When I Like It Too Much: Teaching Children the Early Signs of Addiction

In many classrooms, addiction is taught using extreme examples: a person on the street, trembling, disoriented, trading everything for a bottle or a needle. And while these depictions are intended to scare children into staying away from harmful substances, they often fail to teach the most important part of addiction: how it starts.

Because addiction almost never starts in the alley.

It begins in the glow of something you like.

A phone.

A video game.

A can of soda.

A sparkly screen.

Even a friend who brings chaos but feels like home.

Addiction doesn’t arrive screaming.

It arrives smiling.

And this is where our teaching must begin—before the craving becomes compulsion, before the habit becomes harm.

What Addiction Feels Like in the Beginning:

• “I like this.”

• “I love doing this.”

• “I want more of it.”

• “I want to do it every day.”

• “Don’t take this away from me.”

That’s the seed.

And the seed is not evil.

But it must be seen.

Because love for something can become dependence without us noticing. And when something starts to take over our thoughts, our time, our emotions—that’s when it’s no longer just fun.

And yet, if we tell a child they are “addicted,” they may fight back.

They’ll say, “I’m not addicted—I just love my phone.”

But what they really mean is: “This makes me feel good, and I don’t want to feel bad.”

This is where we introduce a new kind of education.

Not one rooted in fear, but in truth, love, and awareness.

A New Way to Teach Addiction:

Imagine a classroom where children roleplay both the early stages of joyful connection and the slow creep of addiction. Where they are guided to notice the change in their body, the tension when something is taken away. Where they are taught to listen to their inner voice—the one that says:

• “I don’t feel good without it.”

• “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

• “This is the only thing that makes me feel okay.”

Imagine teaching them that these are signs to listen to, not to be ashamed of—but to explore with kindness and curiosity.

Because addiction isn’t just about substances.

It’s about patterns of escape.

And those patterns start young.

Why This Matters Now:

In an age where kids are raised on screens, notifications, constant input, and endless dopamine loops, we must teach them not just to avoid bad things—but to recognize the early shift from enjoyment to entanglement.

And to give them tools to:

• Pause.

• Reflect.

• Choose.

• Rebalance.

And maybe even ask:

“Do I still like this? Or do I just need it?”

For the Adults Reading This:

You were never taught this either.

That’s okay.

Now is the time to relearn.

Because when we understand how our own addictions began, we stop passing them on unconsciously.

And we start building a world where children grow up with not just warnings—but wisdom.