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Aaron Sorkin: The Hardest Thing I Do Every Day Is Not Take Cocaine

First Posted: 09-22-10 12:42 PM   |   Updated: 09-24-10 01:25 PM

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Aaron Sorkin Cocaine W

Lindsay Lohan says her drug addiction is a disease, and Aaron Sorkin talks about his similar experience with cocaine in a new interview in W. Sorkin also tells the magazine about writing 'The Social Network,' his relationship with Maureen Dowd and learning to write without cocaine.

Here are a few excerpts from the interview, read the whole thing here.

On his crack addiction in the mid-90s:

"I had what they call a 'high bottom,'" he explained. "My life didn't fall apart before I got into rehab. I didn't lose my job or run over a kid or injure anyone when I was high. But the hardest thing I do every day is not take cocaine. You don't get cured of addiction--you're just in remission."

On rehab:

"I had no intention of rehab working," Sorkin recalled. "I just thought it would be good to put 28 days between me and drugs. There were fortune cookie sayings on the walls at Hazelden, and I'm not susceptible to those things. But I've never seen anything work as well."

On his 2001 relapse:

"Again, it was a matter of opportunity: Julia [by that time his wife] was away, and I had a window where I could fly to Vegas on a Friday, get high all night, and then return to L.A. the next day. I'd do this three times a year, and it was amazing I never got caught. I was the worst criminal. I had a four-dollar pipe, and the bowl was made of metal. It showed up on the monitor at Burbank airport and they asked to search my bag." The authorities found a carefully packed bundle of hallucinogenic mushrooms and rock cocaine. "I fainted," Sorkin said. "When I came to, I was in handcuffs. I was lucky--there are guys serving time in prison for doing less than I did."


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Lindsay Lohan says her drug addiction is a disease, and Aaron Sorkin talks about his similar experience with cocaine in a new interview in W. Sorkin also tells the magazine about writing 'The Social N...
Lindsay Lohan says her drug addiction is a disease, and Aaron Sorkin talks about his similar experience with cocaine in a new interview in W. Sorkin also tells the magazine about writing 'The Social N...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Sundance   5 hours ago (10:04 PM)
PLEASE delete this story!
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peacekitten   3 hours ago (11:56 PM)
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ckfan   6 hours ago (9:02 PM)
Sorkin: The authorities found a carefully packed bundle of hallucinogenic mushrooms and rock cocaine. "I fainted," Sorkin said. "When I came to, I was in handcuffs. I was lucky--there are guys serving time in prison for doing less than I did."

You're lucky you're white.
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SarahFiggTock   6 hours ago (8:58 PM)
It is nice to see someone use proper terms to discuss the disease of addiction, such as "addiction remission" instead of using terms that further stigmatize it. When people see and treat addiction as a brain disease, which it is (go on NIDA and read Dr. Nora Volkov's articles or watch her videos) the more the people who suffer from it will get the help they need.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Craig Lane   8 hours ago (6:55 PM)
People can become mentally addicted to anything. You can even become addicted to being responsible for yourself. It's a long scary road. Good luck to everyone out there trying to get it together. If I can do it. Anyone can.
guilatty   10 hours ago (4:47 PM)
It will be better when we learn of a man who never took drugs and find him interesting.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ckfan   6 hours ago (9:02 PM)
great post!
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SarahFiggTock   6 hours ago (9:14 PM)
Did you never take drugs? Are you interesting? Do tell.
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peacekitten   3 hours ago (11:57 PM)
THANK YOU!
patman77   12 hours ago (2:43 PM)
the real deal about addiction is that we only hear of the ones who struggle and get caught,die or publicly find JC and relapse soon after. you don't hear of the millions of us clean and sober because of the spiritual concept of anonymity. we are anonymous thus allowinh gus to not keep our ego out there to set us up.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ACLU Card Carrier   15 hours ago (11:51 AM)
Sorkin is a brilliant man who made some terrible personal choices.

"CHOICES" being the operative word.

Sorry, even as I agree with his politics, he got a free ride because of his money and influence that, if he were a black, inner city youth, he NEVER would have had.  Unequal "justice" is WRONG.. even if one is a "liberal".

He betrayed those who loved him, and all he is doing now is playing the 'victim'.

Sorry.... but it just doesn't wash.
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KevinCasey filmcritic   9 hours ago (5:48 PM)
Victim? Did you actually read the linked article? He frames every detail of his addiction within the context of his own actions. Playing the 'victim' are those who prevaricate about the disproportionate sentencing of blacks when prompted by questions of personal responsibility.
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blaharumph   17 hours ago (9:48 AM)
article: "I was lucky--there are guys serving time in prison for doing less than I did."

damn straight. any of us would be in prison.
Giglawyer   16 hours ago (10:54 AM)
"I was lucky [to be rich, famous and white]---"

How is this felon NOT in jail?
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KevinCasey filmcritic   10 hours ago (4:42 PM)
He did do time in jail -- read the complete article.
patman77   12 hours ago (2:37 PM)
heck, limbaugh is still usin' and did'nt do a day or see ahandcuff.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Craig Lane   8 hours ago (6:49 PM)
Yeah and HE wanted to execute ALL drug users.
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TheBlondeRaven   24 hours ago (3:00 AM)
Good to hear about the unglamours side of drugs.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Cowboylove   01:44 AM on 9/24/2010
I feel so much pity for him, but not as much as I would if he didn't fight the addiction. We all have our own special demons we must struggle with in life. Drugs are a demon we invite into our lives that never leaves.
tiredofpc   01:08 AM on 9/24/2010
So incredibly talented and still watch reruns of West Wing....solace for most of the past decade.
Hang in there. Keep writing. You're a treasure.
ccaa6732   12:34 AM on 9/24/2010
He is absolutely right, when you are addicted to hard drugs (cocaine, meth, heroin, even alcohol) and become sober there is not a day that goes by when you are not thinking about doing drugs or getting high. It eats away at the mind, you just have to ignore the thoughts the best you can. My neighbor is an alcoholic and has lost everything, her family, her respect but she does not care, she continues to drink. It is sad
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Catfish1968   02:39 AM on 9/24/2010
It gets better. I celebrated 24 years this january and I rarely think about it at all.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ACLU Card Carrier   15 hours ago (11:52 AM)
Congratulations!
radlad   13 hours ago (1:54 PM)
"Absolutely right?" Talk about what you know, not your opinions. I am cocaine addict, but I haven't done it for over 22 years. I do not think about it daily and have been freed from the mental obsession to use it. I have recovered. I feel sorry for Aaron. Happy, joyous and free starts with the freedom from the mental obsession to use.
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SarahFiggTock   6 hours ago (9:01 PM)
I think he WAS sharing his opinion and you just personalized it.
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castlerider   03:51 PM on 9/23/2010
A Native American man of knowledge, or medicine man, once explained to me how the coca plant is millions of years old, actually older then humans, and grows in arid areas of spectacular breathtaking environments as well as jungles. He went on to talk about how the alkoloids in the plant, when a person delivers them in a big load into their system, actually carry the spirit of this ancient plant into their system, and the spirit of the plant lives in and invades the bodies of the user, which is why they feel so little of themselves and only know that they want to continue to inject themselves with more. It reaches the pleasure centers of the brain and makes itself at home, -even returning in dreams; which is why people get hopelessly addicted to it.

-I know, trippy, huh? But I thought it was a quite interesting, and possibly very real, analysis.

Just goes to show, if you're gonna take something on, it helps to know what you're up against.
Seems like most ordinary and weak willed, even strong people wouldn't have a hope in hell against something like that.

I have to agree with ol' Ted Nugent on that one... Drugs make you less of yourself.
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gcarl   04:25 PM on 9/23/2010
castlerider, the same description is given in one of Castenada's books, with respect to Datura and even Jimson Weed--a linking of different levels of psyche and reality. People are thereafter spoken of as having the 'personality' of whatever plant they are using.
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peacekitten   07:25 PM on 9/23/2010
there is a very interesting book, entitled "food of the gods," that discusses how human cultures have, for thousands of years, had a place for varying drugs in their society, and why.  the shamans of cultures around the world know and knew so much about these things, and if their knowledge had not been suppressed or wiped out, i have a feeling a lot of lives since would have been very different.  in many of the societies described in the book, it was only shamans that were allowed to partake of the plants that produced what we refer to as "trips" now.

your quote is one of the few coherent things nugent has ever said.
SkyCap   13 hours ago (2:20 PM)
I know...every morning, i feel myself increasingly become, little by little...Captain Crunch. I feel him in my brain laughing as I scrape the roof of my mouth on that hard cereal, but I can't stop.

I'm more Captain than me now.

Anyway, in all seriousness, most plants (even domesticated ones) are descended from plants that were around millions of years ago. I don't see how that has anything to do with anything. I also don't understand the fixation on alkaloids as the vessel of the ancient plant spirit. Seems like a random idea just thrown out with little supporting evidence. I think it's been demonstrated that the alkaloids in cocaine are just psychoactive chemicals...period.

And what about meth? It's completely synthetic, and it can sure make people less of themselves. No ancient plant spirits needed.
patman77   12 hours ago (2:40 PM)
so does setting salt blocks out to lure and then to shoot deer with crossbows.
Seaniebhoy   03:04 PM on 9/23/2010
Good luck mate...been where you were myself as a younger man and let me tell you it takes a complete change in life style, in mates and in places to hang out in order to completely walk away from it.
jesthefaxman   12:19 PM on 9/23/2010
You and Franken both...both rich and powerful white guys

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