In the Greek epic ‘Odysseus’, the hero – Odysseus – jubilant over a hard earned victory in the Trojan Wars sets sail for the journey back home. Halfway through the journey, the ship passes by the ‘Land of Lotus Eaters’.
Total oblivion
Attracted by the beautiful island, the crew drops anchor only to find that they are addicted to the Lotus which makes them oblivious of everything. Lest all his crew forget the ocean route to home, Odysseus orders his men to quickly leave the island.
Incorrigible habits
The epic narrative, written over 3000 years ago by Homer, is an analogy to a serious modern-day issue: the problem of addiction. The word addiction generally entails a wide range of substances and human actions. It could be addiction to drugs or addiction to seemingly incorrigible habits that take a lot of efforts to get rid of and overcome.
Addiction: description
The Oxford Dictionary describes addiction as ‘The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity.’ In today’s context the word addiction is being used to mean a range of addictions – addition to drugs such as heroin, cocaine and behaviours – addiction to gambling, shop-lifting, stealing, etc.
Addiction: categorisation
Addictions, then, can be categorised into those enlisted and categorised under the Diagnostic and Statistical Mannual of Mental Disorders and addictions that have to broadly do with human behaviour. The former is associated with drug abuse and the latter with behavioural traits that are socially unacceptable but symptomatic of a different kind of addictions than the drug addiction.
Substance abuse
Addiction to substances is perhaps the most harmful of all addictions in terms of its direct impact on the human brain. It is similar to the one experienced by Odysseus and his crew members who nearly got trapped in the Island of Lotus Eaters, where once people eat the lotus they get addicted to it, making them oblivious of everything around them.
Hooked forever
A person addicted to drugs is hooked to it forever till he or she is weaned away from it and rehabilitated. It is a never ending craving, a compulsion to have it on a daily basis with each passing day the craving for ‘more’ assuming greater proportion. It not only throws the personal life out of gear but leads to social isolation and mental disorders.
Impulse control disorder
In contrast, addictions having to do with compulsive behavioural traits have nothing to do with drug abuse. These behavioural traits are largely manifestation of impulse control disorder. The patients suffering from impulse control disorder find it very difficult to keep their impulses under control.
The symptoms of impulse control disorder are:
Behavioural Addiction:
Addictive Behaviour
Substance abuse or drug addiction is the single most harmful addiction. It begins with a small dose and the quantity keeps going up with each passing day till the patient is addicted to it.
Persons can get addicted to substances through:
Addictive prescription drugs are:
Other addictive substances are:
Finally, addiction irrespective of its types and manifestations causes untold misery to the patients suffering from it. Proper and timely medication can greatly alleviate the pain and sufferings.
It also provides the facility for family members to stay along with the patient; who gives them a better understanding of the……..
A chemical known as serotonin in the brain, has strong affects on an individual’s mood. The abnormalities in the serotonin chemistry…..
Still due to a cultural and religious association with the preparations a small amount of usage has permission in certain places of…….
It creates a sense of euphoria and increased energy in a person. The effect is almost immediate, which lures a person for a little…….
I always turned to my brother whenever I had any significant decisions to make in my life. When my brother was diagnosed…………
When a friend or a family member would come to you to discuss an issue they are having, we are ready (always) to dispense our ……………..
Watching your loved one struggling to remember something or feel challenged to even perform simple daily task can become quite………..
Keep a track of patterns which trigger or heighten the symptoms like confusion, agitation or irritation. This can include things……….
where most couples swear by ‘janam, janam ka bandhan’ socio-economic complexities are increasingly casting their shadows…….
A conclusive evidence about its effectiveness is yet to emerge. Though in numerous cases it is found to be effective. Some experts…….
Although there are some known risk factors associated with the PPD it is very seldom that we find there is sufficient awareness……….
You can plan a nature walk in areas near your home. Please be realistic about the distance they can walk without any trouble. The objective…………
The manager or the employer can work for creation of a more conducive work atmosphere for optimal realization of employees’ potential….
Atleast 8 lakh people die of suicide every year around the world. While that many die, there are 20 times more people who have………
hings like fastening a button, switching on a light, picking up something or even walking becomes difficult without help. Although……….
