Addiction - Does it exist or is it a state of the mind? by Saaim Khan

To smoke and drink, or not to do so, is not the question here. The question in fact, is the very nature of these indulgences. Why do we adhere to them so religiously? That is because they are forms of pleasure that we think we can't do without. Nicotine is a relaxant of some sort and we seem to rely on it. Not knowing why, we think we are 'hooked' to them. I'd like to …

…Furthermore, it would seem implausible to think that they are addicts; they seem to have overcome their subconscious decisions. Their acumen takes control over their desire. I would like to conclude that addiction is perhaps an illusion we pull on ourselves. And it is not only to the smoking class that I point this article at, but also towards those who feel, or rather fear that they are addicted to a particular object or activity.