Monday Motivation: According to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), the name of the thing that causes 30 lakh deaths every year as well as disability and poor health of millions of people is alcohol. It is also dangerous that out of all the diseases worldwide, 5.1 percent are caused by alcohol.
Now if you are wondering why we are telling this data, then we are telling it so that if someone close to you is addicted to it, then you can help him. And the story of Bollywood’s veteran star (screenwriter and lyricist, not actor) Javed Akhtar will help you in this matter. Who has not touched alcohol for almost 33 years.
Javed’s story from alcoholic to non-alcoholic
After Javed Akhtar’s entry in Bollywood, at the age of just 25, he got that name-fame which even big actors did not have at that time. Javed was known for charging more fees than any big actor at that time. But he also got addicted to alcohol. Javed participated in ABP Network’s Ideas of India summit in 2023. During this time, he told things about his alcohol habit and quitting it.
Javed had told that he used to drink a bottle of alcohol every day and he did not even have a hangover. But when he turned 41 or 42, he thought very logically that if he continued drinking like this, perhaps his life would end in 52-53 years.
Javed said that there is a need to be rational while taking such decisions.
Explaining the meaning of being rational, Javed said that how intelligently you think about something. And I wondered whether I wanted to live long or drink. He also told that I did not drink alcohol out of any sadness, I just drank it because I enjoyed it. But I had to choose between staying alive and drinking alcohol, so I preferred staying alive.
How did Javed deal with the struggle of quitting alcohol?
Javed told that he struggled for two years to give up alcohol. But he was not able to tell anyone about this. If he had told this to his wife Shabana Azmi, she would have immediately started asking him to leave and I did not want to leave immediately either. So once on July 31, 1991, I drank the entire bottle of Bacardi. After that there is that day and today is the day I did not touch alcohol. After that I did not face any problem. And my health also started getting better. After 2 to 3 years I had problem in breathing. So I also gave up cigarettes.
Alcohol invites mistakes
As you also know that immediately after drinking alcohol, a person often does such things which he might not do without intoxication. According to the US government website National Institute of Health, alcohol creates blockage in the pathways of the brain, which affects the way the brain works, which changes behavior. And in a state of intoxication a person is unable to think properly.
Javed Akhtar also told the same thing in his own language. He said that if I had not drank alcohol, I would probably never have made any mistakes. Alcohol was the reason for all the mistakes I made. He said that this also affects the personal life of a person. He told that when I realized that what I was doing was stupid and there was no glamor in it. There is no dignity or charm in it.
There is a need to develop self-confidence like Javed
One thing that was understood in everything written above is that the most important thing to give up alcohol or any other drug is self-confidence. If Javed, who gave up alcohol exactly 33 years ago, has not touched alcohol till date, then it is like a lesson for any alcohol drinker that they too can get rid of it. Therefore, if your loved one or you are struggling with its addiction, then think today that it is wise to leave it. Because in Javed’s language it is very important to be rational.
Why should one give up alcohol?
It is possible that some myths may have entered someone’s mind. And he may be thinking that this is a very important tool to enjoy life. So they need to understand that they are delusional. Because according to the World Health Organization and America’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol also invites diseases like cancer. Apart from this, it also causes heart, liver and stomach problems. And there is nothing in alcohol that is even slightly beneficial for you.
From whose pen came films like Sholay and Shakti, from whose pen came the best raps of the film Gully Boy. That Javed was successful in doing all this because he got rid of his addictions in time with his self-confidence. So if till now you knew Javed Akhtar only as a screenwriter, then from today you can recognize him as your guide. Because their battle with alcohol can be a source of learning for you.