Addiction

       Addiction as defined by Webster's Merriam dictionary: a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined psychological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly: persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful . Addiction is a not so famous topic of conversation, but in today's society, we have an onslaught of various addictions that all do not have to do with substance abuse. There are also psychological addictions as well as relationship addictions. To name a few: approval, fear,self-deprecation, wrong romance, etc.
        You may wonder what I might know about addiction. No, I am not addicted to drugs, narcotics, nicotine, or even alcohol. But I have seen what these things do to people. I have worked with several  teenagers who were gripped in the claws of this evil monster. I have seen first-hand how hard they fought, and some didn't win. I've also experienced my own sets of addictions, but this isn't about my own little confession series. My focus is to point out a need to help. To be a person who is willing to be honest and talk about what is eating at most of the people that are in our every day lives.
       I can't even begin to put a dent on this subject. It's very broad to say the least. I can try to describe what I see in my mind when I hear the word.

       I walk into the room, palms sweaty,
Pulse racing, heart beating like a drum
       I reason within myself, it's ok
No one will know because I'm good
      Just this once won't hurt me,
I mean, it's just ONE time, no pain...
      He reaches his giant hand towards my throat
Wrapping his claws around it til I'm suffocating
      I can't breathe, my face turns red
Then purple, then blue, he lets go
       But only for a brief moment...
In that moment, I find relief, I can breathe again
       Racing thoughts swirling, palpitations sounding
Words become a blurr, vision is lost
       I fall to my knees, beaten down, bloody and bruised
Each time becomes harder to get back up
       Anger boils over, denial takes over
In retrospect, I am the only one who can take control
       I look up, tears streaming down my face
This mighty monster will not win
       Addiction is his name.