Bangalore: Addiction need not necessarily involve just alcohol, nicotine or "recreational drugs," as some call it. One can get addicted to anything from exercising to gambling, or even become a shopaholic or a workaholic.

In all such cases, a person just cannot stop doing something that brings some kind of gratification to the body or mind. While people can get over caffeine addiction with some effort and timely warning from a doctor, addiction to gambling may be more difficult to get out of. Clubs and racecourses are filled with habitual gamblers, as are casinos. The very act of placing a bet and hoping to win gives them a thrill, which they cannot get otherwise.

While women are believed to be most fond of shopping, studies in the U.S. have shown that seven per cent of men are shopaholics, regularly splurging on clothes, accessories and even gadgets such as the latest in mobile phones or palmtops.

Another relatively harmless kind of addiction is films of a certain genre or books: some just cannot have enough of Star Trek type of movies, others cannot be satisfied till they have collected and read all the works of a favourite author.

Workaholism can be more damaging, both to mental and physical well-being. A person may boast of 14-hour working days but may be depriving his or her family of quality time spent together. They may just be too exhausted to do much during weekends. Almost all addictions start with obsessive thinking, psychiatrists say. You dream about going to the racecourse or to a pub. You just have to buy that newest gadget in the market or buy the shirt that Bollywood heroes wear.

The thoughts are then triggered into action when you enter that mall or drive near the racecourse or pub. Next comes the "high" that you feel while betting on horses, buying the new gizmo or downing the glass of alcohol. In course of time, more tolerance levels are built; you need to drink more or bet on races in the other cities or even spend more time at the gym. If deprived, you become irritable and moody. Even if you try to give up the activity, there may be a relapse as in the case of many alcoholics.

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