# Demons aren't making you take drugs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920 "2010-03-26T19:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/1 "2010-03-26T19:04:04Z")
I was reading an obituary of Corey Haim yesterday and there were three seperate uses of the phrase “fighting his personal demons”. Corey Haim was not fighting demons. He had a drug addiction. I understand that the people who talk about his demons are using it a metaphor and don’t really mean he was being attacked by some supernatural beings. But I dislike the implication of the metaphor - that Haim’s addiction was somehow something external to him that he could block out. Which is ridiculous - the addiction is inside the addict and needs to be fixed internally not externally. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/2 "2010-03-26T19:06:30Z")
How do you know? You don’t know me. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/3 "2010-03-26T19:24:34Z")
I think you’re misinterpreting the phrase. Personal demons are not external, they are your issues. I don’t know what he was fighting, but it may have been a poor self-image, or some sort of unresolved conflict, or mental illness, or any one of a number of things. Including, of course, addiction. As Inigo Montoya would say… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/4 "2010-03-26T19:25:26Z")
The metaphor is based on the idea of demonic possession, in which the possessing-demons are **inside** the victim. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/5 "2010-03-26T19:25:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But I dislike the implication of the metaphor - that Haim’s addiction was somehow something external to him that he could block out. I don’t see how this follows. That’s why they’re called \*personal \*demons - the implication is that they’re \*not \*external. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/6 "2010-03-26T19:28:37Z")
Elves, on the other hand, could be a legitimate issue. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/7 "2010-03-26T19:30:34Z")
Yeah, but fighting your personal elves doesn’t have the same ring to it. Unless your problem is eating too many Keebler cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/8 "2010-03-26T19:35:40Z")
On the other hand, fighting your personal _Elvis_ is perfectly possible. Watch out for him. He’s an evil sumbitch. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/9 "2010-03-26T19:36:53Z")
The devil made me do it. That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/10 "2010-03-26T19:39:24Z")
Being able to see Russia from my backyard is one of my personal demons. But enough medication with a healthy dose of moose hunting cured me of that. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/11 "2010-03-26T19:47:27Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > On the other hand, fighting your personal _Elvis_ is perfectly possible. > > Watch out for him. He’s an evil sumbitch. _Elvis_ comes from the same root as _elf_. Graceland is actually a failed attempt at recreating Lothlorien. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/12 "2010-03-26T19:48:31Z")
Turns out, lembas bread is actually fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/13 "2010-03-26T19:55:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was reading an obituary of Corey Haim yesterday and there were three seperate uses of the phrase “fighting his personal demons”. > > Corey Haim was not fighting demons. He had a drug addiction. I understand that the people who talk about his demons are using it a metaphor and don’t really mean he was being attacked by some supernatural beings. But I dislike the implication of the metaphor - that Haim’s addiction was somehow something external to him that he could block out. Which is ridiculous - the addiction is inside the addict and needs to be fixed internally not externally. I think there are different connotations in using the metaphor, “personal demons.” Internal demons might be addiction, depression, illness, etc… Whereas, external demons having to do with life circumstances are just that, external, but are no less personal. It sounds like Mr. Haim had plenty of both, i.e., caring for his sick mother, dealing with his failed career, being surrounded most of his young life by leeches, having significant addition and mental health issues. My prayers and best wishes go out to his family and friends. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/14 "2010-03-26T19:57:18Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Turns out, lembas bread is actually fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. And the reason it keeps you fed for a long time is because it builds up in your colon. That’s the REAL inner demon. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/15 "2010-03-26T19:57:44Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Turns out, lembas bread is actually fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I have asked you ere this to keep certain tidbits of information to yourself. Please do not oblige me to report you to He Who Shall Not Be Named. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/16 "2010-03-26T19:59:51Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > Whereas, external demons having to do with life circumstances are just that, external, but are no less personal. Good point. I hadn’t thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/17 "2010-03-26T20:44:57Z")
This thread is answering all kinds of questions. ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/18 "2010-03-26T20:46:38Z")
Three words for the OP: What. The. Fuck. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/19 "2010-03-26T21:01:24Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > Internal demons might be addiction, depression, illness, etc… Whereas, external demons having to do with life circumstances are just that, external, but are no less personal. I heard when he died, the inner demons came RIPPING out of his chest and started WHALING on the external demons, and it turned into this huge-ass brawl where they were like, stabbing the FUCK out of each other with their pitchforks or whatever, and throwing fireballs and shit. I wasn’t there, but I know this dude who was and he said it was EPIC. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920/20 "2010-03-26T21:07:35Z")
I’m actually picturing that now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demons-arent-making-you-take-drugs/533920.md?page=2)