Not An Addict

Although the prevailing sentiment on this board is that it's an anti-drug song, I believe it's the opposite. It's sung from the perspective of an addict who is simultaneously in denial about their addiction and reveling in how it makes them feel. These lines are repeated several times:

It's not a habit, it's cool, I feel alive If you don't have it you're on the other side I'm not an addict, maybe that's a lie

The first of those lines is clearly intended as a counter-argument to someone telling the addict that they have a problem. "No man, you don't understand, it's not a habit at all. It's totally cool. It makes me feel alive!"

The second line is along the same lines, essentially telling that same person that if they aren't experiencing it then they can't possibly understand.

The third line, however, is the clincher. The addict, fresh off denying that they're an addict, admits that the denials are probably a lie. These lines are usually followed by a repetition of the "I'm not an addict" chorus, but by this point it's clear that the speaker is very much an addict, even if they don't want to call it that, and that they're actually reveling in it.

I am addicted to this song! This song to me means maybe the writer knew someone or was addicted herself and goes through the denial and the excuses. I'm not an addict myself, and I never have been, fortunately, but this song is so passionate and beautiful.

this song was used as an anti drug drug messege to schools in america, so its definatly not a pro drugs song, but soooo beautiful!! sarahs voice is so textured but smooth, love it!!

That song is -definitely- an anti-drugs song. "It's over now, I'm cold, alone. I'm just a person on my own. Nothing means a thing to me..." it's how the drugs take over the addicts' lives until the point that their life resolve around, and everything that isn't a drug or related to it ("If you don't have it you're on the other side") is being pushed away.

i remember when i saw the video for this on mtv, once upon a time long long ago.... i love this song. it always makes me feel pity though, for whoever its about or whoever can relate to it. its like they love the feeling they get from it but hate it when its gone... they think they might have a problem (which they do) but dont want to admit it... i also love the singers voice in this song... she just sound so cool... hehe

This song is definitely an anti-drugs song. It may be beautiful, but just like a post-high, it leaves you feeling all cold and alone.

It's an anti-drug song, if it's not then it's neither. The song is only about what she and other drug users go/went through when they went through withdrawal. No where in the song is she saying go do drugs or don't use drugs. Depends on how you receive it. But in my opinion she wrote it to say, "Hey, coming down off this waste of money sucks." To me it's an anti-drug song. Jamming a needle in my arm to relieve pain temporarly and later being cold and alone when you withdraw doesn't sound attractive to me.

What a great song I think it's funny that any time I've ever done drugs with people, there's this whole attitude of being better than the rest of the world, feeling more, being truer. She mentions this when she says "we're so creative, so much more" and talks about non users being on the other side. She's just kidding herself, though. She knows that no matter how high they are, they're on the floor. She's not doing shit with her life but getting high, she's imprisoned by herself and her own need. What a sad song. The lines with the layered voices "It's not a habit, it's cool, i feel alive" almost sound like the voices of those she uses, trying to keep her there with them. Or the voices in her head, trying to deny the truth.

Its simply saying that drugs get you so high, and you feel so free, that you really get into an intense denial of being an addict. you say it's a habit, at most. that you could quit at any time. slowly you realize that you're lying to yourself because you only love drugs when you;re on them anymore, not when you're clean and sober as well.

my friends found this resonated with addictions beyond drugs.. bulimia for example. i didn't think of it that way until she said this to me.