Modern lifestyle addictions

We live in an era in which alcoholism and drug addiction became less frequent. Instead, there are plenty of new modern society addictions that we fall for. And, usually, we have a hard time dealing with such issues, as we tend to overlook and ignore their negative impact on our lives. Indeed, stigma can prevent one from acknowledging a modern lifestyle addiction. Every community has its standards or level of what is acceptable and not. Still, the following modern society addictions are more and more frequent nowadays. Let’s see what’s this all about.

#1 Coffee

During the past years, several studies done around coffee were performed. And as you might expect, many controversies came from it. Still, coffee is an addictive substance, meaning that ingesting too much can lead to restlessness, anxiety, and irritability.

#2 Nicotine

No matter how many advertisements about the dangers of smoking are released, people have a hard time quitting this habit. And there is a sturdy reason why people struggle with removing tobacco and nicotine from their lives. Nicotine is an addictive substance that makes one crave more and more cigarettes as soon as he finishes smoking one.

#3 Sex addictions

In our modern society, several studies found out that there is a notable increase in sex addiction. And this issue presents itself similar to the symptoms one experiences when abusing other substances. Sex addicts use this to evade reality, get rid of anxiety, and achieve an overall feeling of control. Several people develop compulsive behavior with sex, which annuls any feeling of love. Specialists believe sex addictions come from low self-esteem and lead to unhealthy sexual encounters, including one-night-strands.

#4 Prescription medication

Of course, throughout history, many addictions arose from frequent usage of illegal drugs. Still, during the past years, studies found an alarming increase in addition to prescription medication. Some prescription drugs are extremely helpful in dealing with specific ailments, but many patients fail to stop using such medicines after they are healed. Besides, they tend to develop manipulative behaviors, which in turn leads to faking symptoms to convince doctors to issue another prescription.

#5 Gambling

Another modern addiction that causes a lot of disruption in a single day to day activities is gambling. Indeed, this affects 2% of the population, but it is still a notable number of the community. Compulsive gamblers have the tendency to cling to the highs of the winds, which prevents them from experiencing the reality of all the times they lose. What is even more concerning is that more than 80% of adults have gambled at least once in their lifetime.

#6 Internet

Nomophobia is a rather new ailment discovered by psychiatrists, psychologists, and neurologists. It refers to the inability of an individual to spend the day without touching their smartphones. Overall, it refers to the psychological attachment some people tend to develop for their modern technology devices or the internet.

Several studies show that internet addiction leads to symptoms of desperation, anxiety, and even depression. Besides, specialists discovered that overusing social media platforms boosts dopamine production, which encourages this addictive behavior.

#7 Video Games

A harmful modern-day addiction is the one to online gaming and virtual worlds. And this affects both teenagers and adults, who are inclined to escape daily challenges and problems in an imaginative world. Many people become addicted to video games because they feel like this is a medium in which they can control what they fail to do so in their real lives. Gaming produces similar symptoms to gambling, encouraging a powerful psychological component to addiction.

#8 Food

When we eat, our brain reacts and releases specific hormones. Still, our brain chemistry shifts similar to the manner in which it does when faced with drugs. Studies show that more than 2% of the population experiences food addiction. And several eating disorders are caused by emotional and psychological problems. Many perceive food as a source for comfort and satisfaction, feelings that they fail to grasp in their lives.

#9 Work

Another dangerous modern addiction is workaholism. Many people nowadays have the tendency of overworking, which can harm both the physical and mental health of an individual. Addiction to work can modify personal relationships and healthy behaviors, as one is not able to stop working. Moreover, many people that experience workaholism are fearful that if they stop working, they won’t be able to continue their tasks. Patients suffering from this addiction usually say they act like this because it is necessary, which in reality is entirely false.

The bottom line is that with all the technological advancements and modern-day developments, individuals are more susceptible to developing addictive behavior. The numerous tools we have to access information, along with the readily available addictive products, contribute to modern-day addictions and psychological problems. As such, those that feel inclined to develop such behavior, are advised to seek professional help.