I didn’t quit drugs due to social pressure, but because it was hurting those I love: Shine Tom Chacko

Kochi: Actor Shine Tom Chacko has revealed that social pressure wasn’t the reason he quit drug use. Speaking on Karthik Surya’s podcast alongside filmmaker AJ Varghese, Shine opened up about his journey away from addiction, the challenges of withdrawal, and how sports like tennis and cricket are helping him cope.

The conversation, recorded a few days before the death of Shine’s father, CP Chacko, in a road accident, was released recently and has since gone viral. Actor Shine in the podcast said, "Addiction started hurting those around me more."

“Addiction is not something that only affects the one who consumes it; it mostly affects the people around them,” Shine said. He added that society often points fingers based on personal habits: “But addiction isn’t just about drugs. Sugar and salt are two of the most addictive substances in the world. That’s why doctors tell us to control them as we age.”

The actor shared that he is currently going through withdrawal symptoms, especially during dubbing sessions. “I used to step out and smoke in between takes. Now, there’s none of that. I’ve changed those habits.”

His doctors advised him to replace old habits with new activities, particularly physical ones. “I played half an hour of tennis and then went for dubbing. After that, I played cricket for another half hour. If I don’t do this, the withdrawal gets worse. The urge to go back to old habits grows stronger.”

Addiction is like your phone

Drawing a modern parallel, Shine said, “Addiction is just like your mobile phone. If you don’t have it in your hand for a while, you experience withdrawal symptoms. That’s why habits and substances stick with us more than even our partners. So, we need to shift our focus to something else—slowly, it becomes normal.”

He also confessed that his initial attempts at playing tennis made him realise “it’s not as easy as it looks on TV.” He has now started learning to swim, too, as part of the preparation for an underwater scene in his upcoming film ‘Devara’.