--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The addiction isn't your problem - it is…" description: "\"The addiction isn't your problem - it is what you use to cope with your problem.\" — Roy Nelson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg" --- # The addiction isn't your problem - it is what you use to… ![“The addiction isn't your problem - it is what you use to cope with your problem.” quote by Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg) > “The addiction isn't your problem - it is what you use to cope with your problem.” [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Addiction is a coping mechanism, not the core issue; addressing underlying problems is essential. **In simple terms:** Addiction masks deeper problems. Key Takeaway Treat the root cause, not just the habit. Themes addiction coping mental health Mood empathetic insightful Type psychological self-help When to use this quote - therapy sessions - stress management - support groups Key Concepts psychology behavioral patterns Questions to Reflect On - What underlying issue fuels your coping habit? - How can you address the root cause directly? A Different Perspective Focusing only on addiction may ignore systemic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Addiction Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction-isn-669919/) [Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cope/) [Cope Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cope-problem-5054880/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-cope-5498999/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [We have normality. I repeat, we have normality. Anything you still can't cope with is therefore your own problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/we-have-normality-i-repeat-we-have-normality-anything-you-still-can-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“They should let some people into the library by prescription only. For serious, books about architecture are Denny's pornography. Yeah, first it's a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-should-let-some-people-into-the-library-by-prescription-only-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Addiction isn't about substance - you aren't addicted to the substance, you are addicted to the alteration of mood that the substance brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cheever/addiction-isn-t-about-substance-you-aren-t-addicted-to-the-substance/) [Susan Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cheever/) > [Addiction isn't about using drugs. It's about what the drug does to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/addiction-isn-t-about-using-drugs-it-s-about-what-the-drug-does-to/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“If you start with the idea that addiction isn’t a primary disease, but an attempt to solve a problem, then you soon come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/if-you-start-with-the-idea-that-addiction-isn-t-a-primary-disease-but/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [Your addiction isn't a weakness it's your strength asking you for both hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-clark/your-addiction-isn-t-a-weakness-it-s-your-strength-asking-you-for/) [Denise Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-clark/) > [No addiction, then no business By: RODNEY GNANAMANY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-gnanamany/no-addiction-then-no-business-by-rodney-gnanamany/) [RODNEY GNANAMANY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-gnanamany/) > [“Research does reveal a genetic disposition to substance abuse, but those who believe their addiction is a disease show less of an inclination to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/research-does-reveal-a-genetic-disposition-to-substance-abuse-but/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“That’s all addiction really is. It’s trading away the future so you can feel OK right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/that-s-all-addiction-really-is-it-s-trading-away-the-future-so-you/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“Addiction is not a moral defect, and to suggest that does a great disservice to people suffering with this disorder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-dodes/addiction-is-not-a-moral-defect-and-to-suggest-that-does-a-great/) [Lance Dodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-dodes/) > [It is time to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for chemical addiction. It is time for Congress to deal with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ramstad/it-is-time-to-end-the-discrimination-against-people-who-need/) [Jim Ramstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ramstad/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) ## More by Roy Nelson > [A good wrestler, with good jiu jitsu and great boxing, can beat Fedor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/a-good-wrestler-with-good-jiu-jitsu-and-great-boxing-can-beat-fedor/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I think with every heavyweight, there's a style that makes for a different fight with different fighters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-think-with-every-heavyweight-there-s-a-style-that-makes-for-a/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [Everybody hates a whiner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/everybody-hates-a-whiner/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I'd fight anyone I've ever lost to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-d-fight-anyone-i-ve-ever-lost-to/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I'm always down to give the fans what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-m-always-down-to-give-the-fans-what-they-want/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [We handle it from both sides of the coin: from the sport aspect and the entertainment aspect. You gotta have both because we're if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/we-handle-it-from-both-sides-of-the-coin-from-the-sport-aspect-and/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [Do I want a shot at the belt? Yes, of course I do. Put it this way: I am Barry Sanders on the Detroit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/do-i-want-a-shot-at-the-belt-yes-of-course-i-do-put-it-this-way-i-am/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I stopped trying to think about how the UFC operates. It's like trying to understand a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-stopped-trying-to-think-about-how-the-ufc-operates-it-s-like-trying/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [If you paid me $2 million, I'm sure I could lose my belly. But I don't get paid to look a certain way. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/if-you-paid-me-2-million-i-m-sure-i-could-lose-my-belly-but-i-don-t/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [Just go out there against the best fighters in the world and see where I stand. That's what I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/just-go-out-there-against-the-best-fighters-in-the-world-and-see/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I have plenty of sponsors, and I'm the first American that Pretorian has sponsored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-have-plenty-of-sponsors-and-i-m-the-first-american-that-pretorian/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [What brought me to Bellator was Scott Coker, Viacom, and one of my good friends, Mike Kogan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/what-brought-me-to-bellator-was-scott-coker-viacom-and-one-of-my-good/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I'm always looking ahead, not backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-m-always-looking-ahead-not-backwards/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I think just more that it's okay for fighters to have a self-esteem. I think I've kind of shown that that's okay. And as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-think-just-more-that-it-s-okay-for-fighters-to-have-a-self-esteem-i/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I made more from sponsorship than I did from fighting. I did that for the longest time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-made-more-from-sponsorship-than-i-did-from-fighting-i-did-that-for/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) [Explore all 103 Roy Nelson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "The addiction isn't your problem - it is what you use to cope with your problem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roy Nelson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-what-you-use-to-cope-with-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Addiction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-what-you-use-to-cope-with-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/roy-nelson-5097_addiction_the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-w_1500396.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The addiction isn't your problem - it is what you use to cope with your problem.” — Roy Nelson", "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": "Roy Nelson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The addiction isn't your problem -...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-what-you-use-to-cope-with-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/the-addiction-isn-t-your-problem-it-is-what-you-use-to-cope-with-your/#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 } } ] } ```