Addiction: On the Delicate Relationship We Have with Life

A word whose meaning changes depending on the context. It is mostly perceived as unpleasant. In the past century, it has gained a clear medical definition. But was there no addiction before that? Of course there was—there always has been. Interestingly, in old Turkish, the word we used for addiction was müptela, meaning “a person who is dependent,” or iptila. İptila is of Arabic origin and means “calamity.” Something that becomes a calamity for a person—passionately attached to, yet ultimately harmful. And we know that müptela could also be used in a positive sense.

There is another very similar word that we still use today: tiryaki. Did you know that tiryak actually means “antidote” or “medicine”? Yet tiryaki also refers to someone who is hooked on a substance to the point of dependency. Inevitably, our relationship with the substances in nature, with other people, or with life itself can be described like this: we need to engage with them to a certain extent, but when we push beyond a healthy limit, they become our downfall.

Take the internet, for example. It’s immensely beneficial—a unique resource that allows us to access countless sources, refresh our knowledge, and stay connected. But if we never step away from it, it becomes internet addiction. The same goes for coffee. Having a fragrant cup in the morning or a refreshing pick-me-up in the afternoon may seem harmless, but overdo it and you become addicted to caffeine. Or being a tea tiryaki. As Paracelsus once said, “Everything is poison; the difference lies in the dose.” The same holds true in literature—when Peyami Safa wrote, “We had become each other’s müptela,” he was pointing to something beautiful. And when he said, “We were each other’s tiryaki—we couldn’t go without seeing one another,” it could also be about the warmth of a close friendship. But sometimes, this attachment turns obsessive, reversing its nature—causing harm, damaging relationships, and disrupting functionality.

The strongest bond—and perhaps the deepest dependency—may seem to be our attachment to life itself. Until the very last moment, we cling to life, remaining dependent on oxygen. Yet from the moment we are born, we also do the exact opposite: every moment we live is, in a way, a run toward death. Perhaps one of the best things about our final destination is that it frees us from all addictions.

Well… for those who remain, at least.

-Taken from Prof. Dr. Zümra ATALAY's TV programme entitled ‘İnsan Hali’