Addiction is an extremely acute problem that entails serious consequences both for the individual and his environment in particular, and for society as a whole. The harmful effects of drug use are widely and openly discussed. It has long been ingrained in the public consciousness that alcohol and drugs = death. Another question is that despite this knowledge, there are not fewer chemically dependent people, but, on the contrary, only more. It seems that we are faced with a paradox - never in history has humanity been so aware of the consequences of uncontrolled consumption, but at the same time it is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon. I believe that here we are faced with the problem of placing emphasis. There are stereotypes about dependent people in the public consciousness. The word “alcoholic” evokes an association with a swollen, blue man begging at the subway. When you hear the word “drug addict” - with a half-corpse rotting alive, which no longer understands where it is and what it is doing. At the same time, a student who smokes marijuana after studying, or a woman who “allows” herself a few glasses of wine at dinner for a long time are not perceived by society as people with addiction to psychoactive substances (PAS). At this point, it is important to understand that addiction does not form immediately, and destroys life gradually, step by step. Not a single chemically dependent person begins his journey in a brothel or on the street, already being a declassed element. It all starts “decently” and “like everyone else” - with occasional use. Another important knowledge that is often ignored in the public consciousness is that addiction is a disease. Even if a user steals money and valuables, or deceives his loved ones, or stops fulfilling his social functions, this does not make him a bad, weak-willed, weak, dissolute or selfish person. First of all, he is seriously and terminally ill. This disease affects the following areas of human life: - Biological. I don’t see much point in going into the details of this point, since this is absolutely common knowledge - with prolonged use of surfactants, a person faces physical damage to the body. Each substance affects the body differently, but you cannot be fooled and think that if, for example, you smoke marijuana rather than drink vodka, then it will be much safer. Any drugs, including nicotine and alcohol, cause irreparable damage to physical health. - Social. An addict will always choose to use. Therefore, such things as work, study, self-development and communication with loved ones will be relegated to the background. In the “best” case, the addict will try to combine these activities with drug use for the time being, while this is still possible. It is important to know and understand that an addict cares about two things in his life - how to get it and how to use it. Everything else for him is tinsel, which can easily be pushed into the background. - Mental. Here it makes sense to talk about a loss of control and a change in a person’s thinking. I wrote about control in a previous article, so I’ll repeat it briefly here - an addict cannot control his use, and having lost this skill, he will never be able to again. With a change in thinking, everything becomes a little more interesting. The psyche begins in every possible way to protect, on the one hand, its owner from reality, on the other hand, his illness from any attacks, internal or external. Denial comes into play here when the addict firmly believes and convinces others that someone, and he is definitely not an addict, that “he can quit at any moment” and in general everything is fine with him. Depressive episodes appear, the world without substances seems boring and gray to him, and the conviction appears that it is impossible to live fully without alcohol or drugs. Anxiety grows, and use becomes the most effective way to combat it. The volitional factor is violated, the person can no longer strictly follow the decision made - for example, the decision not to use. As a result.