addiction

According to the merriam-webster dictionary the definition of addiction is the following: compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal ; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful

With that being said, I think I am on my way to having an addiction. I definitely have a compulsive need for it. The fact that it is habit-forming is a fact, but I (as of today) haven't found any symptoms upon withdrawal. That might be because I don't think I have ever went through withdrawal but that is besides the point. But, probably the main reason I don't think I have an addiction is, well, because my 'addiction' isn't harmful. Well at least not yet.

I bet you all are wondering what my 'addiction' is, hmm? Well its books.

Now most of you are probably thinking that's not an addiction that's a hobby. Well when does a hobby become an addiction, and why am I not classifying it as an obsession? Well simply put an obsession is compelling motivation or persistent disturbing preoccupation with someone or thing. Books are not disturbing, at least they aren't to the majority of people.

I guess the real reason why I am calling it an addiction is because someone recently has called me a drug dealer or more aptly put a drug pusher and drugs usually are something you are addicted to. Now please wait to hear the explanation before jumping to conclusions.

I have in my possession a lot of books. I have to plastic containers full of them and then multiple dresser drawers and three shelves on a bookcase worth of books. (and this is just the ones in the house) A friend who we will call C, was talking to me one day about how she needed to get some new books because she just kept on rereading the ones she had. (The series she kept rereading was the twilight books and the host) I being the person that I am, came in the next day with a bag full of books. This was a few months ago. She has since started 5 or 6 more series. I have demands for 2 more series she wants to read and a couple 'singles' that I am gonna give to see if she likes the author. The is not the first time I have gotten someone hooked on a particular series or author. A fellow group member got addicted to Janet Evanovich when I made her read the first Stephanie Plum book. I have friends and siblings that are nothing but enablers that I exchange books or authors with. I got my aunt addicted to some different authors, who then has pushed some of the better books on to my uncle. I have even corrupted my own mother and am trying to get her to read some of the newer books. So all of this and probably some that I just can't think of at this moment has me lovingly called a drug dealer. T, another member of my group just laughs and shakes her head whenever C comes in and demands her next fix. Heck, C called me the other day and asked if I could bring the next set of four books in the Charlaine Harris series because she had just finished the fourth and needed to know what happens next.

So maybe you can call books a drug and myself a drug pusher...I just noticed that if you tweak the wording of the above paragraph, it does sound bad. However, I wouldn't say I am at a harmful stage yet. I do budget books in to my finances. Every paycheck I have a certain amount that I set aside for books. This amount changes depending on how many books are being released in that month that I want. And yes, I have a list that tells me when the books I want are going to be released. For you information June is a huge month with 2-3 books being released every week that I want. I might have to give up July's budgeted money to June. Who knows? The main point is, I have this under control. I haven't started giving up food for books. (well I have spent the whole day in bed reading before...on a couple of occasions, but that is beside the point) Its not to the harmful stage yet, which is why I am not qualifying it as an addiction yet.

But com'on, really, its not a bad addiction to have.
I don't know about you but I like my addiction.
I mean if you could be addicted to anything in the world what would it be?
And I would like to know, do you think I have addiction or just a healthy habit?