Ok, so I’ve recently accepted my addictive personality and started making a list of things I’ve experienced some degree of addiction to. One view of addictive behavior is each addict gravitates toward a particular ‘drug of choice’ or problematic behavior, but when the preferred option is unavailable or if the addict is on the wagon from it, the addictive part of the mind will try to find a replacement and begin abusing that.
From starting at the beginning, sometime in my mid-teens and continuing over the past 20 years roughtly to the present, my list of ‘problem areas’ is pretty impressive (not in a good way) when I list my many different vices. I’ve listed those anything that threatened or actually became a problem area. It looks something like this, in roughly chronological order:
fingernail biting
homework procrastination
reading
video games, TV
pornography
alcohol
marijuana
other illegal drugs
alcohol
sex
alcohol
sex/ relationships
internet surfing
internet porn/erotica
internet chess
alcohol
SDMB
Thankfully, things are pretty much in control these days, and thank god for support groups. Anyway, I was wondering if others had similar lists to share.
I think I have a mild food addiction. I use it for comfort. During stressful periods, I routinely eat an entire large pizza (8 slices) without coming up for air. Once in a while, I do eat myself sick. And I do eat alone.
I don’t know if it’s serious. I’m not obese, I hang out in between slightly overweight and slightly more overweight most of the time. But I’m sure it can’t be good for me, especially the psychological aspects. I don’t know if it’s better or worse than dependance on alcohol, health-wise.
thanks Annie-Xmas and Superbee. After the first few posts, I was starting to wonder if anyone else would have the courage to 'fess up to some more serious stuff. Still, I gotta think I’m ‘winning’ for longest list.
Um, sorry, I didn’t mean to write ‘serious’ above; I’m not here to minimize anyone else’s issues. The shoes never feel bad until you’ve walked in them yourself.
Cigarettes. Smoked at least a pack a day–sometimes two or three packs a day–for fifteen years. It was for me a very difficult habit to break.
I’m half-heartedly fighting over-eating right now. I’ve always eaten much more than anybody else I know, but it is only now, as I enter my thirties and a supposedly healthier lifestyle (having recently given up several vices) that I’m putting on weight. I don’t want to be fat, a condition which I now feel I’m on the verge of.
Um, drugs in general, I guess. Sort of. Seems like I spent much of my teens and early twenties stoned on something or other, but I never became addicted to any one particular drug. shrug
Procrastination? Does that count? There have been periods in my life when it seemed as though I was a compulsive procrastinator. If that makes any sense.
Can you exercise too much? I was a pretty bad exerciser for a while.
There have been some periods where I was “borderline” with some sexual stuff I’m not going to get into here.
Alcohol, various downers, food, cigarettes, and lousy relationships.
I’ve been clean and sober for almost ten years, and in a very healthy relationship for over a year. The food and cigarettes will take care of themselves eventually.
sex (never got too out of hand with multiple partners but I definately think I became annoying to my girlfriends)
alchohol
control
marijuana
love
computer games
internet pornograghy
self-pity
ok thnx for your time, you guyz got some good ones too!!! keep up the good work kids!!! lol I’m sure i forgot a few but sex has really kinda been uncontrolable force in my mind.
Codeine, alcohol, tranquilizers, nicotine and Coca Cola. It has been six years since I stopped smoking and ten since I gave up the drugs. I still drink an obscene amount of Coke and can’t seem to beat that habit.
Smoking, but I’ve been clear of that for 10 years.
Alcohol, but I generally don’t keep it in the house anymore.
Definitely food, especially carbs, and in excess.
Smut, which thanks to the internet is easier to find.
Needlessly spending money.
SDMB
chocolate
procrastination
fingernail biting (I am way over that one- my nails are so long and beautiful that people frequently ask me if they are real)
I used to have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which also caused some weird behaviors.
Bulimia (a fight that I fought for 17 years and have been clean for
12 WHOLE MONTHS now!!!) (YAY ME!!!)
Vicodin (thank goodness that’s done with)
Smoking (still do off and on, but it’s not truly an addiction anymore)
Trichtillomania (pulling out hair - I unfortunately haven’t been able to stop this yet. Medicine, therapy, nothing has worked long-term. For anyone else with OCD, you know what I’m talking about. Thankfully, I’m blessed with super think, long blond hair and you can’t tell I pull.)
(YAY ME!!!)