What is the first thing that pops up in your mind the moment you hear addiction? Alcohol and drugs. While they sure are the best candidates to win the addiction suffix, there are more activities and behaviors which are deemed addictive. The main focus of addiction has always been on substance abuse and alcohol dependence, however, our body can develop an unstoppable urge for anything and everything. The possibilities are endless.
Whether it is food that you just cannot resist, or something as basic as hitting the gym, addiction comes in all shapes and sizes. People develop addictive traits for anything that they love doing. Wonder what else? Here is a full list of different types of addictions:
Gambling Addiction
Also known as problem gambling or gambling disorder, this addiction is quite famous among people who once started gambling out of fun, and are now finding it unable to get rid of the addiction. Gambling too often not only affects your mental health, but also leaves a severe dent on your relationships, family, and career. Constantly placing bets and risking your finances can get you to a point where it is often possible to go bankrupt.
Addiction is when even after knowing that you don’t have enough finances, the urge to gamble forces you to borrow money and continue gambling. Individuals who have this addiction get a euphoric thrill, excitement, and a physical and mental escape from the daily stresses of life.
Eating Addiction
Even though eating is a physical necessity, some people have an addiction to eating. Various cultural and media representations of perfect body shape and figure have caused many people to engage in an imbalanced diet. Although eating addiction is often considered to be the same as binge-eating disorder, they are not the same. Both disorders can lead to obesity, however, people with eating addiction can be of normal weight as well.
Eating disorders include bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and a compulsive eating disorder. However, this addiction should not be confused with anyone’s situational mood of overeating out of boredom or on a specific occasion. People with this disorder cannot control their eating habits and always crave food that is high in sugar, salt, and fat. Addicts can crave food even when they are not hungry, inviting several health problems including obesity.
Sexual Addiction
Sexual addiction is most common in men with almost 8 percent of them suffering from this disorder. Over 3 percent of women are sexual addicts as well. Sexual addiction can have different forms including sex with prostitutes, compulsive masturbation, extramarital affairs, anonymous sex with numerous partners, and voyeurism. Sexual addicts use sex as an escape measure to feel relaxed, relieve anxiety and stress, and ignore reality.
People with personality disorders are more likely to be sex addicts, be exposed to sex at an early age, and engage in casual sex with many sexual partners. This addictive nature can place the individual at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
Gaming Disorder
Gaming disorder induces a constant urge to continue playing for increasing amounts of time and thinking about gaming even during other activities. Gaming addicts use gaming as a measure to escape from real-world problems such as depression, anxiety, or something that they don’t want to accept. They irritate and get angry when asked to cut down on gaming.
However, as compared to other harmful addictions, gaming addiction is seemingly less dangerous. But it does dent the relationships with their friends and family as the addict’s focus is completely on gaming and nothing else. It also hampers their work/school life as constant, non-stop gaming disrupts their ability to make good choices. Those who don’t seek treatment or help may end up completely isolating themselves from reality.
Work Addiction
Work addiction is a real mental health condition that makes an individual unable to stop working to achieve success. They could also work in excess to avoid other physical, mental, or emotional issues in their personal life. The addiction is most commonly found in perfectionists and can also be seen in people who have recently gone through a traumatic experience. In an attempt to forget that, they dedicate themselves to work which builds to work addiction, most commonly known as workaholism.
Professionals who are experiencing work addiction tend to forget their personal life, friends, and even their family. They forget eating, sleeping, as they spend most of their time in the office even when there is no need to do so. Upon asking, these people develop a defensive attitude about their work towards others. They also fear about failing at work and are paranoid about their in-office performance. Work addiction can hamper a person’s mental, physical, as well as social well being.
Risky Behavior Addiction
The world is full of enthusiasts who want to try something adventurous and thrilling enough to run chills down their spine. While many people would think twice about such activities, people with risky behavior addiction disorder crave such high-risk involving activities. From skydiving, to rock climbing, to bungee jumping, to even more such dangerous activities, these people just can’t stop themselves from getting the thrill they need.
Various studies show that these thrills fill the brain with the same chemicals that are released when the person intakes addictive drugs.
Internet Addiction
The constant urge to check your social media or worrying about what response your post might receive is some symptoms of internet addiction disorder. People with this mental condition couldn’t stay away from the internet and are constantly attempting to be online. Doesn’t matter if they are doing something productive or are just browsing for the sake of it, these people can never stay away from the internet.
Social media addiction is a part of internet addiction where people are worried about the number of likes they receive on their posts, their online presence, worrying about others likes and comments, etc.
Conclusion
Any addiction is a bad addiction. Alcohol and substance abuse have long been dragged to filth, thanks to the stigma around these disorders. However, the above-mentioned addictions impact the brain the same way addictive drugs do. They may seem harmless, but the emotional imbalances in the absence of these activities can make people suffer mental as well as physical problems. It is important to get help. The sooner the better.
