You Can Easily Fall Into The 5 Most Common Addictions

most common addictions

Addictions Can Be Just Around the Corner

We can pretty much become addicted to any substance or activity – that’s why moderation is so key (especially in nutrition). Check out these 5& things that can trigger addictions!

Addictions: 5 of the most common ones

Addiction is defined as the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.

This means that it isn’t just limited to physical objects like alcohol or drugs but can also include less tangible things like love and internet use.

Below are some of the most addictive things that a person can easily fall into (apart from drugs).

Internet

Most people around the world use the internet on a daily basis. They check their emails, watch videos, play games, and socialize. It’s hard to imagine that something so useful can become an addiction, but imagine how often people look at their phones to see what’s online.

The constant updating and changing of the internet can become like a drug for people that have to endlessly stay informed on the latest occurrences.

This can be diagnosed by checking the mood changes occurring when cutting down the usage of the internet.  Such personalities will show anxiety, depression, irritability, and intense anger in the absence of the internet.

Alcohol

Alcohol addiction is one of the most common, or at least most talked about, addictions in the world. This one can start harmlessly enough with drinking among friends and having a good time at night but eventually can become a crutch that people fully believe they need to live.

In their minds, they won’t be able to do most of the things they could do before they started drinking. They’ll want a few drinks before going out, to sleep, or even to work. Alongside their dependence on alcohol, they’ll also begin to have personality shifts.

Besides the medical side effects, alcohol addiction and abuse also pose a great risk to the physical, social and spiritual health of the alcoholic. Sexual problems, vision problems, diabetes complications, hallucinations, stress, anxiety disorder…etc. are some among them.

Tobacco Products

Addictions Tobacco
What’s more iconic than smoking a cigarette? Movie stars, musicians, and even athletes can all be pointed out as using one tobacco product or another.

With such high-profile people using them, it’s no wonder that cigarettes and chewing tobacco are so widely used.

A pack of cigarettes is enough to get a person addicted for life, and with just about every corner store selling them, it’s that much easier to get a hold of them.

Peer pressure from colleagues and friends is also the way that people become addicted, by convincing people that it’s something everyone does. Once they get addicted to it, then it’s hard to quit. The two important factors that trigger smoking addiction are emotional instability and addiction to nicotine products.

Statistics says that about 70% of addicts want to quit and about 4%-7% succeed in it. Tobacco products can be very addictive.

Love

Becoming addicted to love is kind of like becoming addicted to a drug. There is no denying that it can make you feel good, but too much of it might cause you some danger. If a person becomes addicted to sex, they might see themselves unable to stay in a single relationship, or they might even go so far as paying for it.

Love can also cause people to stay in abusive relationships because they believe that their partner truly loves them.

Love addiction is a pathological passion-related behavior that may cause serious behavioral problems. The interesting fact is that sometimes the one who is addicted to love may not recognize their addiction.

Food

Addictions Food
In America, more than ⅔ of American adults are considered obese. This fact is caused by genes, where people live, lifestyle, as well as overeating. Food addictions are a perfect example for people that overeat.

These people feel a consistent craving for food, even when they aren’t hungry. It is easy to fall into this kind of addiction because many foods that are easy to prepare to provide poor nutrition.

Potato chips, sweets, soda pop, and spicy foods all cause the brain to release the chemical dopamine, which makes you feel better.

After a while of consistently eating these foods, your body will associate them with good feelings, causing a food addiction. Food addiction may result in health problems or lifelong obesity which will adversely affect their self-esteem.

This addiction will also affect the mental health of the person who is addicted to it.

Wrap-Up

It’s not just drugs and alcohol that we can become addicted to. As with all things (well minus drugs), we need to consume them in moderation to help us live a full, healthy life!

But even if you are a recovering drug addict, you can definitely consider getting help to recover from drug addiction from a rehab center in Oklahoma.

David L. Schiavone is a psychiatrist focusing primarily on Cognitive Therapy and mindfulness approaches. Cognitive Therapy (also called Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, or CBT) helps through identifying and changing negative thoughts, negative self-talk, and problematic assumptions and beliefs. Negative thoughts are often inaccurate: these are called Cognitive Distortions.CBT is a very practical, "hands-on" approach, where clients are taught skills and provided with tools they can use to deal with problems and psychological distress. After each session, there is homework to practice these tools. Follow me @Twitter.
David L. Schiavone
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