Addicted

/əˈdɪktɪd/ adjective

Definition

Unable to stop doing or using something, even though it might be harmful; strongly dependent on or devoted to something.

Etymology

From Latin 'addictus' (assigned or handed over), derived from 'adicere' (to give to). Originally a legal term for enslaved people, it metaphorically came to mean being enslaved to a habit or substance.

Kelly Says

The word 'addicted' literally meant 'enslaved' in Latin—that historical weight makes sense because addiction actually changes your brain chemistry, making escape harder than just willpower alone.

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