The pervasiveness of addiction in modern society has insidiously crept into our lives, often unnoticed until its insidious grip disrupts our peace. Have you ever paused to examine the subtle yet pervasive ways addiction has infiltrated your life?
A user asked the forum, “What is an addiction people might not realize they have?”. Here are the top responses.
MISERY AND DRAMA
“Misery. Drama. The spikes become normal to the brain, so those in toxic relationships, for example, crave those dysfunctional patterns. They crave the rush of fights and drama. They pull it from around them without even noticing it.
Misery loves company; it is not just a saying. It’s science.”
SCROLLING
“Doom Scrolling.
I did it so much during the pandemic, and it took me a while to break myself out of it.”
SHOPPING
“Shopping is a big one.
I think a lot of us are “shopping” even when we’re not spending money. Looking at products online, putting stuff onto wishlists, browsing aisles at Target, asking people in conversation where they got [whatever]. I’m trying to be more cognizant of this because I resent that I’m going through life in total consumer mode.”
ANGER
“Anger.
I think addiction to anger is the primary force being weaponized against our entire culture right now.”
STRESS
“Stress. I’m convinced some people create stress in their lives because they are addicted to it.”
FOOD
“Food. People often eat far more often than necessary. They eat out of habit and not out of necessity.”
SODA
“Soda.
It’s wild how many people drink soda like it is water. I work at a restaurant, and people are drinking soda every day throughout their shift.
It tastes nice, but the amount of sugar in soda is absolutely absurd, just not worth it, so I rarely drink it. If I’m gonna consume that much sugar, I’ll get some sweets instead.”
PROCRASTINATION
“Procrastination.
It’s so much easier to say, “I’ll do it tomorrow” and then tomorrow comes, and you still don’t do it. Such a terrible habit.”
ADDICTION TO OTHER PEOPLE LIVES
“Addiction to other people’s lives. We’re constantly flooded with media on people we don’t even know/never met. Yet, we invest so much time interacting with them and having a false sense of reality, seeing only what they show.
Humans are so much more complex than the image that’s presented to us online. We should look around our own reality before trying to make sense of strangers.”
CAFFEINE
“Caffeine and sugar are two big ones. Mostly caffeine, though. Millions of people in the US depend on coffee throughout their day.”
DAYDREAMING
“Daydreaming! I do it constantly and can’t stop. It literally takes up hours out of my day.”
COMPLAINING
“Complaining. Guilty, your honor. Lock me up. I dabbled in it once or twice, and before I knew what happened, I found myself as an adult with a career, responsibilities, and all sorts of adulting happening around me. Ever since I’ve been roiled in addiction, I can’t stop. A life sentence seems warranted. I’m not even sorry.”
SELF MEDICATING
“Self-medicating.
For me, it was alcohol. Then, when I had to stop, it was tobacco. Then when I stopped eating. I don’t think I was addicted to one of those in particular, but with declining mental health, I needed something/anything to make me numb.
I abused alcohol, but I never necessarily needed alcohol, but I always needed something. That something is what I would say I needed. Abusing alcohol, tobacco, and Little Debbie’s was always the symptom of the underlying illness.
Either way, I slice the comfort cake, they all still, and equally, would lead to a downward spiral that can snowball anybody’s life out of control.
Long story short: self-medicating.”
ALCOHOL
“Alcohol.
Many people are alcoholics and won’t realize it. Just because you don’t get drunk every day doesn’t mean you’re not an alcoholic.”
BENZODIAZEPINES
“Benzodiazepines
It’s so easy to tell yourself that they are fine and safe because a doctor prescribed them.
But no, no, they are not.”
ADDICTED TO COMFORT ZONE
“Comfort. So many of us are addicted to being in a comfortable place rather than growing and getting out of our comfort zone.”
DRUG ADDICTION
“Addiction to drugsg. They have convinced everyone it’s non-addictive because there is no chemical dependency, but I know plenty of people who are high basically 24/7 for months on end, well into their late 20’s, and that’s not just enjoying getting high. That’s an addiction.”
ADDICTION TO CONSUMING CONTENT
“Content! – movies, TV shows, books, social media.”
ADDICTED TO HOSPITALIZATION
“Being addicted to hospitalization.
It gives you attention from friends and family – you are suddenly the center of the world.
Then you get better — and people return to normal and expect you to carry on as you were prior, and you realize how lonely you are.
So you do the extreme thing to get that thrill of attention: you harm yourself, you overdose, you make empty threats.
You don’t care about the bill or the resources spent on you.
You have the attention of those willing to give it.
It only gets worse when you start to feel like you’re not being treated like royalty, and you start looking at “better” hospitals that don’t ask questions and give you whatever you want.
I work at a hospital and have seen over 87 repeat patients… I’ve only worked here for two years.”
12 Fast Food Chains Where You Can Still Eat Cheap
Fast food can be a quick and affordable meal option, but knowing where to go to get the most bang for your buck is essential. Read here.
16 Things That Are Legal in the U.S. but Are Actually Pretty Messed Up
In the United States, there are a number of things that are legal but should not be. These things can range from harmful practices to others. Read here.
13 Inventions That Were Supposed to Change the World… But Didn’t
Though there are both good and bad inventions, it’s fascinating to learn about those that once promised to revolutionize the world, but are now forgotten. Read more.
15 Costco Products That Are a Total Rip-Off
Costco is known for its great deals on bulk items, but only some things at the warehouse club are a good value. Read more.
Did You Know? These 18 Everyday Sayings Are Actually False
Language is a powerful tool, but it can also be misleading. Overused sayings and clichés are often taken for granted as truths. Read more.
This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.