It’s traditionally assumed that if someone is addicted to something, it’s more than likely that something will be of the illegal variety. But it doesn’t have to be the case. Addiction can realistically be associated with anything, even legal things.
And folks on Reddit were discussing their very legal addictions in this now-viral online thread. Things like sugar, chocolate, video games and the like. And that opened up a pretty interesting discussion.
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So, what is addiction?
There is no clear-cut answer to that question. Mostly because it deals with an invisible line that is crossed, and is in many cases difficult to come back to. Or, even, in some cases, flat out impossible. In that case, it’s then a game of learning to live with it and learning to accept the consequences.
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Those who get addicted essentially cross a point where their body gets so hooked and it starts demanding to feed the addiction. If not demanding more with every time on top of it. Difficulty arises from the fact that nobody knows where this line is exactly. It’s different for everyone, and once you cross it, you don’t know it until it’s too late.
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The reason why some addictions are impossible to kick is because it’s hard to understand when and if you haven't actually returned to the line between addiction and normal life. You’ve already experienced it, so you know the temptation, and thus can relapse again at any time. In that case, you often learn to maneuver around it, kinda sorta feeding it but not too much. But always living with that risk.
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One thing that many assume is that it’s all down to willpower to kick the habit. But, alas, it’s not just that.
There’s also knowledge on how to tackle the addiction as well as having the support to go through with it successfully. Oh, and it’s also understanding that addiction doesn’t make you a bad person. Even more so when you have identified it and made efforts to fend it off.
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There is a lot to addiction. Part of what makes it so darned difficult. And it all starts with that initial use.
The reasons why folks start using drugs are numerous. It can be rolling with a bad crowd (or even a good one), living with a bad example of a guardian or simply curiosity. Whatever the case, that one time might be the sweet relief that your body will continue to demand from here on out.
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Initial use can evolve into abuse, which is when the person uses the substance of recurring, oftentimes improper, basis. In other words, it’s used to a degree where it’s harmful. Some say the line to cross into abuse is when a person starts using the drug for the euphoric response or when self-treatment is performed without a doctor’s instruction.
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Over time, the person might develop a tolerance for a given drug, meaning that in order to achieve whatever result that they want, more of the drug has to be used. But the more you use, the more strain there is on the body, and the more debilitating the reaction can be in the long run.
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And, speaking of the long run, tolerance leads to dependence. Not all dependence is considered addiction—sometimes it’s a medical means to manage a condition. However, if a given drug is being used to treat another condition, and they become dependent on it to feel good, then that’s a problem.
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At the end of it all, it develops into a full blown addiction. Craving it, not being able to stop, using more than it was originally started with—all of these are clear signs of addiction. More extreme signs include use of substances in dangerous situations, like when driving a car, or using it despite the health risks.
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Whatever the case, seeking help is always the way to go as there is always someone out there who will try their darndest to help. American Addiction Centers might help.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Share your thoughts and stories in the comment section below!
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Brake fluid. But I can stop any time i want.Sugar
That s**t is extremely addictive.Food. I've got a terrible food addiction that's comparable to my 600 lb life type of addiction. It's a real f****n monkey on my back. I don't like to talk about it on here much though because then I get a bunch of commenters on here telling me how unhealthy that is ECT. I Know! For Christ sake, I know. Anywho, I hope everyone's having a nice day. Happy St Patricks day.If I don't have caffeine regularly I get...difficult.Buying s**t I don’t need.The internet.Alcohol. I haven't had any in 24 years, but it's best practice to assume that I'm still addicted.Chocolate. It's a problem. I need to stop, but I'm pretty much addicted, because without it, days are horrible.Being alone.Sleeping.Tobacco but it's not the nicotine because when I quit a few years back I had both patches and gum which I didn't touch after the first few days but the physical act of smoking, whether it be cigarette or pipe, is what I craved. Vaping, with and without nicotine, also didn't satiate that craving. I love the taste, smell and ritual of smoking tobacco products.Overthinking.Really weird online games like candy crush, solitaire, this water bottle game where you have to match the colours. Beginning to feel like I'm only addicted bc it gives me a false sense of accomplishment lol gotta work on that asap.Saving pictures of cats on my phone…I have over 2,000
I don’t even like cats that much I just like seeing 2,000 pictures of cats and giggling about the sheer magnitude of cats lmao.Tea. Yorkshire Tea preferably.Chap Stick. It's a lifelong addiction.Social mediaShopping. Sounds ridiculous but I don’t remember the last time I didn’t spend money for a whole 24 hours. Definitely working on it, but spending money can definitely become a problem. .Being overly polite to the wrong people. Lol.Everything. I’m an extreme addict. Anything I do, I end up doing to the max. 3 drinks 1 night a week, rapidly becomes 200 drinks in a week. Diets turn into anorexia. Quitting a diet becomes a binge eating disorder. I take up horticulture, learn how to propagate and literally bring home 500 plants in one day. I start reading again and suddenly, I have no time for anything else because I’m tearing through a whole Rubbermaid of library books a week. You don’t even want to know how what an all-consuming issue my sex drive, caffeine habit and nicotine addiction are.
Edit: I have been treated for ADHD and Bipolar type I in the past but nothing worked. I was upgraded to C-PTSD, Autism, Schizoaffective, Anorexia Nervosa, Dermatillomania and Haphephobia. Possible Dyscalculia. You can stop suggesting ADHD and Bipolar now. Lol.My fiancée (in a good way). I love her so much. She’s my best friend and I literally want to spend every minute of my life with her.Cleaning. Sounds good but I grew up in a hoarder house and I can literally NOT relax. I’m like 6mo pregnant right now but I still clean until it hurts .Video games.Buying a bunch of s**t on Amazon knowing if I don’t like it I can return it. Then never returning it.Anything that clears my sinuses! Halls, vaporub, olbas. It's like walking through a wintry forest but in my nose.Pizza.Pickles. I legit start to go through withdrawal if I haven't had any for 3+ days. In unrelated news, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at 19.Caffeine and my iPhone.Fizzy water.Fanfiction. I have like 80 tabs open. I’ll
Spend 6 hours a day reading if I don’t have anything else to do. I read it while I’m working on crafts and stuff. I check my email at least 10 times a day to see if any of the fics I’m enjoying has updated.
It’s almost like when I was a kid and reading a book a day.Unsweetened iced tea big time, Burt’s Bees lip balm, my husband and cats!Alcohol. And Reddit ffs.Coke Zero.Good old kratom.The Sims! I invest more time into my sim’s futures than my own.Redbull, i wish it would be made illegal. it’s horrible for you, and i drink it daily….Magic the m***********g gathering. Been playing cardboard crack since 1995.Blasting guitar music into my ears at full volume until I eventually turn deaf, I’m doing it right now.Gummy worms.Reddit. I have a novel to write so I downloaded Limit to stop me going on reddit. Then I needed a beta reader. What's the only place to get a decent beta reader?
Oh, yeah, there you are like the dealer just hanging on my street corner. Damn you reddit.Sex, and fantasizing about sex with any semi-attractive woman I might see throughout the day.Checking somebody’s social media account obsessively where you feel like your a stalker I found myself obsessing over a couple I thought had a great life and maybe they do but it was effecting my own relationship and self esteem(I felt like a stalker) which is illegal lol.TIkTok.Shiny cardboard
Yu-Gi-Oh! And Magic The Gathering is crazy.Reality TV.
