Potion addiction

Called the rich man's habit by some, potion addiction affects magi and alchemists the most. Adventurers, nobles, and successful merchants and their families are the rest of the usual suspects for this problem.The last common addict is of course the poorest and most disenfranchised.
The most common kind of potion addiction is to healing potions. The mental feel of being perfectly healthy, of being cured of any incoming illness (hypochondriacs with coin to spare are common abusers) and having even the smallest bruise or pain chased away... is an easy mental crutch to form. While different potions are needed to heal bones than to heal wounds, a little sip of bone healing can fix a cracked nail or chipped tooth. The lightest bruise can be banished with a flesh mending potion. While vanity is a less common reason for the addiction it is still a popular one. Nearly anything can be an excuse for addiction, from the 'feel' of the magic working in the body to being able to 'keep going' no matter how little sleep or food you've had. Stamina potion addiction tends to be lethal in most cases.
The kind of potion doesn't matter so much, healing, strength, stamina, or even the wonder of a flying potion. Consistent use begins to build a tolerance just as with a drug. Magic can be resisted and the more one is subjected to a particular type, the easier it is to resist even if you don't particularly want to. Bankruptcy and death are some of the better misfortunes that can befall potion addicts.

Symptoms

Depending on the potion symptoms can vary. Healing can cause the whole immune system to fail if it's for system purifying. Flesh mending can cause extra muscles of tissue to grow usually resulting in cancer. Bone healing potions cause the addicts bones to sprout bone spurs throughout the body so that their flesh is torn or cut when they move. Strength potions can cause the muscles to build more lactic acid than the body can handle or even petrify some muscles. Potions that boost charisma can damage the persons personality making them into someone who always bends towards the tastes of others to make themselves more relatable but usually this devolves into making a simpering toady of the addict. Consistent charm potions can render the person into a permanent semi hypnotic state; in countries where slavery is legal and a possible sentence for crimes committed, this is sometimes done on purpose to more violent criminals. More exotic potions such as water breathing, invisibility, or flying can have more dire consequences.

Treatment

Depending on the potion preferred treatment varies just like the symptoms. If the addiction is noticed early the most common treatment is to 'wean' the addict off onto another potion and then another after that until hopefully the mental fascination is worn down with consistent exposure. If that doesn't work mental healers of various kinds each have their own theory about how it should be treated and how each treatment should be tailored to the individual.

Affected Groups

Humans as with many things that affect the poor, are commonly found to be taking jobs or volunteering to be potion testers. Other species usually find such work to be beneath them. Non-humans will have to have fallen on very hard times indeed to take up such a task. With humans being the predominant sufferers among the poor it is another reason given between the native species of the world that humans are obviously of inferior stock.

Prevention

For those in the alchemical business the three major cures are considered to be as follows:

• Use ingredients that make the potion as vile of flavor as possible.
• Wear an Amulet of Apathy .
• Don't batch potions.*

*Potion batching usually done by alchemists who are trying to produce in volume for profit reasons. The larger the volume, the greater the chance that things won't 'quite' mix correctly or be kept at exact temperatures for the right periods. As a result most potions are done in small amounts and take a lot of time to produce which is why potions are not cheap nor common. With the high risk of failure from batching, each potion must be tested if quality is to be assured. This results in doses of each batch being drank with each effort. A good alchemist can usually brew several potions in a day and if they posses a set of cauldrons, this could lead to drinking eight to thirty potions, in a single working day. Not to mention the trauma of cutting yourself or breaking something to test your batch of healing potion. Several countries have outlawed alchemists bringing in 'volunteers' to test batches for them, since this resulted in the poor and destitute becoming addicted.

Cultural Reception

Many people think of potion addiction as self inflicted or a failing of character much like alcohol. As a result those healers who study it or treat it regularly may be aware that like all addictions it destroys both the addict and harms all of those around them as well. Even in the case of those who take jobs as potion testers or who are driven to testing potions out of desperation, society at large disregards them and dismisses the issue for the most part.

Type

Magical