--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It took me a long time to reach the…" description: "\"It took me a long time to reach the bottom and it went through various stages. I went from drugs into an alcohol stage. For a while, one feels, \"Ah, I'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/david-bowie-508_addiction_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-reach-the-bott_2743450.jpg" --- # It took me a long time to reach the bottom and it went… ![“It took me a long time to reach the bottom and it went through various stages. I went from drugs into an alcohol stage. For a while, one feels, "Ah, I've kicked drugs," but what I discovered was I had another addiction instead.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/david-bowie-508_addiction_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-reach-the-bott_2743450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/david-bowie-508_addiction_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-reach-the-bott_2743450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/david-bowie-508_addiction_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-reach-the-bott_2743450.jpg) > “It took me a long time to reach the bottom and it went through various stages. I went from drugs into an alcohol stage. For a while, one feels, "Ah, I've kicked drugs," but what I discovered was I had another addiction instead.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes transitioning from drug addiction to alcohol, then realizing a new addiction, highlighting the cycle of substance dependence. **In simple terms:** He swapped drug addiction for alcohol. Key Takeaway Recognize and break cycles of addiction. Themes addiction substance abuse recovery self-awareness personal growth Mood empathetic hopeful Type personal health When to use this quote - rehab programs - support groups - personal counseling Key Concepts psychology health behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What strategies prevent substitution addictions? - How can support systems adapt? A Different Perspective Recovery is non‑linear and complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Addiction Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction-instead-3044707/) [Alcohol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Discovered Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-addiction-3044704/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Kicked Drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicked-drugs-3044705/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) [Went Drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-drugs-3044706/) ## Related quotes > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) [David Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-norman/) > [My father taught me to not fear anything. 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You pull one out and another appears!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-goldstein/issues-are-like-tissues-you-pull-one-out-and-another-appears/) [Gary Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-goldstein/) > [“Not much more than a broke disgrace who's hooked on tonics, so excuse him if his poker face has puke on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal-lecture/not-much-more-than-a-broke-disgrace-who-s-hooked-on-tonics-so-excuse/) [Hannibal Lecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal-lecture/) > [Every addiction arises from an unconscious refusal to face and move through your own pain. Every addiction starts with pain and ends with pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/every-addiction-arises-from-an-unconscious-refusal-to-face-and-move/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [ It's just literally being afraid. And you think, oh, \[the alcohol\] will ease the fear. And it doesn't." What was he afraid of? 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I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. 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They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Addiction quotes > [What has drug addiction done for me? 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Like being able to run for this or run for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/i-had-an-addiction-to-artificial-points-of-success-like-being-able-to/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [“Addictions are just symptoms of underlying issues, and in my view Nikki self-medicated the emotional pain of his childhood, and being away from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/addictions-are-just-symptoms-of-underlying-issues-and-in-my-view/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [“Oil. The great addiction of the civilized world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-warren/oil-the-great-addiction-of-the-civilized-world/) [Andrew Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-warren/) > [“They say when you fall in love in love with someone that person becomes like a drug,an addiction you don't want to live without.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-when-you-fall-in-love-in-love-with-someone-that-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Addictions - Run to Jesus instead of running to your addiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/addictions-run-to-jesus-instead-of-running-to-your-addiction/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Music is my personal addiction. So much of everything I've done has only been to open more doors for the music itself. 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