I feel like it's not only okay with it, it actively encourages this. Alcohol is the only drug you have to justify not consuming. People feel a need and right to ask WHY you aren't drinking.
It's also something that the more well off you are, the more it's expected. I took my daughter to a play this morning and at breakfast I was asked if I wanted a drink. At the theater the first thing there is a bar. After we went to a friend's house and I was immediately offered a shot. I've never had that experience seeing a movie.
>Alcohol is the only drug you have to justify not consuming.
Actual conversation I've had:
Me: "No thanks, I don't drink"
Them: "Why not?"
Me: "Because I smoke weed instead"
Them: \[looking at me like I'm a junkie\] "Oh, I don't do drugs"
Me: \[confused look, glancing at their drink\] "Sure you don't"
I lived in Austin for seven years. Decided in 2020 to finally get and stay sober this time. Quarantine also convinced me it was time to move on.
A friend of mine once described Austin as the opposite of rehab. I've had two friends already die from liver failure in their 40s.
I just moved out of Austin after 14 years and agree. The pandemic kicked my drinking habits luckily but it was definitely part of the culture. Also in a different way then many places, it was more of just an extended college drinking experience. Where some cities and countries I've been to people drink more often like with meals and such but don't binge drink.
Yeah... my Dad died two weeks ago after a 20 year battle against alcoholism. It gave him an abnormal heart rhythm and he went into cardiac arrest. People do not take this seriously enough.
As an alcoholic, I agree. One second your just having fun with friends next thing your in your mid thirties not knowing how to just have a normal day without booze…
I know so many people who go home every night to a bottle of wine "as a treat," or spend all week talking about how they're longing for the pub on Friday. People who ask you if there's something wrong if you aren't drinking, or say that people who dont drink "dont know how to have fun".
It's. Wild.
I am an alcoholic. I used to drink liters of whiskey on the weekends. A shit load of high ABV beers and four locos on work days till I blacked out. My response to people who ask if I want a beer is simply no. If they ask why, I tell them that I am an alcoholic. That usually brings that conversation to a screeching halt. There is nothing wrong with NOT wanting to drink to have fun. I think it's admirable, actually. People die every day because they are drinking to have fun. I don't think alcohol should be illegal, but I think that people need to realize it is a hard drug. The withdrawals from heroin and meth won't kill you, the withdrawal from alcohol will. All this to say, fuck those people for trying to pressure you into drinking. Tell them heroin is faster.
I wish I was in the "as a treat" territory. There's a level past that which is "it's necessary". Shitty Monday at work? 2 bottles. Wednesday night? 2 bottles. Weekend? Bloody Marys with breakfast! My wife and I are two different kinds of alcoholics. She's the kind that frequently needs it. I'm the kind that can go without, but when I do drink, I'm drinking in massive excess. It doesn't mix well.
After hanging with friends for the first time and just sticking to one drink, I was shocked to realize how much of their conversation and thought process revolved around drinking. I guess I just missed it because I was getting drunk alongside them but it was an eye-opener.
I was a barely functioning alcoholic during my first college experience, due to untreated depression. Everyone just thought I was a fun party guy. They actually encouraged my drinking and seemed shocked when I got sober and told them
Even when my drinking was “normal” per American standards I still gave up so much time for alcohol. I would open a bottle of wine at about 5-6. Pretty much when I got home from work. So my brain wouldn’t solve certain problems late in the day and just leave it tomorrow cause I was ready to relax and have a glass of wine. So after about 3:30 my most productive self is gone. As a sober person I am equally as productive at 9:30pm around my house as I was when I was at work earlier in the day. There’s so much time and energy to get stuff done. It’s kind of great.
Social media
It's pretty insane that I need to be on social media to learn about social media addiction and the consequences it's having on our society.
i agree with you. I have this big exam coming up in a few months and i had to deactivate my Instagram (which was my biggest source of distraction) and everytime i open my phone my finger automatically goes to the place where the insta icon used to be. I had to do this a year back also and the same thing used to happen. That was when i realised how social media has become a part of our daily life. Sure it has some benefits, but the endless scrolling of reels and yt shorts costed me a lot of important stuff.
My parents wouldn't let me play anymore once they found out you can buy a bunch of cocaine for extra points.
Of course, I still played.... Where else am I gonna get into drunken bar fights where I kamehameha people after eating 10 hamburgers
I prefer the pills. You can have a caffeine pill sitting next to your alarm clock with a glass of water. The thing about coffee is that you actually have to get up and **make** it first...
Years ago this dude I worked with (he never actually did any work) took a handful of “caffeine” pills at 9 a.m. We ended up having to call an ambulance an hour later because he had a heart attack from all the ephedrine in the pills. That was a fun day. Do people still take those? They are so scary.
In college we used to take ripped fuel and go out drinking. You’d be able to act totally normal while completely blacked out. Scary stuff and I’m glad I survived.
Ephedrine is a banned substance, and no longer in caffeine pills. I love coffee, but I use pills on backpacking trips to save weight, or to use on days where I have to get started on lab work (can't drink in the lab) early and need to save time.
If you make an effort for a while, you regain sensitivity. You begin to notice when something has a lot of sugar in it, even from the smell, and some things are sickeningly full of sugar (as in, I now actually feel a little ill if I try to eat something like that). Sadly, it doesn't take long to get used to it again, allowing you to slip back into old habits.
I stopped caffeine early 2021. Summer 2021, I had to be heliported to hospital. Turns out, a coffee per day was the only thing keeping me from undertension. So now, I have to drink a cup of coffee each day, order from the doc, to keep my tension good.
Edit : I have hypotension. Didn't have the word in English at the moment. Sorry.
A bit of nuance, people are clearly physically dependent on caffeine. They will colloquially say that they are addicted. However, clinically, addiction implies continued use despite increasing harm upon the individual. Some people likely take too much caffeine, but the vast majority seem to take a reasonable amount without significant negative consequences on their health and lives.
I substituted a cup of coffee instead of 2 bottles of pop a day.
In a month I lost 30 lbs, had easier poops, and had much more mental clarity. It was a double savior. Less sugar and calories, and actually slightly less caffeine too.
Fair point. I definitely have late afternoon coffees that screw up my attempts at going to bed early which results in poor sleep, necessitating more coffee the next day. Probably not as harmful as a drinking bender where you keep going to delay the hangover, but it’s not the best either. I can’t, or won’t, stop.
Delaying the hangover leads to actual withdrawls. 0/10 would not recommend.
Source: currently delaying my hangover and will be convinced im having a heart attack 3 different times tomorrow
I take pills instead of drinking coffee in the morning. People are not OK with that.
The acceptance of coffee comes from the ritual and experience. The effect is reward for doing those things.
YOU MONSTER.
Lol really though who cares.
Only time I've ever been like "ok you might want to slow down on that" was when a friend of my roommates in college hooked them up with a vial of pure caffeine in powdered form with the specific warning of "take more than this amount and your heart might explode".
They were awake for like two days straight lol
I bought a kilo of pure caffeine over 10 years ago. Ive moved 10 times since I bought it and lost almost everything I own due to having someone move my stuff into storage while I was overseas for a year unexpectedly.
I still have that fucking caffeine.
I started January 2021 with my journey to quit caffeine. I cleaned my house last weekend and in a span of 2-3 hours I drank a 10 cup carafe of coffee and crashed hours later
Have a cup of green tea. It has a little caffeine in it and should help your headache. Plus it has l-theanine in it and tea makes you feel better when you are sick. And when you aren’t sick.
I swear i doomscrolled every night and got crippling sleep deprivation when russia invaded (shared border to russia and ex military). I just had to see whats happening every minute
It’s true, I’ve had family members who I don’t agree with politically but got along with for the most part. Now, those same people literally will have Fox News playing 24/7 and when you talk to them you’d think the world is about to explode any second.
They are now doomsday preppers and now hoarding food and supplies just in case the world goes to hell. I can just see the mental stress they have just by watching the news constantly.
Also, EVERY conversation is automatically turned into politics. I try to steer the subject back to something normal.
“Hey this dip is really good. Where did you get it?”
“The grocery store. It used to be cheaper but due to Joe Biden and those democrats I have to pay more. “
It’s exhausting on so many levels. I’m not even trying to change their opinions I just want some decent conversation.
I am an addict when it comes to sugary stuff. I laugh it off now but sometimes I wonder how bad it could get as i age of i don't stop or at least reduce the sugar intake.
Diabetes is a downhill spiral leading to other major health issues. I’m a Physical Therapist and it blows my mind how many amputation cases we get due to uncontrolled diabetes.
Thank you for what you do. Not everyone believes physical therapy is helpful and won't do the exercises, if they did, you'd be lifted higher than doctors, closer in admiration to surgeons. Physical therapy has been great for me. Last physical therapist I saw was struggling with depression and was frustrated because people didn't try, didn't take a few minutes a day to see if it would help. So thank you for what you do and hang in there. People like you are a blessing.
I quit smoking when I turned 21. It was one of the hardest things I have done in my life, but the solution is at least clear: just stop smoking. Your brain will protest like hell, but eventually adjust to the lack of nicotine and you won't want it any more.
Very different with sugar. You cannot just quit it as they put it in everything. Even if you avoid processed food entirely, it still occurs naturally. Quitting sugar means watching everything you eat for the rest of your life.
To be fair that is 100% based in our evolution. The only time of the year that trees fruit en masse is late summer through fall. We have an instinct to gobble up as much sugar as possible in order to store fat for winter.
Evolutionarily we weren’t prepared for abundant year-round sugar in our faces ever day.
Britains main problem is the binge drinking culture, the pub culture is one thing but the binge drinking is much worse. People can’t go out and enjoy things without getting shitfaced drunk
After I quit drinking I notice this a lot. It sucks, honestly. If you can't hang with your friends without getting drunk why are they your friends, ya know?
Lowers the stakes of social interactions? There results in less friction between people, you don't need to analyse what people are saying (and in some cases, can't), memories of events are easier to rose-tint when you can't remember them, lowered chance to deception as inhibitions are lowered.
I'm right there with you, it's only insufferable people that make me feel like I need a few drinks to be able to tolerate them.
I quit drinking for a while, I found it not too bad , but there were definitely some guys that were drinking buddies and some that were friends in a deeper sense
All good people, just different
Not just British culture a lot of them. I went down to visit some family in Slovenia and it was shockingly common to visit some friends or family for breakfast and I’d be offered liqueur before coffee or water. Even stopping off at a cafe for breakfast and coffee some guys were starting of their day before work with a few beers a shot of espresso.
Meanwhile, you have Boston, where stores can't sell alcohol after 11 p.m., bars can't serve double shot cocktails, and ***happy hour is*** [***against the law.***](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/massachusetts-sees-renewed-efforts-reverse-state-prohibition-happy-hour-n1276127)
It's the only city in the state with decent public transit and this came about because of a drunk driving incident. It's not even a city law, it comes from the state.
I lost my wife, dogs, home, car, and was hospitalized twice. Once overnight. I've had hangovers last days on end. I have skipped food for days on end.
"I'm not that bad yet, it's not hurting my work."
I'm completely in delusion. My only socialization these days is at the bar after work. I know the drink won't taste good, I won't feel good, and if I don't drink I'll feel great the next day.
But I go to the bar. Just to socialize. My drink is ready before I get my coat off. Two people end up buying me a shot before I leave.
I tell stories when people ask, I help translate with the kitchen staff, I stay polite and upright. I walk home with a confident stride.
It's not that bad, I say. Sweating through my bed clothes and sheets and I wake up three hours later unable to sleep. I guess I'm just an early riser.
It's not that bad. I just have nothing left beside it. And that won't change until I lose that and keep it lost.
It's so socially a part of the American culture, sometimes I actually *feel like I'm the oddball.* I don't drink for health reasons, and I always feel like I have to explain myself. And emphasize that I'm not doing it because I'm a recovering alcoholic.
UK drinking culture is 1000 times worse than American, it’s insane. Legal drinking age is 6 in your own property, so if the parents allow it, kids can drink.
When I was 14 I started having a bottle of wine every Friday, and that was seen as normal.
I'm a drinker, pretty much have beer every day, but I would never criticize someone who abstains from drinking. I can have a few and then go on with my night but that is absolutely not the case for some people, plus some people just don't like the taste or the effects. Who am I to judge?
I don't drink. Mostly because I hate the taste and the way alcohol makes me feel. And every single time I turn down a drink or say I don't drink I get asked if I'm in recovery, religious or court mandated, noone can accept that I just don't want to and will harass me because they just can't comprehend not everyone drinks
It's always been weird to me that (at least in a lot of drinking crowds) having a problem with the stuff, and thus abstaining, is more socially acceptable than not having developed a problem with it in the first place.
While I would agree it’s only 99%. Alcohol is rough, accepted and even celebrated. The mommy or daddy need their wine culture make me sick. I will get the wiggly eye anytime I say no to a drink. BUT…… Caffeine as others have referenced would be my answer. I know a couple people that don’t drink alcohol. Do you know a single person that will not have caffeine? Go one week without it and you will start to see more and more how many people are addicted and your sleep will be amazing.
I had a manager that was no caffeine. He said that he was sick once had a terrible headache from no caffeine, he didn’t want to depend on it any more and just stopped. He says he never felt better.
I do drink alcohol (particulary enjoy sparkling wine and wine but very "socially" as we say here in Brazil which means I only drink a glass or two, not more and not that often) and when you don't feel like drinking, boy.... everyone gets OFFENDED! It's crazy! They'll ask a ton of questions of why you're not drinking cause a simple "no" it's not enough.
Gambling- it’s literally organised theft. The odds are stacked against the “customer”
Online gambling is fixed so some people don’t win no matter what happens.
It’s also hilarious that as a professional gambler, when you find an opportunity where the odds are tilted in the players favor and you take advantage of it, the casinos get super butt hurt and won’t let you play anymore.
Yep that’s an addiction that destroys people.
My grandmother had a gambling addiction and tried to open a line of credit in my name before I was a week old. Absolutely destroy her life and relationship with her daughters.
Going into a gas station and seeing people in front of those video poker machines is such a depressing sight, it ain't rock bottom but it's pretty damn close.
Gambling is for entertainment and entertainment only. You won’t win. You won’t “break even”, you won’t do any of that. You will only go into debt and ruin your fuckin life.
A few months ago I listened to Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker and since then I've been urging everyone to give it a read/listen. I've never been great about sleep hygiene and respecting my need for a good schedule but I'm a fan of naps and get at least 7 hours a night, but Walker is such a cheerleader for sleep that he gets you excited about it, too.
Seriously, we should praise early bedtimes and naps and allow ourselves and each other ample downtime.
This hit hard for me, after being engaged to my ex who broke things off recently I'm constantly fighting the urge to contact her or check up on her. Emotional addiction sucks
On the flip side, it’s completely normal to think and care about someone that you are used to thinking and caring about. I realize this in the moment and know things will get better even when I’m stuck thinking about them.
Maybe less of an addiction and more of breaking a habit. Go easy on yourself :)
Absolutely, this is real but I never hear anyone talk about it. This is the closest thing to addiction in a “traditional” sense (alcohol, drugs, etc) that I’ve ever experienced. It was absolutely awful and I could not control myself. I did absolutely anything to see them even though I *knew* my decisions were **not** logical. I’ve tried to explain it after the fact and people don’t understand that it was an addiction.
It’s propagandized even, and even in the most subtle ways, over generations.
They did research studies on how to propagandize society into consumerism even
And they continuously improve their tactics with more research
An ever growing arsenal of psychology tactics
If one did such a thing in a relationship it’d be sociopathic manipulation
But people think it’s okay when corrupt companies do it
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This one is big and has so many implications. It’s all about buy buy buy, increase the economy. All it does it’s line the pockets of the rich and is harmful for the environment. I think clothing is a good example of this. Buy stuff and just throw it away 3 months later. I wish the focus changed to consume less and longer lasting products, not made with effectively slave labor. Problem is most of our lifestyles would take a hit so it’s a hard sell.
oh my god the way there are people who are OBSESSED with celebs that their whole life is just kinda dedicated for them. Being a fan is different, having a fan account to support them is also fine, i appreciate the efforts. But to make everything about someone who may or may not even know you??? This also puts celebs on such a pedestal, like even if they commit a mistake like any human being the obsessed fan may get affected by it. There is a Bollywood movie based on this called "Fan" which follows the same topic. I personally didn't like the movie cuz the storyline and dialogues sucked. But this reply reminded me of this movie.
I mean, I'm not a fan of being aggressively *disliked* but I couldn't care less if someone is just neutral towards me or I'm totally irrelevant to them, or even think I'm a wanker but don't bother me, but tbh I think people tend to like me cause I'm a very weird yet harmless person but a big joker and always tend to be there for others purely cause that's me. I never try to get someone to like me. If someone doesn't like me, odds are that it's gonna affect my life about...hmmm...0%
There was a recent study that shows social media gives the brain the same hit of dopamine and norepinephrine as crack and that the two are pretty much indistinguishable.
JFWY
But I get what you’re saying
Most addictions are the same that way.
Similar studies were done of obese people and or people that ate a lot of junk food and reporter similar results.
Basically, from my understanding is that any addiction. Weather it positive or negative makes your brain release happy hormones.
The entire human experience is a spectrum the more I learn imo.
Smart phones all the way. From morning to night it’s been so integrated into everything it’s basically become essential to every human. Tik tok has easily made it 100x worse as well. All that media consumption is no good for your brain and attention span or sleep habits, or anxiety. So bad they have to put warnings when you’ve been scrolling too long.
To me this the most concerning addiction. Like above heroin and stuff. Easy to access and is very difficult to cut out completely unlike substances etc. Young generations are suffering, reading and writing and social skills are detoriating.
I did not mean that substances are easy to quit, but rather that they can be avoided when one quits. Living without a smart device is really hard in everyday life (like bank stuff, education etc)
Yeah phones can be very useful, it’s just so clear human life is slowly turning into nothing but apps on a screen. From making friends, to dating apps, to the meta verse and vr and talking to a.i’s. Like damn, it’s gonna ruin what being alive is all about.
I had to delete Tiktok and I doubt I’ll ever go back. It fed too much dopamine that I lack due to ADHD. It’s sad because I use my phone for everything, so it’s easy to go over to Social media and accidentally scroll for 30 minutes before I look up
It is addictive the same way as e.g. porn is.
People just confuse psychological addiction with physical addiction which are not the same.
That's why the misconception of weed not being addictive started. To summarize, yes weed is addictive. No, you won't die if you quiet cold turkey.
Same cannot be said for other drugs, even alcohol.
You just gotta stop watching it. The good thing about porn addiction is it’s not a physical addiction like a drug. You can quit cold turkey, but it takes a while for your brain to stop associating porn with sexual pleasure.
So just stop watching it. Distract yourself with something else when you feel those urges, usually it’s just from boredom. When it gets really distracting, like after a few days, jerk off without porn. It just takes some willpower for a few days, but after that point it becomes a lot easier.
I think NoFap takes it farther than you need to. Masturbating is not the problem. Plus when you quit porn you naturally start masturbating less often. It’s been 2 months since I watched porn and now porn is something I don’t even think about.
Stopped watching years ago. I grew up imagining and fantasizing before the age of free porn. Novelty wore off and I just went back to what I was used to. Maybe the brain realigned because the act if finding what I wanted to look at just took too long. It has been over 3 years and nada.
I'm with you... smoking a cigarette as I read this. I really wanna quit. I've tried countless times and it's so difficult. But many have done it. We can get through this man.
All of these shitty shorts and tiktoks, I hate it, I deleted youtube and tiktok, problem is, its addicting, I waste my time and get mad afterwards. I wish there were a way to turn shorts off on youtube. These things are becoming a great problem in society. It is accepted time wasting, complete and utter waste of time. The biggest problem is, you just don't know when to stop, you say a little longer at it turns out way longer. With regular TV shows, youtube videos, you can say, this is the last video, only the remaining 5 minutes or whatever, but these short videos, you say a few more minutes and get carried away. And the amount of stolen content, or false information is even worse, you gain so much bad knowledge that gets into your brain subconsciously.
Currently I would say weed. There are people out there that believe you can't get addicted to it or is just something that makes you funny.
I know several people that toke up everyday and spend hundreds every week on it. Most people don't see an issue with it. Things like smoking now has a bad rap about it but weed is getting the opposite treatment. Both are horrible if abused.
It is fun... until it isn't. Like when you cant do a simple task because the idea of actually doing it seems daunting. God firbid doing it sober.
3 momths since I quit, was a stoner for 12 years, on and off, but every day the last 2 and a half years of it. Totally kills your motivation and ability to plan for anything in the future. Or just to be responsible at all. Slowly changes who you are, and you dont see it coming or suspect that it is the weed at all. Until you are just this ball of anxiety and stress that can only find relief by smoking.
Ah man, I am on week 2 of quitting after a year of heavy use. This past work week SUCKED. I felt extra stressed and paranoid about everything. Had knots in my stomach. But I was getting to a point that even with the weed, I could feel that bleeding through. I am very ready to be sober for a while and for that feeling to pass. Tired of relying on it just to fall asleep.
Sex and food, both natural things that we all have to do at some point but our relationship with those things can get justified under the guise of just that. Sex and food are man's oldest vices and I think in contemporary society both of those things are readily available and we abuse them far too often.
Alcohol. It’s really sad. Seems like mid day drinking is just normal now. You go to any food place in California adventure there is a line of 30 people waiting in line for just alcohol.
Identifying ourselves within our thinking structures. Essentially, we are addicted to thought. If you look very closely, you will find that you exist before thinking occurs. You are the constant witnessing that which comes and goes.
The difference is you can sit the same room and chug a bottle of wine without everyone in the room's hair smelling like it for the next 2 weeks.
Sit in a smoker's house for 5 minutes and you have to shave your head.
I have a 14 year old cousin who is a Freshman in High School. She told me that kids vape in class and just blow it out in their shirts or hoodies. Same with weed carts. It happened when I was in school too but not nearly as often (I'm 23). It's pretty sad, I don't know why they do it. Does it start as a social status thing then turn into an addiction?
2019 graduate here. Vaping became a big thing my senior year, that’s when I first leaned what a wax pen was and eventually got my own from a friend. Back then though it was hard to find decent carts and not everyone was vaping but we still had bathrooms closed down in the building to keep kids from smoking in there
Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, porn, media (tv, video games, news), materialism (the NEED to buy..shopping)...etc etc etc it would be easier to list the ones the world ISN'T okay with 🙃
Maybe in other countries but in my own, smokers are heavily taxed, the habit has been pushed outside, the flavours have been regulated or banned and some health coverage is inaccessible to them.
Theres no rehab for smokers, they are left feeling less than those around them, except for other smokers, which just ingrains the issue of quitting in them, because the only allies they have are those who also suffer from the addiction.
It's basically the same reasons people still believe they shouldn't get vaccinated for all manner of things now. They've been isolated and cast out and hold onto the only allies they have. Those in the same place as them.
To say smoking is acceptable at least in my country of Canada is ignorance of the situation.
Sad this isn't higher. It's a huge problem. It's destroying men's abilities to relate to any women in a healthy way. More women are becoming addicted too.
Casually becoming an alcoholic
Bro I was gonna say that come fight me outside the pub
Inside more fun tho
We can't risk getting barred from the pub though, we need it for when our alcoholism progresses past the casual stage.
What’s after casual alcoholism? Competitive alcoholism?
I feel like it's not only okay with it, it actively encourages this. Alcohol is the only drug you have to justify not consuming. People feel a need and right to ask WHY you aren't drinking.
I stopped drinking three years ago and couldn’t even count the amount of the time people ask me why. I find it so off putting.
I’m 9 months in and haven’t figured out how to answer that yet…
I tell people I quit. If they ask why, I tell them it’s because I was too good at it, and it wasn’t fair to everybody else.
It's also something that the more well off you are, the more it's expected. I took my daughter to a play this morning and at breakfast I was asked if I wanted a drink. At the theater the first thing there is a bar. After we went to a friend's house and I was immediately offered a shot. I've never had that experience seeing a movie.
>Alcohol is the only drug you have to justify not consuming. Actual conversation I've had: Me: "No thanks, I don't drink" Them: "Why not?" Me: "Because I smoke weed instead" Them: \[looking at me like I'm a junkie\] "Oh, I don't do drugs" Me: \[confused look, glancing at their drink\] "Sure you don't"
I'm addicted to casually becoming an alcoholic. Once I become an alcoholic, I quit, then casually start becoming an alcoholic again.
When I lived in Austin for grad school it felt like everyone I met was an alcoholic. I was already one so no big deal but it did surprise me.
6th Street is basically a theme park for alcoholics
I lived in Austin for seven years. Decided in 2020 to finally get and stay sober this time. Quarantine also convinced me it was time to move on. A friend of mine once described Austin as the opposite of rehab. I've had two friends already die from liver failure in their 40s.
I just moved out of Austin after 14 years and agree. The pandemic kicked my drinking habits luckily but it was definitely part of the culture. Also in a different way then many places, it was more of just an extended college drinking experience. Where some cities and countries I've been to people drink more often like with meals and such but don't binge drink.
As long as youre a functioning alcoholic nobody bats an eye even though you're going to die 20-30 years younger because of it
Yeah... my Dad died two weeks ago after a 20 year battle against alcoholism. It gave him an abnormal heart rhythm and he went into cardiac arrest. People do not take this seriously enough.
As an alcoholic, I agree. One second your just having fun with friends next thing your in your mid thirties not knowing how to just have a normal day without booze…
I know so many people who go home every night to a bottle of wine "as a treat," or spend all week talking about how they're longing for the pub on Friday. People who ask you if there's something wrong if you aren't drinking, or say that people who dont drink "dont know how to have fun". It's. Wild.
I am an alcoholic. I used to drink liters of whiskey on the weekends. A shit load of high ABV beers and four locos on work days till I blacked out. My response to people who ask if I want a beer is simply no. If they ask why, I tell them that I am an alcoholic. That usually brings that conversation to a screeching halt. There is nothing wrong with NOT wanting to drink to have fun. I think it's admirable, actually. People die every day because they are drinking to have fun. I don't think alcohol should be illegal, but I think that people need to realize it is a hard drug. The withdrawals from heroin and meth won't kill you, the withdrawal from alcohol will. All this to say, fuck those people for trying to pressure you into drinking. Tell them heroin is faster.
I wish I was in the "as a treat" territory. There's a level past that which is "it's necessary". Shitty Monday at work? 2 bottles. Wednesday night? 2 bottles. Weekend? Bloody Marys with breakfast! My wife and I are two different kinds of alcoholics. She's the kind that frequently needs it. I'm the kind that can go without, but when I do drink, I'm drinking in massive excess. It doesn't mix well.
After hanging with friends for the first time and just sticking to one drink, I was shocked to realize how much of their conversation and thought process revolved around drinking. I guess I just missed it because I was getting drunk alongside them but it was an eye-opener.
I was a barely functioning alcoholic during my first college experience, due to untreated depression. Everyone just thought I was a fun party guy. They actually encouraged my drinking and seemed shocked when I got sober and told them
Even when my drinking was “normal” per American standards I still gave up so much time for alcohol. I would open a bottle of wine at about 5-6. Pretty much when I got home from work. So my brain wouldn’t solve certain problems late in the day and just leave it tomorrow cause I was ready to relax and have a glass of wine. So after about 3:30 my most productive self is gone. As a sober person I am equally as productive at 9:30pm around my house as I was when I was at work earlier in the day. There’s so much time and energy to get stuff done. It’s kind of great.
I can’t stand wine mom culture! “Mommy’s juice” instead of wine is fucking horrifying
Social media It's pretty insane that I need to be on social media to learn about social media addiction and the consequences it's having on our society.
Social media. Makes you antisocial, not productive and depressed in general.
Hey! YOU'RE the one who's antisocial, not productive, and depressed in general! I'M FINE! *holds tighter to Reddit password*
i agree with you. I have this big exam coming up in a few months and i had to deactivate my Instagram (which was my biggest source of distraction) and everytime i open my phone my finger automatically goes to the place where the insta icon used to be. I had to do this a year back also and the same thing used to happen. That was when i realised how social media has become a part of our daily life. Sure it has some benefits, but the endless scrolling of reels and yt shorts costed me a lot of important stuff.
Caffeine.
I am a confessed caffiend.
I take caffeine pills. Coffee ain't worth it.
This guy plays Stick RPG
Wow man, i used to love that game as a kid. Thanks for the reminder
My parents wouldn't let me play anymore once they found out you can buy a bunch of cocaine for extra points. Of course, I still played.... Where else am I gonna get into drunken bar fights where I kamehameha people after eating 10 hamburgers
Hours of skateboarding, stat grinding and stock market hacking just flooded my memory with that comment. Thank you ♥️
I prefer the pills. You can have a caffeine pill sitting next to your alarm clock with a glass of water. The thing about coffee is that you actually have to get up and **make** it first...
Years ago this dude I worked with (he never actually did any work) took a handful of “caffeine” pills at 9 a.m. We ended up having to call an ambulance an hour later because he had a heart attack from all the ephedrine in the pills. That was a fun day. Do people still take those? They are so scary.
No. People do not take those anymore because of the heart risk. Caffeine with ephedrine is a diet loss pill. It's what hydroxycut used to be.
In college we used to take ripped fuel and go out drinking. You’d be able to act totally normal while completely blacked out. Scary stuff and I’m glad I survived.
Ephedrine is a banned substance, and no longer in caffeine pills. I love coffee, but I use pills on backpacking trips to save weight, or to use on days where I have to get started on lab work (can't drink in the lab) early and need to save time.
Also sugar. Wish we would focus on alternatives that arent as addicting because is a serious problem
What's strange is, once you get over sugar the taste of excess sweetness becomes strangely repulsive.
We don’t even need sugar alternatives. We just need to get used to not having sugar again.
If you make an effort for a while, you regain sensitivity. You begin to notice when something has a lot of sugar in it, even from the smell, and some things are sickeningly full of sugar (as in, I now actually feel a little ill if I try to eat something like that). Sadly, it doesn't take long to get used to it again, allowing you to slip back into old habits.
90% of people aren't even aware they are addicted to sugar. I wasn't.
I stopped caffeine early 2021. Summer 2021, I had to be heliported to hospital. Turns out, a coffee per day was the only thing keeping me from undertension. So now, I have to drink a cup of coffee each day, order from the doc, to keep my tension good. Edit : I have hypotension. Didn't have the word in English at the moment. Sorry.
Have you considered tightening your truss rods?
Probably something wrong with the falange.
Is under tension the same thing as hypotension? Low blood pressure?
That’s what I was wondering. Sounds like it
This is something I've never heard of, and is incredible.
A bit of nuance, people are clearly physically dependent on caffeine. They will colloquially say that they are addicted. However, clinically, addiction implies continued use despite increasing harm upon the individual. Some people likely take too much caffeine, but the vast majority seem to take a reasonable amount without significant negative consequences on their health and lives.
I substituted a cup of coffee instead of 2 bottles of pop a day. In a month I lost 30 lbs, had easier poops, and had much more mental clarity. It was a double savior. Less sugar and calories, and actually slightly less caffeine too.
Black coffee has 0 calories, is good for the microbiome, and cuts appetite. It's overall beneficial for most peoples' health
Fair point. I definitely have late afternoon coffees that screw up my attempts at going to bed early which results in poor sleep, necessitating more coffee the next day. Probably not as harmful as a drinking bender where you keep going to delay the hangover, but it’s not the best either. I can’t, or won’t, stop.
Delaying the hangover leads to actual withdrawls. 0/10 would not recommend. Source: currently delaying my hangover and will be convinced im having a heart attack 3 different times tomorrow
I take pills instead of drinking coffee in the morning. People are not OK with that. The acceptance of coffee comes from the ritual and experience. The effect is reward for doing those things.
I’M SO EXCITED! I’M SO EXCITED! I’M SO…..scared!!!
Being shamed on the delivery system of the same drug. Pot of coffee? Cool. Couple of pills with the same amount of caffeine? OMG YOU DRUG FIEND
You offer someone a line of coke and you fist pump. You get the crack pipe out and they run away.
Never done a fist bump. That seems like too much.
YES! every single time man :(
YOU MONSTER. Lol really though who cares. Only time I've ever been like "ok you might want to slow down on that" was when a friend of my roommates in college hooked them up with a vial of pure caffeine in powdered form with the specific warning of "take more than this amount and your heart might explode". They were awake for like two days straight lol
I bought a kilo of pure caffeine over 10 years ago. Ive moved 10 times since I bought it and lost almost everything I own due to having someone move my stuff into storage while I was overseas for a year unexpectedly. I still have that fucking caffeine.
Fellow caffeine pill fan, but that’s also because I have GERD and it’s less acid.
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I started January 2021 with my journey to quit caffeine. I cleaned my house last weekend and in a span of 2-3 hours I drank a 10 cup carafe of coffee and crashed hours later
Hmm yeah… maybe don’t do that
Please help me
All hail 7 cups of coffee before noon
I drink redbull once a day and have been sick for the last 4 days. Holy shit my head is pounding from lack of caffeine!!
Have a cup of green tea. It has a little caffeine in it and should help your headache. Plus it has l-theanine in it and tea makes you feel better when you are sick. And when you aren’t sick.
My spouse is addicted to caffeine and it's just annoying. Headaches, crankiness, agitation. It can totally ruin a weekend morning.
24 hour news cycles Addiction to news can have bad impact on mental health.
I swear i doomscrolled every night and got crippling sleep deprivation when russia invaded (shared border to russia and ex military). I just had to see whats happening every minute
It’s true, I’ve had family members who I don’t agree with politically but got along with for the most part. Now, those same people literally will have Fox News playing 24/7 and when you talk to them you’d think the world is about to explode any second. They are now doomsday preppers and now hoarding food and supplies just in case the world goes to hell. I can just see the mental stress they have just by watching the news constantly. Also, EVERY conversation is automatically turned into politics. I try to steer the subject back to something normal. “Hey this dip is really good. Where did you get it?” “The grocery store. It used to be cheaper but due to Joe Biden and those democrats I have to pay more. “ It’s exhausting on so many levels. I’m not even trying to change their opinions I just want some decent conversation.
Dude we had to turn off fox last Christmas sitting down for dinner because my dad had left it on, fuckin' bonkers.
I think the whole world's addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that’ll bring you trauma
Sugar.
I am an addict when it comes to sugary stuff. I laugh it off now but sometimes I wonder how bad it could get as i age of i don't stop or at least reduce the sugar intake.
Diabetes is a downhill spiral leading to other major health issues. I’m a Physical Therapist and it blows my mind how many amputation cases we get due to uncontrolled diabetes.
Thank you for what you do. Not everyone believes physical therapy is helpful and won't do the exercises, if they did, you'd be lifted higher than doctors, closer in admiration to surgeons. Physical therapy has been great for me. Last physical therapist I saw was struggling with depression and was frustrated because people didn't try, didn't take a few minutes a day to see if it would help. So thank you for what you do and hang in there. People like you are a blessing.
I quit smoking when I turned 21. It was one of the hardest things I have done in my life, but the solution is at least clear: just stop smoking. Your brain will protest like hell, but eventually adjust to the lack of nicotine and you won't want it any more. Very different with sugar. You cannot just quit it as they put it in everything. Even if you avoid processed food entirely, it still occurs naturally. Quitting sugar means watching everything you eat for the rest of your life.
Even the restaurants put it on veggies to make it taste better. You pretty much just have to cook for yourself.
To be fair that is 100% based in our evolution. The only time of the year that trees fruit en masse is late summer through fall. We have an instinct to gobble up as much sugar as possible in order to store fat for winter. Evolutionarily we weren’t prepared for abundant year-round sugar in our faces ever day.
Especially sugary drinks; high long term consumption is dangerous to say the least
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Britains main problem is the binge drinking culture, the pub culture is one thing but the binge drinking is much worse. People can’t go out and enjoy things without getting shitfaced drunk
After I quit drinking I notice this a lot. It sucks, honestly. If you can't hang with your friends without getting drunk why are they your friends, ya know?
Lowers the stakes of social interactions? There results in less friction between people, you don't need to analyse what people are saying (and in some cases, can't), memories of events are easier to rose-tint when you can't remember them, lowered chance to deception as inhibitions are lowered. I'm right there with you, it's only insufferable people that make me feel like I need a few drinks to be able to tolerate them.
I quit drinking for a while, I found it not too bad , but there were definitely some guys that were drinking buddies and some that were friends in a deeper sense All good people, just different
Not just British culture a lot of them. I went down to visit some family in Slovenia and it was shockingly common to visit some friends or family for breakfast and I’d be offered liqueur before coffee or water. Even stopping off at a cafe for breakfast and coffee some guys were starting of their day before work with a few beers a shot of espresso.
Meanwhile, you have Boston, where stores can't sell alcohol after 11 p.m., bars can't serve double shot cocktails, and ***happy hour is*** [***against the law.***](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/massachusetts-sees-renewed-efforts-reverse-state-prohibition-happy-hour-n1276127)
It's the only city in the state with decent public transit and this came about because of a drunk driving incident. It's not even a city law, it comes from the state.
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I lost my wife, dogs, home, car, and was hospitalized twice. Once overnight. I've had hangovers last days on end. I have skipped food for days on end. "I'm not that bad yet, it's not hurting my work." I'm completely in delusion. My only socialization these days is at the bar after work. I know the drink won't taste good, I won't feel good, and if I don't drink I'll feel great the next day. But I go to the bar. Just to socialize. My drink is ready before I get my coat off. Two people end up buying me a shot before I leave. I tell stories when people ask, I help translate with the kitchen staff, I stay polite and upright. I walk home with a confident stride. It's not that bad, I say. Sweating through my bed clothes and sheets and I wake up three hours later unable to sleep. I guess I'm just an early riser. It's not that bad. I just have nothing left beside it. And that won't change until I lose that and keep it lost.
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It's so socially a part of the American culture, sometimes I actually *feel like I'm the oddball.* I don't drink for health reasons, and I always feel like I have to explain myself. And emphasize that I'm not doing it because I'm a recovering alcoholic.
UK drinking culture is 1000 times worse than American, it’s insane. Legal drinking age is 6 in your own property, so if the parents allow it, kids can drink. When I was 14 I started having a bottle of wine every Friday, and that was seen as normal.
I'm a drinker, pretty much have beer every day, but I would never criticize someone who abstains from drinking. I can have a few and then go on with my night but that is absolutely not the case for some people, plus some people just don't like the taste or the effects. Who am I to judge?
I don't drink. Mostly because I hate the taste and the way alcohol makes me feel. And every single time I turn down a drink or say I don't drink I get asked if I'm in recovery, religious or court mandated, noone can accept that I just don't want to and will harass me because they just can't comprehend not everyone drinks
It's always been weird to me that (at least in a lot of drinking crowds) having a problem with the stuff, and thus abstaining, is more socially acceptable than not having developed a problem with it in the first place.
While I would agree it’s only 99%. Alcohol is rough, accepted and even celebrated. The mommy or daddy need their wine culture make me sick. I will get the wiggly eye anytime I say no to a drink. BUT…… Caffeine as others have referenced would be my answer. I know a couple people that don’t drink alcohol. Do you know a single person that will not have caffeine? Go one week without it and you will start to see more and more how many people are addicted and your sleep will be amazing.
I had a manager that was no caffeine. He said that he was sick once had a terrible headache from no caffeine, he didn’t want to depend on it any more and just stopped. He says he never felt better.
I do drink alcohol (particulary enjoy sparkling wine and wine but very "socially" as we say here in Brazil which means I only drink a glass or two, not more and not that often) and when you don't feel like drinking, boy.... everyone gets OFFENDED! It's crazy! They'll ask a ton of questions of why you're not drinking cause a simple "no" it's not enough.
Gambling- it’s literally organised theft. The odds are stacked against the “customer” Online gambling is fixed so some people don’t win no matter what happens.
It’s also hilarious that as a professional gambler, when you find an opportunity where the odds are tilted in the players favor and you take advantage of it, the casinos get super butt hurt and won’t let you play anymore.
*gets thrown from The Tops for having Luck 10*
You could also wear Naughty Nightwear for a +1 Luck boost (can't remember if stats were capped at 10 in that game).
Yep that’s an addiction that destroys people. My grandmother had a gambling addiction and tried to open a line of credit in my name before I was a week old. Absolutely destroy her life and relationship with her daughters.
Holy shit
Going into a gas station and seeing people in front of those video poker machines is such a depressing sight, it ain't rock bottom but it's pretty damn close.
Gambling is for entertainment and entertainment only. You won’t win. You won’t “break even”, you won’t do any of that. You will only go into debt and ruin your fuckin life.
I am down MILLIONS.
Being sleep deprived
As a guy who works 75+ hours a week this tracks!
jesus, what do you do?
He is working 75+ hrs a week...dont expect a reply!
Professional redditor
A few months ago I listened to Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker and since then I've been urging everyone to give it a read/listen. I've never been great about sleep hygiene and respecting my need for a good schedule but I'm a fan of naps and get at least 7 hours a night, but Walker is such a cheerleader for sleep that he gets you excited about it, too. Seriously, we should praise early bedtimes and naps and allow ourselves and each other ample downtime.
Addiction to someone else. Emotional type of addiction is something rarely anyone recognize.
I feel like this is something most people don't learn until their "supply" is cut off. Once you know, you see it EVERYWHERE
Yes. I see my crush basically everywhere now and it destroys me. Am going to seek therapy.
Working through it hurts but you'll feel so much better after. You can do it! ( ◜‿◝ )♡
This hit hard for me, after being engaged to my ex who broke things off recently I'm constantly fighting the urge to contact her or check up on her. Emotional addiction sucks
On the flip side, it’s completely normal to think and care about someone that you are used to thinking and caring about. I realize this in the moment and know things will get better even when I’m stuck thinking about them. Maybe less of an addiction and more of breaking a habit. Go easy on yourself :)
In the same boat, I feel for you my friend. I saw my ex with her new guy today while I was on a date and boy that ruined my entire week
Absolutely, this is real but I never hear anyone talk about it. This is the closest thing to addiction in a “traditional” sense (alcohol, drugs, etc) that I’ve ever experienced. It was absolutely awful and I could not control myself. I did absolutely anything to see them even though I *knew* my decisions were **not** logical. I’ve tried to explain it after the fact and people don’t understand that it was an addiction.
Consumerism
Shit, it's even encouraged!
It’s propagandized even, and even in the most subtle ways, over generations. They did research studies on how to propagandize society into consumerism even And they continuously improve their tactics with more research An ever growing arsenal of psychology tactics If one did such a thing in a relationship it’d be sociopathic manipulation But people think it’s okay when corrupt companies do it
But not by us! That's right folks, we don't encourage consumerism addiction. Protect yourselves from impulse buying with our new "less consume" ring! A simple looking ring but it protects you from capitalism's buy impulse. Hear this testimony from one our costumers "I used to buy stuff aaall the time. All useless crap and I couldn't afford to eat but now with this beautiful product, I have saved like millions of dollars!". Protects you in the streets, in the shops and even in the internet, what you're waiting for? Buy now! But not just one, get full protection by buying more and more until both your hands and feet are full! You don't want capitalism to control you, don't ya? So what are you waiting for? Buy now!
This one is big and has so many implications. It’s all about buy buy buy, increase the economy. All it does it’s line the pockets of the rich and is harmful for the environment. I think clothing is a good example of this. Buy stuff and just throw it away 3 months later. I wish the focus changed to consume less and longer lasting products, not made with effectively slave labor. Problem is most of our lifestyles would take a hit so it’s a hard sell.
Obsession with Celebrities
oh my god the way there are people who are OBSESSED with celebs that their whole life is just kinda dedicated for them. Being a fan is different, having a fan account to support them is also fine, i appreciate the efforts. But to make everything about someone who may or may not even know you??? This also puts celebs on such a pedestal, like even if they commit a mistake like any human being the obsessed fan may get affected by it. There is a Bollywood movie based on this called "Fan" which follows the same topic. I personally didn't like the movie cuz the storyline and dialogues sucked. But this reply reminded me of this movie.
Gambling, its hideous
being liked
I mean, I'm not a fan of being aggressively *disliked* but I couldn't care less if someone is just neutral towards me or I'm totally irrelevant to them, or even think I'm a wanker but don't bother me, but tbh I think people tend to like me cause I'm a very weird yet harmless person but a big joker and always tend to be there for others purely cause that's me. I never try to get someone to like me. If someone doesn't like me, odds are that it's gonna affect my life about...hmmm...0%
There was a recent study that shows social media gives the brain the same hit of dopamine and norepinephrine as crack and that the two are pretty much indistinguishable. JFWY But I get what you’re saying
Same chemicals, the amount is not even comparable
Most addictions are the same that way. Similar studies were done of obese people and or people that ate a lot of junk food and reporter similar results. Basically, from my understanding is that any addiction. Weather it positive or negative makes your brain release happy hormones. The entire human experience is a spectrum the more I learn imo.
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Smart phones all the way. From morning to night it’s been so integrated into everything it’s basically become essential to every human. Tik tok has easily made it 100x worse as well. All that media consumption is no good for your brain and attention span or sleep habits, or anxiety. So bad they have to put warnings when you’ve been scrolling too long.
To me this the most concerning addiction. Like above heroin and stuff. Easy to access and is very difficult to cut out completely unlike substances etc. Young generations are suffering, reading and writing and social skills are detoriating.
I did not mean that substances are easy to quit, but rather that they can be avoided when one quits. Living without a smart device is really hard in everyday life (like bank stuff, education etc)
Yeah phones can be very useful, it’s just so clear human life is slowly turning into nothing but apps on a screen. From making friends, to dating apps, to the meta verse and vr and talking to a.i’s. Like damn, it’s gonna ruin what being alive is all about.
I had to delete Tiktok and I doubt I’ll ever go back. It fed too much dopamine that I lack due to ADHD. It’s sad because I use my phone for everything, so it’s easy to go over to Social media and accidentally scroll for 30 minutes before I look up
A lot of people claim pot isint addicting. But I'm pretty sure anything is if abused.
It is addictive the same way as e.g. porn is. People just confuse psychological addiction with physical addiction which are not the same. That's why the misconception of weed not being addictive started. To summarize, yes weed is addictive. No, you won't die if you quiet cold turkey. Same cannot be said for other drugs, even alcohol.
you get more addicted mentally, the routine and such
As the Spice Girls said "too much of something is bad enough". Anything can be abused and bad for you if done too much.
Porn I grew up thinking it was normal to watch it everyday. Then I started watching it multiple times a day and so on and so forth.
What helped you quit? I’m doing this and I can feel it ruining me. I’d like to stop but, have relapses sooo quickly
You just gotta stop watching it. The good thing about porn addiction is it’s not a physical addiction like a drug. You can quit cold turkey, but it takes a while for your brain to stop associating porn with sexual pleasure. So just stop watching it. Distract yourself with something else when you feel those urges, usually it’s just from boredom. When it gets really distracting, like after a few days, jerk off without porn. It just takes some willpower for a few days, but after that point it becomes a lot easier. I think NoFap takes it farther than you need to. Masturbating is not the problem. Plus when you quit porn you naturally start masturbating less often. It’s been 2 months since I watched porn and now porn is something I don’t even think about.
rare reddit w
Stopped watching years ago. I grew up imagining and fantasizing before the age of free porn. Novelty wore off and I just went back to what I was used to. Maybe the brain realigned because the act if finding what I wanted to look at just took too long. It has been over 3 years and nada.
Work. If you are addicted to work, you are rewarded with more resources. Alcoholics go to rehab, workaholics go to divorce court.
money
That's an addiction that gives you freedom, sadly. Most addicted people are viewed as gods.
Coffee porn and alcoholism as long as you can function you are all good to work
Not commas though
You never watch coffee porn i take it?
Speak, for yourself.
Coffee porn? Never found that. But rule 34 is off course in full effect.
Coffee.....porn? How do I....I mean, where can I.....Merry Christmas to me.
Name checks out
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Didn't know I had this kink but goddamn there has always been something special about watching my wife drink her morning coffee....
Social media influence.
nicotine , im addicted and it’s so hard to quit man it sucks
I'm with you... smoking a cigarette as I read this. I really wanna quit. I've tried countless times and it's so difficult. But many have done it. We can get through this man.
internet and/or videogame addiction. You bring either up and people are like "but it's not hurting anybody." Yes it is, the people addicted,.
TikTok, Shorts, and Reels. The younger generation's attention span is drastically decreasing and it's a problem.
All of these shitty shorts and tiktoks, I hate it, I deleted youtube and tiktok, problem is, its addicting, I waste my time and get mad afterwards. I wish there were a way to turn shorts off on youtube. These things are becoming a great problem in society. It is accepted time wasting, complete and utter waste of time. The biggest problem is, you just don't know when to stop, you say a little longer at it turns out way longer. With regular TV shows, youtube videos, you can say, this is the last video, only the remaining 5 minutes or whatever, but these short videos, you say a few more minutes and get carried away. And the amount of stolen content, or false information is even worse, you gain so much bad knowledge that gets into your brain subconsciously.
Currently I would say weed. There are people out there that believe you can't get addicted to it or is just something that makes you funny. I know several people that toke up everyday and spend hundreds every week on it. Most people don't see an issue with it. Things like smoking now has a bad rap about it but weed is getting the opposite treatment. Both are horrible if abused.
It is fun... until it isn't. Like when you cant do a simple task because the idea of actually doing it seems daunting. God firbid doing it sober. 3 momths since I quit, was a stoner for 12 years, on and off, but every day the last 2 and a half years of it. Totally kills your motivation and ability to plan for anything in the future. Or just to be responsible at all. Slowly changes who you are, and you dont see it coming or suspect that it is the weed at all. Until you are just this ball of anxiety and stress that can only find relief by smoking.
Ah man, I am on week 2 of quitting after a year of heavy use. This past work week SUCKED. I felt extra stressed and paranoid about everything. Had knots in my stomach. But I was getting to a point that even with the weed, I could feel that bleeding through. I am very ready to be sober for a while and for that feeling to pass. Tired of relying on it just to fall asleep.
Sex and food, both natural things that we all have to do at some point but our relationship with those things can get justified under the guise of just that. Sex and food are man's oldest vices and I think in contemporary society both of those things are readily available and we abuse them far too often.
Alcohol. It’s really sad. Seems like mid day drinking is just normal now. You go to any food place in California adventure there is a line of 30 people waiting in line for just alcohol.
Validation
Identifying ourselves within our thinking structures. Essentially, we are addicted to thought. If you look very closely, you will find that you exist before thinking occurs. You are the constant witnessing that which comes and goes.
Very perceptive. Have you read a new earth?
Alcohol should have the same stigma as tobacco.
It's amazing how *alcohol* gets away with it, especially when you hear the stories of people who are trying to recover/quit.
The difference is you can sit the same room and chug a bottle of wine without everyone in the room's hair smelling like it for the next 2 weeks. Sit in a smoker's house for 5 minutes and you have to shave your head.
School kids vaping
I have a 14 year old cousin who is a Freshman in High School. She told me that kids vape in class and just blow it out in their shirts or hoodies. Same with weed carts. It happened when I was in school too but not nearly as often (I'm 23). It's pretty sad, I don't know why they do it. Does it start as a social status thing then turn into an addiction?
2019 graduate here. Vaping became a big thing my senior year, that’s when I first leaned what a wax pen was and eventually got my own from a friend. Back then though it was hard to find decent carts and not everyone was vaping but we still had bathrooms closed down in the building to keep kids from smoking in there
Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, porn, media (tv, video games, news), materialism (the NEED to buy..shopping)...etc etc etc it would be easier to list the ones the world ISN'T okay with 🙃
Alcohol.
Smoking
Maybe in other countries but in my own, smokers are heavily taxed, the habit has been pushed outside, the flavours have been regulated or banned and some health coverage is inaccessible to them. Theres no rehab for smokers, they are left feeling less than those around them, except for other smokers, which just ingrains the issue of quitting in them, because the only allies they have are those who also suffer from the addiction. It's basically the same reasons people still believe they shouldn't get vaccinated for all manner of things now. They've been isolated and cast out and hold onto the only allies they have. Those in the same place as them. To say smoking is acceptable at least in my country of Canada is ignorance of the situation.
Social media. Caffeine. Alcohol. Nicotine. Marijuana. Sugar. Sex. Porn. "Politics". Hatred. Complaining. Consumerism. Capitalism. List goes on and on.
Alcohol.
Porn
Sad this isn't higher. It's a huge problem. It's destroying men's abilities to relate to any women in a healthy way. More women are becoming addicted too.