Top 10 Addiction Quotes and Sober Quotes for Recovery

A large part of addiction recovery and staying sober is reminding yourself that it is a process, and why you are changing your life. To help with that, we have put together a list of 10 addiction quotes we think can help people get and stay sober. If you are struggling, read a few of these and see which ones stay with you.

Quote One: "The first step is always the hardest."

AA saying

This is such a common phrase in recovery because it rings true. It takes strength and courage to admit that you have a problem and want help. Once you have taken that first step it does get easier, but remember that it is okay to ask for help along the way.

Quote Two: "Recovery is something that you have to work on every day."

Unknown

This quote is a reminder that addiction recovery is not a straight line. There will be good days and bad days, but as long as you keep working at it, progress will be made.

Quote Three: "You are not your disease."

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A well-known quote among people in recovery. Many people battling addiction live in the past, which is often not a kind place to stay. The disease of addiction does not define the person. Actions do. Change the actions, and the person changes.

Quote Four: "Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

J.K. Rowling

Some people only recognize an addiction after a very low point. You do not have to wait for one before asking for help. This quote speaks to us as a way of saying: look how far you have come.

Quote Five: "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

The sober life is not an easy one, but it is worth it. This quote drives home the point that recovery takes effort each and every day.

Quote Six: "The moment I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."

Lao Tzu

This is one of our favorite sober quotes because addiction can feel like a weight around your neck, the "monkey on your back". Letting go of what we are used to, the old habits, is what makes room for something new.

Quote Seven: "My recovery must come first so that everything I love in life does not have to come last."

Unknown

For many people fighting addiction, the life they want only becomes possible through recovery. Putting recovery first protects everything else.

Quote Eight: "I chose sober because I wanted a better life. I stay sober because I got one."

Anonymous

Never forget where you started and where you are now. Recovery is a day by day, sometimes minute by minute, decision, and the big changes are rarely instant. Take stock each day of what being sober has given you.

Quote Nine: "It ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

Rocky Balboa (the movie Rocky Balboa, 2006)

Stumbling and falling is part of life whether you are sober or not. What matters most is getting back up and continuing on your way.

Quote Ten: "There is no shame in beginning again, for you get a chance to build bigger and better than before."

Unknown

A return to use is part of many people's recovery. If it happens, it is a chance to understand the "why" behind it and put a plan in place for the next hard moment.

When a quote is not enough

A quote can help you through a moment. It is not treatment. For opioid use disorder, medication can reduce cravings and lower the risk of overdose. CDC: Treating opioid use disorder

Start Suboxone treatment online. Recovery Delivered's online Suboxone doctors see patients by video. The first visit is $89. Follow-up visits are $50 weekly, $75 every two weeks or $89 monthly. Visits are cash pay, and medication is priced separately.