--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Punishment by definition isn't going to…" description: "\"Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you need to do is to help people to change and recover is to help them find different areas of pa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/maia-szalavitz-21394_addiction_punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to_55563.jpg" --- # Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you… ![“Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you need to do is to help people to change and recover is to help them find different areas of passion and help them find better ways of coping. Because about 50 percent of people with addiction have a preexisting mental illness, about…” quote by Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/maia-szalavitz-21394_addiction_punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to_55563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/maia-szalavitz-21394_addiction_punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to_55563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/maia-szalavitz-21394_addiction_punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to_55563.jpg) > “Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you need to do is to help people to change and recover is to help them find different areas of passion and help them find better ways of coping. Because about 50 percent of people with addiction have a preexisting mental illness, about two-thirds have had some type of severe trauma during childhood, and they are not using to the point where they're risking their lives because it's fun. They're doing something to help them cope.” [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Punishment fails to address addiction; recovery requires support, new passions, and coping strategies, especially given common co-occurring mental illness and trauma. **In simple terms:** Supportive recovery over punishment Key Takeaway Healing needs compassion and purpose Themes addiction recovery mental health trauma coping mechanisms rehabilitation compassion Mood empathetic hopeful reflective Type advice observational analytical When to use this quote - clinical therapy - rehab programs - community support groups - peer mentorship - career counseling Key Concepts co-occurring disorders early trauma behavioral change social support Practical Applications - designing trauma-informed treatment plans - creating passion‑based rehabilitation programs Questions to Reflect On - How can we shift from punitive to supportive approaches? - What role does personal passion play in sustaining recovery? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Better way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-way/) [Better ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-ways/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Coping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coping/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Help people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-people/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Give me love Give me love Give me peace on earth Give me light Give me life Keep me free from birth Give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/give-me-love-give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [People who have never had an addiction don't understand how hard it can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payne-stewart/people-who-have-never-had-an-addiction-don-t-understand-how-hard-it/) [Payne Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/payne-stewart/) > [ There are whole states where people \[with addiction or mental health issues\] can't get to a doctor. If that were true of pancreatic cancer,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/there-are-whole-states-where-people-with-addiction-or-mental-health/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [I just hope by how I live my life every day that people can see there is another side to addiction. You can live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-reynolds/i-just-hope-by-how-i-live-my-life-every-day-that-people-can-see-there/) [Kim Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-reynolds/) > [Unconditional love is so important for people with addiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wicks/unconditional-love-is-so-important-for-people-with-addiction/) [Joe Wicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wicks/) > [I hope 'Warning: This Drug May Kill You' documentary helps to show the humanity of the people who are struggling with the brain disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perri-peltz/i-hope-warning-this-drug-may-kill-you-documentary-helps-to-show-the/) [Perri Peltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perri-peltz/) > [For decades the American people have had an addiction to oil and gas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-h-hamilton/for-decades-the-american-people-have-had-an-addiction-to-oil-and-gas/) [Lee H. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-h-hamilton/) > [“It will take centuries to disconnect people from an addiction like religion; no matter how bad and disastrous it could be, but addiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/it-will-take-centuries-to-disconnect-people-from-an-addiction-like/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Good nutrition and regular exercise definitely help you cope with life's dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-irwin/good-nutrition-and-regular-exercise-definitely-help-you-cope-with/) [Terri Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-irwin/) > [I go to therapy a lot. And I'm - I'm open about that, and I try to get the help so that I -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/i-go-to-therapy-a-lot-and-i-m-i-m-open-about-that-and-i-try-to-get/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [When we stop to count our blessings rather than focusing on our predicament, our attitude will be able to help us cope with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-eikenberry/when-we-stop-to-count-our-blessings-rather-than-focusing-on-our/) [Kevin Eikenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-eikenberry/) > [We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-make-up-horrors-to-help-us-cope-with-the-real-ones/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [So I'd better stop my whining and help myself cope better with even the worst Adversities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/so-i-d-better-stop-my-whining-and-help-myself-cope-better-with-even/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Two words will help you cope when you run low on hope: accept and trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/two-words-will-help-you-cope-when-you-run-low-on-hope-accept-and-trust/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Maia Szalavitz > [There's traditionally been two different ways of seeing addiction. Either it's a sin and you're a horrible bad person and you are just choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/there-s-traditionally-been-two-different-ways-of-seeing-addiction/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [The thing about our drug laws is that they're not based on science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/the-thing-about-our-drug-laws-is-that-they-re-not-based-on-science/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the possible exception of caffeine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the-least-harmful-psychoactive/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [There is a safe, nontoxic drug called naloxone that can instantly reverse opioid overdose and prevent most of these deaths. But the drug war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/there-is-a-safe-nontoxic-drug-called-naloxone-that-can-instantly/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [When President Nixon declared war on drugs on June 17, 1971, about 110 people per 100,000 in the population were incarcerated. Today, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/when-president-nixon-declared-war-on-drugs-on-june-17-1971-about-110/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Because of the war on drugs, pain patients are treated with skepticism and pain doctors live in fear of being prosecuted for overprescribing. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/because-of-the-war-on-drugs-pain-patients-are-treated-with-skepticism/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [I think our drug laws need to be made scientifically, as best as possible, recognizing that values will always be part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/i-think-our-drug-laws-need-to-be-made-scientifically-as-best-as/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Addiction is when you fall in love with a drug instead of a child or a lover and the learning that takes part in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/addiction-is-when-you-fall-in-love-with-a-drug-instead-of-a-child-or/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [We should not be putting kids in cages and hoping that is going to fix their psychological problems of any type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/we-should-not-be-putting-kids-in-cages-and-hoping-that-is-going-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [I don't have kids, but I've often noticed when people first become parents they seem to completely forget their own adolescence and they start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/i-don-t-have-kids-but-i-ve-often-noticed-when-people-first-become/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [In order for people to recover, we can't just say 'love is all we need.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-order-for-people-to-recover-we-can-t-just-say-love-is-all-we-need/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [If you're worried about a kid and drug use, the safest, best thing to do is individual counseling or family therapy, none of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/if-you-re-worried-about-a-kid-and-drug-use-the-safest-best-thing-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Incarceration is as useful for addiction as it is for diabetes - i.e., not useful and potentially harmful, particularly for kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/incarceration-is-as-useful-for-addiction-as-it-is-for-diabetes-i-e/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe, but the real important thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very-hard-to-create-a-therapeutic/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [We absolutely should legalize marijuana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/we-absolutely-should-legalize-marijuana/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) [Explore all 29 Maia Szalavitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) ## More Addiction quotes > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I really think the disease aspect gets lost when you're talking about alcoholism and addiction; it's not like you're battling leukemia or a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-irsay/i-really-think-the-disease-aspect-gets-lost-when-you-re-talking-about/) [Jim Irsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-irsay/) > [I had an addiction to artificial points of success. 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. It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/music-is-my-personal-addiction-so-much-of-everything-i-ve-done-has/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Religious work is one of the best ways to keep from facing your reality if you are Christian, if you are using it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-miller/religious-work-is-one-of-the-best-ways-to-keep-from-facing-your/) [Keith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-miller/) > [Cold sweats, hallucinations I wanna speed to stop. The hell I'm going through The addiction's taking you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bullet-for-my-valentine/cold-sweats-hallucinations-i-wanna-speed-to-stop-the-hell-i-m-going/) [Bullet For My Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bullet-for-my-valentine/) > [As addictions go, reading is among the cleanest, easiest to feed, happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/as-addictions-go-reading-is-among-the-cleanest-easiest-to-feed/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) David Norman > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Browse all 2,134 Addiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Punishment by definition isn't going to help. 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