Most common addictions of our time

With the development of technology and life in general, people have new addictions. Very often, they have a negative impact on our health and psyche. In addition, we may not understand that we have become a prisoner of unhealthy habits. In this article, we have collected the most common addictions of our time.

Coffee

A cup of coffee before heading to work, during the day and in the evening after dinner is a habit of many people. They include this drink in their diet every day, often not realizing that they are addicted. And caffeine can induce strong addiction. This is due to the effect that a cup of coffee has on us: we feel cheerful and energized. Accordingly, when the drink is not at hand at the right time, we experience discomfort.

According to a psychiatrist-narcologist, the strength of a coffee addiction can be compared to an addiction to nicotine. He does not recommend drinking the drink every day and in large quantities: such a habit can lead to constant feelings of anxiety, muscle tremors, insomnia and irritability.

It is recommended to consume no more than 600 mg of coffee per day or 5 cups. But it is better to reduce this amount to a minimum and not drink it daily.

Addiction to s*x and relationships

According to statistics, 8% of men and 3% of women worldwide are subject to this addiction. For many of them, s*x becomes not a manifestation of love for a partner but a compulsive behaviour – an obsessive desire or ritual that a person must perform to feel good psychologically. This could be due to low self-esteem or past trauma.

Also, people who are especially susceptible to the influence of the media and the Internet can be prone to this dependence. This is due to the myriad of triggers and messages about s*xuality, relationships, and the “norms” associated with them. S*xually addicted people experience many emotions and worries: thinking about relationships takes up a lot of their time and is accompanied by feelings of shame or dissatisfaction; there is a desire to control these aspects of life more or isolate themselves from them completely.

This addiction also includes an excessive addiction to p0rnography. An unhealthy attraction to adult films can exclude a relationship from reality or negatively affect the relationship with a partner. They can also cause feelings of guilt, shame, and confusion from thinking about s*xual experiences or being in a close relationship with a partner.

Gambling

According to statistics, only 1-2% of adults in the world are seriously addicted to gambling. These people get real pleasure from winning, and they perceive the loss as a real tragedy.

The excitement of the subsequent victory distorts reality and the level of risk people take with their money and possessions. Addiction to this pastime can lead to illegal activities, debt and destructive behaviour. A person may stop being interested in everyday things, devote less time to loved ones, stop caring about the quality of his life and devote all his time to games.

Internet and technology

Recently, the concept of “nomophobia” has emerged, which means the fear of the lack of mobile phones. It describes the psychological attachment of some people to their gadgets.

Internet addiction is widespread among young people. Symptoms include feelings of despair and anxiety when separated from smartphones or other familiar gadgets. This is because overuse of certain social media leads to an increase in the level of the hormone dopamine, which is responsible for feelings of pleasure. Accordingly, if you remove the trigger for the production of additional dopamine in the form of your favourite technique, the mood of the addicted person is significantly reduced.

The Internet quickly becomes a virtual guide to a world far from reality, which often seems more attractive to addicted people. Because of this, they spend much more time on their computers and less time with family and friends.

Food

Many people around the world have nutritional problems, eating disorders or food addictions.

Most of these illnesses are associated with emotional and psychological problems. Because food appears harmless and plentiful, it becomes abused. Food can be a way to relieve stress and improve mood, which can lead to unhealthy addictions.

As with most addictions, people often don’t realize the dangers of their behaviour until something serious happens. Sometimes it takes the influence of other people to change such destructive behaviour or referral to a specialist.

Work

While work is seen as a virtue for most people, overwork or “workaholism” can be a mental disorder that seriously affects those affected.

Overload affects relationships and health – a person moves away from loved ones, experiences symptoms of burnout, constant fatigue and even depression, the reasons for which he cannot describe. Work addicts justify their excessive efforts by the necessity or desire for a better and more prosperous life, not realizing how much they are destroying it.

In addition, success in work, gaining fame and money becomes associated with status and self-identification. A sensible work-life balance is essential to living a consistent and happy life.

Shopping addiction

The excessive love of shopping is called oniomania. People who suffer from it often make compulsive and reckless purchases. They do this to relieve stress, feel happy, or for the sake of the shopping process itself, from which they get great pleasure. They can visit stores unnecessarily, to pass the time that way.

The causes of oniomania are different. For example, the desire for control over the situation. Or the desire to get an extra adrenaline rush if the addict gets pleasure from finding something cheaper or buying a rare thing.

Subsequently, most of them face a feeling of shame that they cannot control their habit. Addiction to shopping can lead to serious consequences: debt, a deterioration in relations with the family, and depression or withdrawal symptoms if you do not get to the store or buy something for a long time.

Plastic surgery addiction

In 2006, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons warned its members about patients with body dysmorphic disorder.

Dysmorphophobia is a mental disorder when a person is constantly looking for flaws in himself that need to be corrected with an operation or other intervention. This idea becomes obsessive and does not give a person peace of mind until he eliminates what he does not like. Often, “problem areas” are such only in the eyes of the body dysmorphophobias, which emphasizes the seriousness of this disease.

Cosmetic surgery is an endless journey for people addicted to plastic surgery due to dissatisfaction with the results. The British Association of Plastic Surgeons reported a disturbing study that found that 40% of people who once used Botox admitted that they wanted to continue the procedure over and over again, even if they were happy with the result.

Alcohol and tobacco

While alcohol is entirely legal, it is addictive and deadly, like most illegal drugs. It is scientifically proven to be associated with 60 diseases, including multiple cancers and epilepsy. Alcohol also contributes greatly to the statistics of homicide and road traffic accidents. Alcohol use is on the rise throughout the world and is abused in societies that tolerate it.

Awareness of the dangers of smoking tobacco is growing, but it remains a major health hazard worldwide. Tobacco use is associated with 1.3 billion deaths each year.

The World Health Organization reported that smoking causes 90% of lung cancers in men and 70% of lung cancers in women and is responsible for nearly 80% of respiratory diseases and 22% of cardiovascular diseases.