By Mansimran Kaur, Psychologist

Drug addiction is one of the major diseases, that a lot of people are suffering from these days. It is a serious neurological disease rather than just dependence as most people see it. Addiction to drugs can take various forms such as addiction to opioids, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and cannabis. One of these popular terms used these days is ‘Chitta Addiction’, which is basically heroin i.e. a form of opioid mixed with other chemical substances. Earlier the term Chitta was used to refer to only heroin but now it includes other synthetic drugs too.

According to past news reports, the number of addicts has been increasing at an alarming rate. Over the past few months majorly in Punjab and Haryana. The question here is what causes people to be addicted to such substances. Also, regardless of knowing all the side effects on health, wealth, and interpersonal and social relationships.

There are several causes of addiction

There are many causes of drug addiction. Firstly, genes and family history play a very important role in this. If a person has someone in the family who has been addicted to drugs and shares a blood bond with the victim. There is a greater chance of them falling the risk of addiction. It is because their genes get predisposed to being vulnerable to developing this problem.

Another reason that is responsible for drug addiction is the environment. If a person grows up with people around who take drugs, then he might adapt to that behavior once he grows up if not then. Children observe a lot of things and there is a high chance that they follow what they observe.

Moreover, except for these reasons, there are several more causes of drug addiction. The psychological state of an individual is also responsible for predicting the chance of addiction. Neglect from parents and peers, sexual or physical abuse. As well conflicting home environments can all add up to a person trying to take support of a substance to feel relieved for some time.

If a person is feeling tense, consuming such substances helps them to relax their mind and feel euthymic for some time. Also, with increasing consumption, more people are getting to know about it. And that too creates hype amongst people already consuming. Some type of substance to try out another one too and see the effects. Thus, they might use substances like ‘Chitta’ as a distraction. Also as something new in the market that they want to give a try because everyone else is.

A major role of Social Acceptance

Moreover, social acceptance plays an important role in its usage. Even if someone is part of a group that abuses such substances, refusing it makes them feel unrelated and distant, and a lot of time they end up being trapped in this cycle of consumption and social approval. Initially, people may start out of the influence of somebody or, to ‘just give it a try, or to distract themselves but before they know that this occasional use is proving harmful for them, they end up in this loop where they struggle to avoid using it but still, end up being non-resistant.

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