--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe some folks are alcoholics and…" description: "\"Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks... maybe some have drinking problems, while others have problems enough to drink.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png" --- # Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just… ![“Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks... maybe some have drinking problems, while others have problems enough to drink.” quote by George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png) > “Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks... maybe some have drinking problems, while others have problems enough to drink.” [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts people who have a medical addiction to alcohol with those who choose to drink excessively for other reasons, highlighting differing levels of control and consequence. **In simple terms:** Distinguishes addiction from voluntary excess drinking Key Takeaway Recognize when drinking is a disease versus a choice. Themes addiction choice responsibility Mood reflective concerned Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - personal relationships - health counseling - self‑assessment - intervention - policy making Key Concepts substance dependence behavioral health Questions to Reflect On - Is your drinking a coping mechanism or a habit? - How can you support someone struggling with addiction? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex social and psychological factors influencing drinking behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alcohol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) [Alcoholics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcoholics/) [Drinking problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-problem/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks. Maybe some folks drink due to body chemistry and others due to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-others-are-just-voluntary-drunks-2/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [ Because Brenda \[Carlin\] had a drinking problem along with the coke, she had to hit bottom first. Most alcoholics do. And for her, bottom… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/because-brenda-carlin-had-a-drinking-problem-along-with-the-coke-she/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Well I have a drug history and a public drinking problem and I am not the healthiest guy. So they just ran that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/well-i-have-a-drug-history-and-a-public-drinking-problem-and-i-am-not/) [Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/) > [“Maybe being with Cade was a need…my body needed him more than I realized. He was a part of me, whether I wanted him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicia-tatum/maybe-being-with-cade-was-a-need-my-body-needed-him-more-than-i/) [Felicia Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicia-tatum/) > [People close to me wouldn't have thought that I had a drinking problem because it wasn't evident although towards the very end of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-matthews/people-close-to-me-wouldn-t-have-thought-that-i-had-a-drinking/) [Spencer Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-matthews/) > [My father's drinking was sometimes a problem. And a great deal went unspoken. He was not particularly acute or articulate about the emotions. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/my-father-s-drinking-was-sometimes-a-problem-and-a-great-deal-went/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Math teacher: I have 5 bottles in one hand, and 6 in the other. What do I have? Student: A drinking problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/math-teacher-i-have-5-bottles-in-one-hand-and-6-in-the-other-what-do/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [The sober guy is always going to have this air of arrogance or self-righteousness, but it's not my intention. I just knew that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/the-sober-guy-is-always-going-to-have-this-air-of-arrogance-or-self/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [“There’s something purely foolish about attending any large gathering of men and women without benefit of some kind of philter or magic dust to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-s-something-purely-foolish-about-attending-any-large-gathering/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ “\[excerpt\] The usual I say. Essence. Spirit. Medicine. A taste. I say top shelf. Straight up. A shot. A sip. A nip. I say… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/excerpt-the-usual-i-say-essence-spirit-medicine-a-taste-i-say-top/) [Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/) > [I've never gotten in too much trouble with alcohol. I've never had a drinking problem, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-ve-never-gotten-in-too-much-trouble-with-alcohol-i-ve-never-had-a/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [Sorry you're having trouble determining if your nausea and vomiting are from the flu or your horrible drinking problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-you-re-having-trouble-determining-if-your-nausea-and-vomiting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everybody goes through divorces. There's millions of people that have drinking problems. There's people that their weight goes up and down, just like mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/everybody-goes-through-divorces-there-s-millions-of-people-that-have/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [I dont care if my family thinks I have a drinking problem. The unicorn who visits me in the night time says I dont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-dont-care-if-my-family-thinks-i-have-a-drinking-problem-the-unicorn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The problem wasn't drinking. The problem was people. And what they needed wasn't a new law; what they needed was a new heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-mitchell/the-problem-wasn-t-drinking-the-problem-was-people-and-what-they/) [Siri Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-mitchell/) ## More by George Jones > [No matter what song I recorded or sang, I did it my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/no-matter-what-song-i-recorded-or-sang-i-did-it-my-way/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [If I could go back, oh, Lord knows I'd run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/if-i-could-go-back-oh-lord-knows-i-d-run/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [There's nothing prettier in the world than a melody. I can get lost in a song with a melody. A lot of times I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/there-s-nothing-prettier-in-the-world-than-a-melody-i-can-get-lost-in/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [I just want to keep living on and enjoying food! Even though I'm gaining weight, I want to record if the Lord wants me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-just-want-to-keep-living-on-and-enjoying-food-even-though-i-m/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [There, gleaming in the glow, was that ten-horsepower rotary engine under a seat. A key glistening in the ignition. I imagine the top speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/there-gleaming-in-the-glow-was-that-ten-horsepower-rotary-engine/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [My mama loved me more than anybody ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/my-mama-loved-me-more-than-anybody-ever-did/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [All Patsy Cline had to do was sing somebody else’s song and her version would outsell theirs because it would be so good!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/all-patsy-cline-had-to-do-was-sing-somebody-else-s-song-and-her/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [There were voices that told me right from wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/there-were-voices-that-told-me-right-from-wrong/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [I was born in Saratoga, Texas, a little town there in the Big Thicket about 60 miles north of Beaumont. Needless to say, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-was-born-in-saratoga-texas-a-little-town-there-in-the-big-thicket/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [I guess I'm payin' for the things that I have done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-guess-i-m-payin-for-the-things-that-i-have-done/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [I'm still losin' this game of life I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-m-still-losin-this-game-of-life-i-play/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [He still loved her through it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/he-still-loved-her-through-it-all/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [There was no such thing as production at Starday. We'd go in with the band, we'd go over the song, I'd look over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/there-was-no-such-thing-as-production-at-starday-we-d-go-in-with-the/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [After the first couple of years recording, I did a lot of praying. I said, 'Lord, please give me a hit.' I want one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/after-the-first-couple-of-years-recording-i-did-a-lot-of-praying-i/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [If you ever feel like giving up, remember that you will accomplish nothing by doing so. Keep it moving and never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/if-you-ever-feel-like-giving-up-remember-that-you-will-accomplish/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) [Explore all 79 George Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) ## More Alcohol quotes > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Stronger than alcohol, vaster than poetry, Ferment the freckled red bitterness of love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/stronger-than-alcohol-vaster-than-poetry-ferment-the-freckled-red/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [You can get a new phone or new trainers (sneakers) but you've only got one body so you have to look after it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-beckford/you-can-get-a-new-phone-or-new-trainers-sneakers-but-you-ve-only-got/) Tyson Beckford > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house unless they have a well-stocked bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/thou-shalt-not-covet-thy-neighbor-s-house-unless-they-have-a-well/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Alcohol is like Photoshop for real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/alcohol-is-like-photoshop-for-real-life/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) David Norman > [Blunt force didn't knock out the drug epidemic. 21 million Americans are addicted to drugs or alcohol. And half of all federal inmates are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-botticelli/blunt-force-didn-t-knock-out-the-drug-epidemic-21-million-americans/) [Michael Botticelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-botticelli/) > [I go to parties sometimes until four, it's hard to leave when you can't find the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/i-go-to-parties-sometimes-until-four-it-s-hard-to-leave-when-you-can/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) > [I can't fill the hole with money. I can't fill it with alcohol, or drugs, or sex, so what do I need to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/i-can-t-fill-the-hole-with-money-i-can-t-fill-it-with-alcohol-or/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [Cocaine decisions that you make today, will mean nothing later on when you get nose decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/cocaine-decisions-that-you-make-today-will-mean-nothing-later-on-when/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [I take really good care of myself. I promised myself long ago that I would never miss a hunting season, never poison my sacred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-take-really-good-care-of-myself-i-promised-myself-long-ago-that-i/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) [Browse all 1,953 Alcohol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks... maybe some have drinking problems, while others have problems enough to drink.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Jones" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-others-are-just-voluntary-drunks/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alcohol" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-others-are-just-voluntary-drunks/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/george-jones-8646_alcohol_maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-othe_1160007.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks... maybe some have drinking problems…” — George Jones", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Jones", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Maybe some folks are alcoholics and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-others-are-just-voluntary-drunks/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/maybe-some-folks-are-alcoholics-and-others-are-just-voluntary-drunks/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```