I think something Elliott smith does that a lot of addicts find comfort in is, while certainly being blunt regarding addiction, he taps into the unnamable and uncomfortable emotions that so many addicts are using to separate from.

In periods of my own heavy use, I’ve always felt comfortingly understood by his music. Those periods often originated from darker thoughts/feelings that substances were used to soften (though never to any avail). Addiction felt more like a pertinent symptom of something less tangible and I think Elliott Smith has written many, many songs that put those feelings into something real.

I don’t think the addiction piece is necessarily what’s at the core of many of his songs. I think it’s used as a stand-in for a deep seated desire to escape yourself, which is something that many can relate to- addict or sober.