Since I have been doing my internship in a de-addiction centre I get a lot of questions that I never had answers to. But now that I have been here alot I can answer some questions. One of the most frequently asked question is what is addiction? 

Addiction is a disorder involving an urge to use certain chemicals, solid or liquid, or an urge of a particular behaviour. Addiction can be of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, smartphones, Internet, accessibility or more. It depends on how the person involves himself or herself around these activities. In the year 1956, the American Medical Association classified alcoholism as a disease. Soon after that, in the year 1987, addiction was added in the list of disease by the same association. 

According to the American Medical Association addiction is a chronic brain disorder and not just a behavioural problem or a series of bad choices made in life. Alcohol is supposed to be a stimulant due to the release of dopamine, but in reality it is a depressant. 

Consumption of alcohol increases the blood alcohol concentration and at the same time depresses the central nervous system, which then hampers the physical and mental functioning of the body.

Alcohol, tobacco and drugs are psychoactive chemicals that hamper a person’s cognitive activities, which include thinking, memory, problem solving and behavior in all. Different alcoholic beverages include rum, whisky, beer, wine, etc. 

Tobacco can be chewed, for example Khani, or smoked, for example, cigarettes, hookah, bidi. 

Drugs can be categorised into opioids and cannabis. Opioids are used as pain killers or street drugs such as morphine, diamorphine or heroin. Cannabis, all known as marijuana or known by its street name, that is weed or ganja.

Chemical addiction affects the brain functioning, which hampers everyday activities for the addict and keeps them preoccupied with the thought of gaining more. It not only affects brain but also respiratory organs are circulatory system, reproductive organs, digestive system and more. In all, the use of chemical substance in excess is addiction and can be harmful for health.

When it comes to me coming across people with addiction, I had a very different look out on that. As I do have some friends who use these chemical substances, but never did i ever see an addict. The first time i saw one i wasn't scared to be honest i was worried. The way these people get after being an addict is not what one should see, but most importantly nit something the family or the children see. Unfortunately people go through so much that they destroy their own life and so do their families. 

I hope you don't have to ask this question ever again to anyone. Hope it helps. 

Thankyou 🌼