When the word addiction is thrown around, people automatically assume that you’re talking about hard drugs. Though hard drugs are a very serious addiction and one that can undermine and ruin the course of an entire life, addiction is actually much broader than people are led to think. Evaluating your own life, you might think that you’re a relatively healthy person. You don’t smoke, you go to the gym at least two or three times a week, you go to church, you say your penance…that sort of thing.
What you probably don’t even realize is that you’re addicted to something. It might not be cocaine or heroine, but everybody has their vice. Sometimes it’s just more destructive than other times. Here are 3 addictions you might not realize you have:
Medication
Do you have a habit of reaching for the aspirin every time you feel a minor ache or pain? When you have a cold, do you automatically go for the hard core, over the counter, bazooka status cold medicine that knocks you out cold? Do you always keep a prescription bottle of oxycontin around just incase you need it?
If this is you, you just might have a prescription drug addiction. These addictions can be just as serious as a street drug addiction, as they’re expensive, they change the composition of your body, and they affect the way you feel and think. Evaluate your life, and watch yourself if you feel like you mirror some of these habits.
Caffeine
This is the kicker for most people in the world. Haha. Get it? Kicker…anyways, seeing as a majority of the world needs caffeine to get through their daily lives and they don’t feel as though they can physically function without it, caffeine is a major addiction. One way to test yourself is to cut yourself off and see how your body responds.
Do you get the shakes? Do you have headaches or other withdrawal symptoms. Often times, the need for caffeine is more mental than anything. If you see that you’re addicted, you could cut back the dose, or try tricking your mind into thinking you’ve had it already.
Social Media
Last but not least, behaviors are just as much an addiction as substances. Do you have a habit of turning to your phone and opening a social media site a bazillion times a day? You and the rest of the world have the same problem. It’s an addiction that comes with the times. If you find it’s disrupting your ability to get things done, get strict with yourself and set limits, otherwise, just be aware. Addiction is one of those things that plagues everybody. Some addictions are worse than others, but an addiction is an addiction no matter how small, so be aware and look out for yourself.
Originally posted on July 26, 2016 @ 8:07 pm