Is Alcohol Addiction A Choice Or Mental Health Condition? What Janhvi Kapoor And Mental Health Experts Want You To Know
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Reflecting on her own experiences, she shared, “My dad was a smoker and went cold turkey after mom passed away because she was very adamant that he stop smoking
One of the most critical shifts Janhvi points out is how addiction needs to be understood. “One of the biggest things I’ve learned recently is that addiction is a medical condition, just like mental health issues, cancer, or a broken bone. (Image: Canva/Instagram)
We often hear “just drink responsibly” or “it’s just one drink,” but what happens when social drinking quietly crosses into dependence? In a deeply personal episode of a popular podcast actress Janhvi Kapoor didn’t hold back. While discussing addiction, she described it as “the biggest villain in people’s lives” and opened up about how society often treats it with judgment or complete silence.
In her recent appearance at Figuring Out With Raj Shamani, Janhvi openly addressed the stigma surrounding alcohol addiction. She said, the conversation around alcohol is either completely absent or deeply judgmental, and neither serves the people who actually need support. She emphasised that alcohol addiction is real, it’s clinical, and it affects people across every walk of life sparking an important conversation by teaming up with mental health organisation Amaha to launch the ‘Off the Rocks’ initiative.
Reflecting on her own experiences, she shared, “My dad was a smoker and went cold turkey after mom passed away because she was very adamant that he stop smoking. She had even taken a vow, saying she would give up non-vegetarian food. Nothing worked, but the day she passed, he said, ‘She wanted me to stop, so I will stop.’”
Janhvi’s reflections move beyond memory into awareness. “Addiction has been such a villain in my life for a long time. Now I feel more equipped with information about what to do in such situations, but back then I wasn’t. I’ve never spoken about this before, but it’s something I feel very strongly about. I’ve seen many people around me fall prey to addiction, and as a child, I didn’t know how to help. It always felt like walking on eggshells around relatives and friends.”
One of the most critical shifts Janhvi points out is how addiction needs to be understood. “One of the biggest things I’ve learned recently is that addiction is a medical condition, just like mental health issues, cancer, or a broken bone. It is often linked to an underlying compromised mental state,” she says.
Speaking from the perspective of someone supporting others, Janhvi added, “I can only speak from my experience as a caregiver. Caregivers carry a lot of guilt. You don’t know if you’re doing enough, if you’re causing the problem, or how to fix it. You start blaming yourself and distancing yourself when you realise you can’t help unless the person helps themselves.”
Choice vs Condition: What Science Says
Mental health experts reinforce this perspective, explaining that addiction is not simply a lack of willpower. It sits at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and lived experience. Nearly one in five alcohol users in India may develop addiction, yet most never receive proper diagnosis due to stigma and lack of awareness.
Dr Preeti Singh, Senior Consultant and Clinical Psychologist at Paras Health Gurugram, explains, “Therapy goes far beyond counting drinks. Clinicians explore the emotional and psychological role alcohol plays in a person’s life, including whether it is being used to cope with stress, trauma, anxiety or social pressure. Identifying triggers, patterns, and underlying thoughts is key, alongside assessing family environment, personality traits and coexisting mental health conditions”.
She adds that a person’s readiness to change is central to shaping treatment.
On behavioural patterns, she highlights,”Professionals often look for signs such as using alcohol to manage distress, denial of the problem, and difficulty controlling intake despite consequences. Cycles of low motivation and relapse are also common”. Therapy, she explains, “Focuses on building healthier coping mechanisms, restructuring thought patterns and involving family support to ensure long-term recovery”.
Dr Anil Kumar, Consultant in Psychiatry at Paras Health Gurugram, again points out, “Alcohol begins to require medical attention when it starts affecting brain function. This includes symptoms like impaired memory, mood instability, sleep disturbances and reduced impulse control. Warning signs such as increased tolerance, withdrawal symptoms and continued use despite harm indicate deeper dependence”.
He adds that treatment is always individualised. “Depending on severity, it may involve medically supervised detox, medication to reduce cravings, and structured psychotherapy”. Long-term recovery, he emphasises, depends on a combination of medical care, psychological support, and a strong social environment.
Janhvi explained how addiction often deepens through emotional triggers. “People turn to alcohol for many reasons—escape, confidence issues, anxiety, or to numb emotions. When you accuse them, it often pushes them further into it. Some go on ‘benders,’ where they remain intoxicated for days, miss responsibilities, and lose control.”
April 05, 2026, 18:11 IST
