Idioms are powerful tools that allow us to express deep feelings and complex behaviors in creative and memorable ways. When it comes to addiction—whether it’s about substances, habits, or even digital distractions—idioms help us talk about these issues with nuance, emotion, and sometimes even humor or warning.
In this article, we’ll explore 49 idioms that relate to addiction. Some of them highlight the intensity of being hooked, others show how hard it is to quit, and a few even point to recovery. Whether you’re writing a story, explaining a situation, or just trying to understand how language reflects human behavior, this list will give you insight and clarity.
What is an Idiom for Addiction?
Idioms for addiction are phrases that describe addictive behaviors, dependencies, or the emotional and mental states that come with being unable to stop doing something—even when you want to. These expressions are often used to convey the struggle, the pull, and the consequences of addictive patterns, making conversations about addiction more vivid and relatable.
Let’s break down each idiom and see how it works:
Idioms for Addiction
1. Hooked on
Meaning: To be addicted to or obsessed with something.
In a Sentence: After trying that new energy drink once, he was completely hooked on it and couldn’t go a day without it.
2. Slave to
Meaning: Controlled by a habit or addiction.
In a Sentence: She became a slave to her phone, checking it constantly even during important meetings.
3. Can’t live without
Meaning: Feels impossible to function or be happy without something.
In a Sentence: He joked that he couldn’t live without his daily coffee, but it had clearly become a real dependence.
4. Out of control
Meaning: When someone has lost the ability to manage or regulate their addictive behavior.
In a Sentence: His late-night snacking got so out of control that he started gaining weight and losing sleep.
5. Chained to
Meaning: Bound or stuck in a routine or habit that feels impossible to break.
In a Sentence: She felt chained to her job and her bad habits, unable to escape either.
6. In too deep
Meaning: Too involved or committed to an addiction to back out easily.
In a Sentence: By the time he realized he had a gambling problem, he was already in too deep with debts piling up.
7. Going cold turkey
Meaning: To suddenly and completely stop using an addictive substance.
In a Sentence: After years of smoking, she went cold turkey and didn’t touch a cigarette again.
8. Craving it
Meaning: A powerful desire for something, especially something addictive.
In a Sentence: Even after quitting sugar for months, she still found herself craving it every night.
9. Under the influence
Meaning: Affected by drugs or alcohol.
In a Sentence: He was clearly under the influence and couldn’t drive safely.
10. Addicted to the high
Meaning: Obsessed with the feeling or thrill that an addiction brings.
In a Sentence: It wasn’t the drug itself—he was addicted to the high and the way it made him forget everything else.
11. Monkey on one’s back
Meaning: A burden or addiction that’s hard to get rid of.
In a Sentence: His addiction to prescription pills was like a monkey on his back, weighing him down every day.
12. Riding the dragon
Meaning: A metaphor for chasing the euphoric feeling from opiates or drugs.
In a Sentence: The documentary showed how people kept riding the dragon despite knowing it could kill them.
13. Habit-forming
Meaning: Something that easily becomes an addiction.
In a Sentence: Those little anxiety pills seemed harmless at first, but they were dangerously habit-forming.
14. Jonezing for
Meaning: Desperately craving something one is addicted to.
In a Sentence: He was jonezing for a cigarette within minutes of stepping off the plane.
15. Can’t get enough
Meaning: Always wanting more of something addictive.
In a Sentence: She binge-watched five seasons in one weekend—she just couldn’t get enough of that show.
16. In the grip of
Meaning: Controlled or held tightly by an addiction.
In a Sentence: He was in the grip of alcoholism and had stopped showing up to work.
17. On a binge
Meaning: Indulging excessively, often in food, drugs, or alcohol.
In a Sentence: After the breakup, he went on a binge and didn’t leave his apartment for days.
18. Slave to the bottle
Meaning: Addicted to alcohol.
In a Sentence: He had once been a star athlete, but now he was just a slave to the bottle.
19. Lost in the sauce
Meaning: Overwhelmed by or addicted to alcohol or drugs.
In a Sentence: He used to have dreams and goals, but now he was lost in the sauce.
20. Feeding the beast
Meaning: Giving in to an addiction or habit that grows stronger with each indulgence.
In a Sentence: Every time she ordered fast food late at night, she knew she was just feeding the beast.
21. Living for the next fix
Meaning: Constantly waiting for the next opportunity to satisfy an addiction.
In a Sentence: He wasn’t really living—just existing and living for the next fix.
22. Stuck in a loop
Meaning: Repeating the same addictive behavior over and over again.
In a Sentence: No matter how many times she promised to stop, she was stuck in a loop of online shopping.
23. Can’t put it down
Meaning: Unable to stop using or consuming something addictive.
In a Sentence: He got the new game yesterday and literally couldn’t put it down all night.
24. It has a hold on me
Meaning: The addiction controls or dominates the person’s actions.
In a Sentence: She wanted to quit vaping, but it just had a hold on her she couldn’t break.
25. Chasing the rush
Meaning: Always seeking the thrill or pleasure that comes with the addictive behavior.
In a Sentence: He wasn’t just taking risks—he was chasing the rush like it was the only thing that made him feel alive.
26. One more hit
Meaning: Seeking just one more dose or indulgence, common in substance addiction.
In a Sentence: He promised it would be his last time, but “one more hit” had become his daily lie.
27. Crashing hard
Meaning: Experiencing the emotional or physical low after a high.
In a Sentence: After a night of partying, she was crashing hard the next morning, both physically and mentally.
28. Riding the wave
Meaning: Going along with an intense feeling or rush from an addictive behavior.
In a Sentence: He was riding the wave of adrenaline after placing his third online bet in an hour.
29. High as a kite
Meaning: Extremely intoxicated, especially from drugs.
In a Sentence: He walked into the room high as a kite, laughing at things no one else found funny.
30. In denial
Meaning: Refusing to admit there’s a problem with the addiction.
In a Sentence: She was clearly drinking too much, but still completely in denial about her dependency.
31. On edge
Meaning: Feeling anxious or irritable due to withdrawal or lack of access to the addiction.
In a Sentence: He hadn’t had caffeine all morning and was noticeably on edge by lunchtime.
32. Off the wagon
Meaning: Returning to an addiction after a period of sobriety.
In a Sentence: After months of staying clean, one stressful night sent him off the wagon.
33. Back on the wagon
Meaning: Resuming sobriety after relapsing.
In a Sentence: She admitted her slip but was determined to get back on the wagon and keep going.
34. Falling off the deep end
Meaning: Losing control or sinking deeper into addiction.
In a Sentence: After losing his job, he fell off the deep end and started drinking every day.
35. Blowing off steam
Meaning: Using addictive behavior as a way to release stress or emotion.
In a Sentence: He claimed he was just blowing off steam with his weekend drinking, but it had become a habit.
36. Playing with fire
Meaning: Engaging in risky behavior that could lead to addiction.
In a Sentence: Trying that drug even once is playing with fire—you never know how it will affect you.
37. Drowning in it
Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed or consumed by the addiction.
In a Sentence: She wasn’t just drinking socially anymore—she was drowning in it.
38. On a slippery slope
Meaning: In a situation where one bad decision could lead to worse consequences.
In a Sentence: He thought he could control his gambling, but he was already on a slippery slope.
39. Hitting rock bottom
Meaning: Reaching the lowest point due to an addiction or destructive behavior.
In a Sentence: After waking up in a jail cell, he realized he had truly hit rock bottom.
40. Out of your system
Meaning: No longer addicted or physically affected by the substance.
In a Sentence: It took a few weeks, but the nicotine was finally out of her system.
41. Rehab mindset
Meaning: Focusing on recovery and breaking free from addiction.
In a Sentence: He entered therapy with a full rehab mindset, ready to rebuild his life.
42. Breaking the cycle
Meaning: Stopping a repeated pattern of addictive behavior.
In a Sentence: She knew she needed help if she wanted to break the cycle of binge-eating and regret.
43. Under the spell
Meaning: Feeling enchanted or trapped by the effects of addiction.
In a Sentence: He was under the spell of social media, checking it every few minutes without even thinking.
44. Numbing the pain
Meaning: Using substances or behaviors to avoid dealing with emotions.
In a Sentence: He drank every night, not for fun, but to numb the pain of his loneliness.
45. A hard habit to break
Meaning: A behavior that’s deeply ingrained and difficult to stop.
In a Sentence: Biting her nails since childhood was a hard habit to break—even in adulthood.
46. Struggling to stay clean
Meaning: Having difficulty avoiding a substance or addictive behavior after trying to quit.
In a Sentence: Every day was a battle as he struggled to stay clean and avoid the temptations around him.
47. Temptation island
Meaning: A situation or place filled with things that feed one’s addiction.
In a Sentence: For someone trying to stop shopping online, Black Friday was like living on temptation island.
48. Going off the rails
Meaning: Losing control and engaging in destructive behavior.
In a Sentence: As the stress built up, she went off the rails and spent her savings on an impulsive shopping spree.
49. Controlled chaos
Meaning: Appears to be in control while internally battling addiction.
In a Sentence: He looked composed at work, but behind closed doors, his life was pure controlled chaos.
Quizzes About the Idioms in the Article
Quiz 1: Hooked on
What does “hooked on” mean in the context of addiction?
a) To get rid of something easily
b) To be deeply attached or addicted to something
c) To dislike a certain habit
d) To avoid triggers
Quiz 2: Cold Turkey
What does “going cold turkey” mean?
a) Gradually reducing a habit
b) Giving up a habit for the weekend
c) Suddenly and completely stopping an addictive behavior
d) Trying something new just once
Quiz 3: Monkey on One’s Back
If someone has “a monkey on their back,” what are they dealing with?
a) A funny pet
b) A small inconvenience
c) A difficult addiction or burden
d) An annoying sibling
Quiz 4: In the Grip Of
What does “in the grip of” imply?
a) To loosely like something
b) To be controlled by an addiction
c) To control others
d) To forget a habit
Quiz 5: Slippery Slope
Why is “a slippery slope” dangerous in addiction?
a) It’s a fun path
b) It means everything is under control
c) It shows how small actions can quickly lead to bigger problems
d) It refers to winter sports
Quiz 6: Hitting Rock Bottom
What does it mean to “hit rock bottom”?
a) To touch the ground
b) To reach a turning point in a workout
c) To reach the lowest point in one’s struggle with addiction
d) To lose a rock
Quiz 7: Controlled Chaos
What does “controlled chaos” mean in this context?
a) A messy room
b) Life appears orderly, but it’s filled with hidden struggles
c) A quiet party
d) A peaceful protest
Answers:
- b
- c
- c
- b
- c
- c
- b
Conclusion
Addiction can be hard to talk about, but idioms give us a way to describe it that’s both powerful and relatable. Whether you’re using these expressions to open up about your own experiences, write a story, or simply understand others better, these idioms for addiction show just how deeply language can reflect the human experience.
Which idioms stood out the most to you? Let these phrases open up real conversations—and maybe even start the journey toward understanding or healing.