why tea is an addiction to many?
I want to know that why tea is addiction to many?
I think partly because it’s an experience and not just a beverage. Also, it’s something new and different for me. I wasn’t raised on tea or really had knowledge of it until a few years ago.
Also, it’s fun to have tea tastings and getting together with friends – not having to go out and get drunk and party – but having discussions and getting to know each other better.
Its soothing, calming, relaxing, educational, can curb hungers, quenches thirst, you can explore many lands and places through tea, there is much to learn about culture, history, agriculture, society, organic and fair trade issues, so you have the political and sociological side of things, I could go on and on but there is a starting place. :)
It fills a social role in many cultures. An old British slogan for tea was, “The cups that cheer, but not inebriate.” This hints at part of the story, in that tea often fills a role that was once occupied less effectively by alcohol.
That is interesting, you don’t see people breaking out into a fight or crashing a car after drinking tea!
I would second all that Azzrian has typed out up there. I find it’s a very tasty way to sit down and relax. Also, I talk about things with my fiance over a cup of tea. It’s a good way to keep communication open.
I agree with my fellow steepsters. Tea is an experience and no one experience is exactly alike. The ability to customize and drink tea to your liking and also sharing your experiences and favorites with others who are as passionate about tea as you. This environment and community is what drew me in. I don’t think it’s an addiction but just something I love doing much like playing video games, watching movies, playing sports, etc. It’s not for everyone but I sure love it!
Hmm… I have to say, Steepster definitely makes tea more of an addiction than it would be otherwise. I’ve always enjoyed tea. I’ve always had pouches of looseleaf lying around, and I’d make myself a pot several times a week, especially in colder weather, but I didn’t not think about it so much. I simply enjoyed what I had. And when I ran low, I went to a trusted retailer and bought more.
Since joining Steepster, I became addicted to the social experience of sharing my enjoyment for tea. Plus, I heard so much about different teas and companies that I was never exposed to before. I just wanted to try everything! And everyone here shares my passion about tea so it’s re-enforces my love for this drink. Now I have tons of different teas and I’d get bored with I had to drink the same 3 or 4 teas all the time, which I had been doing before steepster.
I must say though, as much as I love this community, it has not been good for my wallet!
Well – caffeine is an addictive substance, and is in many teas… but I think that it is much more than that to many people.
Tea is something human beings have been drinking for thousands of years, and it is a long tradition for many of the reasons above, social, relaxation, relief from boredom etc. Drinking tea is very natural for human beings, and it connects us to our history and since it is less harmful to the environment then coffee or pop… our future!
Since joining Steepster, I have been amazed that there are so many different teas, and have been learning about the different traditions and regions. It has been fun to connect with other tea-lovers, and I love introducing them to my friends and family.
So – other than the caffeine thing it may not hit the DSM-definition of addiction, but probably the popular one.
Speaking of addiction, I can assure you – it is not. Just recently, I was hospitalized with appendicitis-like symptoms(thx god it turned out to be just food poisoning in the end). During this period of five days I was prohibited from drinking anything other than water, and for the first day – from drinking anything at all. And, however strange it is – I was not really inconvenienced by a sudden change from 10+ cups a day to 0. So, no – tea is not an addiction in a straight sense of the word.
Lucky you! I experienced the opposite recently. Had some morning tests at the hospital where I couldn’t eat/drink beforehand, and I had the worst headache from caffeine withdrawal by the afternoon. While I am used to having it first thing every day, I think people’s bodies are different and someone else who drinks it every day might not have any withdrawal symptoms.
So, one can definitely be addicted to caffeine (by medical definition), though I generally wouldn’t consider it a bad thing. And then there are all of those studies citing the benefits of drinking caffeine regularly.
But this also holds true for any known “addictive” substance. Some people can drink alcohol some can not, some can social smoke some can not. So yeah I can totally see how it was totally different for both of you .. TOTALLY hahaha
I cannot drink alcohol by the way :) I get nastiest of migraines after just a little, lol.
hm, interesting about the alcohol – perhaps your body has difficulty metabolizing it, which is common.
Going back to the original question – “why tea is an addiction” – I think it can be interpreted in many ways. When someone enthusiastically says “I’m addicted to _”, they often mean “I love _” or “I am obsessed with _”, which is probably closer to the way many above have interpreted it. So in both senses I would say I’m addicted to tea. :)
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