration

“Breakthroughs don’t get planned, they are prepared for.” ― Goitsemang Mvula, South African author and artist

Progress doesn’t usually happen at a steady pace but often comes in bright bursts of improvement. Keep this in mind as you work through days or weeks or even months of struggling. Your breakthrough is coming and all the work you’re doing now is preparing you to receive it.

thehealthy.comFocus on your priorities

“Above anything else—above family or job—the main thing is staying sober. That’s because without being sober, I don’t have a family or a job. ” — William Regal, former professional wrestler and author

Why are you sober? “Understanding your personal reasons for getting sober will make it easier for you to stick up for yourself when challenged, and increases your success with abstaining as well as your satisfaction from doing so,” Dr. Heinzerling says.

The Healthy

Count your blessings

“Being in recovery has given me everything of value that I have in my life. Integrity, honesty, fearlessness, faith, a relationship with God, and most of all gratitude. It’s given me a beautiful family and an amazing career. I’m under no illusions where I would be without the gift of alcoholism and the chance to recover from it.” — Rob Lowe, American actor

Keep a gratitude journal and write a list of blessings that have come from getting and staying sober. Reread your list when you’re feeling weak, Dr. Heinzerling suggests.

The HealthyRecovery is a daily process

“Recovery is something that you have to work on every single day and it’s something that it doesn’t get a day off. ” — Demi Lovato, American singer

One thing you can do to make the day-to-day process of recovery easier is to keep a consistent schedule, Dr. Heinzerling says. “Go to bed and get up at the same time, exercise every morning, meditate every night,” Dr. Heinzerling says. Sticking to a schedule can help you stay busy, avoid falling back into bad habits, and give you things to look forward to.

The HealthyYou are already a success story

“Suffering isn’t ennobling, recovery is.” — Christiaan Barnard, South African scientist and author

In addition to the obvious benefits like improved health and a richer bank account, sobriety provides some subtle, but equally important, benefits. For instance, this proves that you can accomplish hard goals, it will help strengthen your willpower in other areas of your life, it gives you a reason to feel proud, and it helps you relate to others who may be struggling.

The Healthy

Find your true happiness

“I once heard a sober alcoholic say that drinking never made him happy, but it made him feel like he was going to be happy in about fifteen minutes. That was exactly it, and I couldn’t understand why the happiness never came, couldn’t see that alcohol kept me trapped in a world of illusion, procrastination, paralysis. I lived always in the future, never in the present. Next time, next time! Next time I drank it would be different, next time it would make me feel good again. And all my efforts were doomed, because already drinking hadn’t made me feel good in years.” — Heather King, author of Parched

Happiness is different than fun and while alcohol can help you have fun in the moment, it doesn’t lead to long-term happiness and joy.

The HealthyIt puts you ahead of the line

“It’s a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald author of The Great Gatsby

Once you’re sober, you can see the problems that drinking causes other people. This gives you a real advantage over others who are under the influence. How great does it feel not waking up with a hangover and ready to start your day?

Next, find more inspirational quotes for every occasion.

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Alcohol never gave you courage or confidence, it only seemed so to you. In fact, he has been stealthily and systematically destroying your will and dignity for years.

March 2, 2018

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The more you pay attention to the reasons for giving up alcohol, the more deprived and unhappy you feel during periods of abstinence (forbidden fruit effect) and during periods of binge (guilt complex).

February 16, 2017

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The same with alcohol – you don’t like the drink itself, but the cessation of irritation from the desire to drink

July 5, 2019

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ears is to exaggerate the so-called advantages and downplay the disadvantages.

February 14, 2017

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If people could see the true essence of alcohol, not a single person, even the most complete idiot in the world, would drink a drop.

August 29, 2016

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The fact is that the main effect of alcohol is to dull the ability to perceive and evaluate. Therefore, alcohol seriously hinders your ability to experience true pleasure.

June 3, 2019

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Because with physical and moral depression, any bump becomes an impregnable rock, small difficulties seem like a disaster, and the slightest problem can be the last straw that overflows the cup.

November 20, 2018

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It’s hard for people who don’t drink to understand how you can deliberately pour real poison into yourself in liters, then vomit everything out of your body and fall off your feet, drunk to a dead state. At the same time, the victim explains: “Why am I drinking? Because I like it, it helps to communicate.”

November 20, 2018

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The first attitude is that the human mind and body are physically very weak and defective. To enjoy life and overcome stress, they need outside help. Hence the belief that additional chemicals are needed to compensate for our inferiority. The essence of the second attitude is that alcohol compensates for imaginary weaknesses and shortcomings, although in fact it only creates new ones. The third setting is that we are smarter than the forces that created us. Isn’t that arrogance!

March 31, 2018

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I quickly realized that discussing a problem with a drinker who doesn’t know they have the problem is a waste of time. I am only interested in helping people like you who are aware of their problem and are looking for a solution.

December 26, 2017

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Allen Carr

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98 beautiful quotes about alcoholism with meaning.

The best aphorisms and sayings of great people about alcoholism

I’ve been drinking… But that’s the kind of person I am: if you drink a little, and if cocaine is offered, it immediately seems like a cool idea… And after a day the idea still seems great: then I crawl across the carpet in search of a granule lying around… After some time I began to realize that I had lost control. I started to hate myself.