The proclivity of mankind to succumb to addictions has been evident since time immemorial. While some addictions have afflicted human beings forever, others have cropped up recently, and have swept a large section of humanity off its feet.
Alcoholism in the extreme is an obvious enfant terrible and has not spared people of any strata of society anywhere in the world. The addiction to alcohol can be so compelling that it can mar lives and play havoc with families. The present trend for all age groups and genders to experiment with the seductive “liquid diet” as some call it, is fraught with risk unless self control is exercised. Those who practice moderation are obviously on the right track and they are able to let their hair down without any adverse consequences.
Drugs offer an even more severe test for those who indulge. The scenario in the state of Punjab has been written about ad nauseam, but there is a widespread undercurrent, which is silently sweeping away thousands of youngsters across India. The jobless are easy pickings for the drug mafia, but so are some very rich kids who are willing to dabble in substance abuse.
Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the Autobiography of a Yogi, said that the opposite of will power is addiction. The tenacity of an individual’s will erodes rapidly in the face of addictive forces like drugs. What begins as a foray into the “exciting unknown” very often metamorphoses into a dangerous tumble to the realms of no return.
{{/usCountry}}Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the Autobiography of a Yogi, said that the opposite of will power is addiction. The tenacity of an individual’s will erodes rapidly in the face of addictive forces like drugs. What begins as a foray into the “exciting unknown” very often metamorphoses into a dangerous tumble to the realms of no return.
{{/usCountry}}Gambling is another scheming enemy. While lottery tickets are still around and casinos are making their presence felt, sports related gambling has begun to impact sections of our society in recent times. Gambling sites which purport to be official partners of the Board of Control for Cricket in India have mushroomed. No amount of educated guessing can camouflage the fact that the participant in such a contest is actually offering a wager with risks involved. Young and old are being drawn increasingly to these guessing games which have the potential to corrupt sportspersons as well. The fact that sports celebrities are advocating such dicey “games” is also a highly worrying influence.
Addiction to social media has been the subject of many a write-up in the recent past. This is another potential disaster for societý as we know it. The sight of an entire family tapping away at their phones for long passages of time instead of actually talking to each other has become a familiar phenomenon. Instagram has many more “residents” today than all the settlements or “grams” in the country!
The saint said that an imaginary halo is created around the object of a man’s desire. He sees nothing wrong with the desirable one whatsoever. Reason goes out of the window in such circumstances. Love, it is said, is a “many-splendored” thing. But then love is the most innate power in the world, exhibited by humans and animals alike.
Most other forces that blind human beings are destructive in nature. There cannot be an excuse for behaviour and conduct which borders on the fanatical, as opposed to the balanced. Even if someone’s fanaticism is related to a laudable venture, over-indulgence is bound to be at the cost of something else, most often of family time.
The way to conquer and vanquish all forms of addiction is by enhancing one’s will power. Medical and professional help is surely needed if a person’s addiction has surmounted ordinary limits. Alcoholics Anonymous and de-addiction centres are doing their bit in all regions. But, those who are not yet engulfed in the throes of addictions, must strengthen their will power and practice incremental improvements which will yield results. Then, one day, when the tide is favourable, it will be easier to snap all ties with the forces of doom!
The time is ripe. Those who can wield some influence over the pliable ones, including the mighty influencers of today, must set the bar high and prove to be role models for the youth. After all, it is very easy to initiate a youngster into a potentially risky domain, but mighty difficult to rescue him later!
vivek.atray@gmail.com