When someone does something over and over again even when they know it harms them, and cannot stop even when they want to, they are “addicted to” doing it. People may call them “an addict”. This label is often used to put people down, but it’s also used by people who really want to help, and by addicts themselves. Having an addiction can get in the way of learning new things or just participating in life.

There are many different things we can be addicted to, such as alcohol and cigarettes. We also often think of drugs such as crystal meth, heroin, weed and crack. People can also become addicted to prescription drugs, as well as many other behaviours, like gambling, or eating too much/not enough. Most people have something they feel like they can’t live without, such as coffee. But an addiction is a problem when it gets in the way of us doing the regular activities of our lives (if we miss school or stop showering, for example), and when it hurts our relationships. If we lie about how much we do something, that’s a good clue that it’s a problem.

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