Addictions People Don’t Talk About

Whenever the word, addiction is mentioned, what comes to mind is illegal drugs.
Do you know that you can be hooked on prescribed medications like painkillers or sedatives?

Addictions people don’t talk about or admit that they have are sometimes not even drug-related. They appear and started off as habits we have fun doing.
But do you know that the habits that are fun when experienced or carried out have the same activities and release the same chemicals in the brain like drug or substance use?

Examples of such addictions are:
1. Smart Phone addiction: You can’t quit it, can you? You keep it with you all the time and check it every few minutes. You ignore the people you’re having dinner with or family members to catch a text or a post from someone miles away.

2. Chocolate and other sweets or fizzy drinks: Sometimes you have to have them, and realize you may not be able to stop.

3. Gambling: Worldwide Gambling Statistics Show that 26% of The Entire World Gambles. When you put that 26% into numbers, that’s 1.6 billion people. Whether you do it in person or online, at slot machines or the poker table. You discover you can’t stop despite running into a financial crisis.

4. Plastic Surgery: Some people can’t get enough nips and tucks.

5. Social Media: Do you spend so much time on social media or do you feel like you’re addicted? New studies show that you might be among the 10% of social media users who really are hooked.

6. Sex and Porn: Can’t stop having sex — or looking at porn? Doing it more, enjoying it less, and risking too much to get it? Maybe you have a strong sex drive. But there could be more going on. It’s not an official addiction, but there is a thing called a hypersexual disorder.

7. Others are Shopping, exercising, etc.

How do you know you have a habit that has become an addiction?

Ask yourself these questions:

Have you tried stopping and it isn’t working?

Do you get angry when people make comments about the habit being an addiction?

Do you spend all your day on the habit, and neglect other aspects of your life?

Is it the first thing you think of every day?

If your answer is “yes”, you might be addicted.

See a therapist to carry out a further assessment to ascertain a diagnosis.

P.S.: Anything that alters your mood can become addictive.

– Funmilola Oyewunmi

Nursing Manager, GBHS

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To book an appointment with a therapist, kindly call 08084047850 or 08029117580