Addiction- who's at fault

 People say addiction is bad but they ever thought what is the reason behind it? The answer is fat no because it's the society that force people to indulge in these activities. There are different kinds of addictions and people choose their addiction based on which pit society throws them in. A high school kid is addicted to drugs, smoking and alcohol. There could be many reasons for him/her to choose this path. Before stating the reasons let me tell you a story. 

I was 10 years old when my uncle's daughter came to live with us for a few days, she was 2 years older than me and was very intelligent. My parents adored her and were mesmerized by her learning skills. One day my mother was going to market, I asked her to bring mangoes for me and my cousin asked for apples. When my mom returned she just brought apples and said-" I am so sorry dear, the money got over after I bought vegetables and apples. I will bring them next time, I promise." I was really agitated with this incident thinking how my cousin demands are more important than mine. In the same evening my mother was cutting lady fingers and me and my cousin was reading a book. My mother went inside for some work, I slowly tooked some of the lady fingers when no one was looking. I put them in my mouth and half chewed them. When my mother returned I acted like I am ill and feeling sick in my stomach. I ran towards the wash basin and emptied the half eaten lady fingers. Everyone thought I was ill and started looking towards me , my mother started massaging my body, my father made the lemonade and called the doctor. I became happy with all those attention and satisfied that no body was giving any attention to my cousin.

So you see we as a human have the tendency of seeking attention. Maybe one of the reason for the high school kid to opt drugs is to seek attention. I know it's not the right way to get connected with your parents or anybody else but when you have no option you are forced to choose that. Parents think that their responsibility is over when they send the kid to school, provide the meals and roof. But that's where they are wrong, as a human being we can survive on less food but can't live without love or care. We need some kind of comfort from others addiction ae.

Let me tell you another incident. I was going to the college when on a road I found a man lying with mosquitoes biting him badly. He was stinking, probably he was drunk. I hate people who drink because that take that person's whole life. But that day I don't know why I felt a pull towards the man. I went to him and slowly inquired about him. His words were slurred and it was difficult to make out. I got some lemonade and pain killers for him so that he gets sober. When he regained his conscious he started crying and told me how he has lost his wife and 5 year old daughter in a car accident recently. He is an engineer in a reputed company but due to the loss he has no idea what to do. The only thing which he thought will reduce his pain would be alcohol, and why not from the starting we have seen in cinemas how alcohol acts as a coping machine.

I am not saying addiction is right but maybe we as a society needs to know the real reason of addiction and how to reduce them.

-Shruti Upadhyay