Addiction – Being addicted to/ dependent on a particular substance

To remember the meaning of the term Addiction, use the following mnemonic:

Keep adding, no restrictions (addiction) on how much of the drug you take, and you will come to depend on it.

The attitude of many religious people towards addiction is that individuals who disconnect themselves from God suffer because they fail to live according to God's will or direction, and may develop drink or drug habits as a consequence. They therefore believe that recovery consists of establishing or re-establishing a connection with God or a higher power.

However, some religions do not entirely disapprove of drug-taking. For instance, Hinduism has a history of psychedelic drug usage going back more than a thousand years. The oldest scriptures of Hinduism mention ritualistic consumption of a divine psychedelic known as soma.

It is also argued that religion itself can become an addiction. Symptoms may include an obsession with rules and detachment from the real world.