The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word addiction is probably addiction to drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Besides addiction to substances, did you know that there is something called behavioral addiction? It is nothing but an irresistible need to occupy yourself in a particular action or behavior. You tend to lose control over your actions, showcase compulsive behavior and you continue behave that way regardless of negative outcomes. You may have failed to notice a behavior of addiction since the actions you perform are quite common and socially accepted. There is a very thin line of difference between an addiction and a normal behavior. Following are 10 most common behavioral addictions to which probably even your mind has got hooked on.
1. Caffeine – not being able to do without your cup of caffeinated drink
Have you ever been touchy or experienced a headache after missing your morning cup of caffeinated beverage? If yes, then you were most likely going through a pull-out from caffeine addiction. When consumed, caffeine reverses the action of adenosine in your brain and causes the nervous system to speed up. Caffeine also induces the production of dopamine thus activating the pleasure centers in your brain. Hence, you tend to become more dependent on caffeine as a source to keep you going. Common withdrawal symptoms coffee drinkers exhibit are chest pain, headaches, fatigue, restlessness and nausea.
2. Negativity – always seeing everything in negative light
If you self-doubt yourself and see everything from a pessimistic point of view, then you are a negaholic. Negaholism makes you complain about a problem rather than help you find a solution to fix it. Addiction to negativity may result from a trauma experienced in your past or from a buildup of negative sentiments. You start finding fault in everything and never seem to be satisfied with anything. Negativity provides the brain with a mental stimulus. Since brains react more powerfully to negative stimuli than positive ones, you tend to get addicted to the rush of brain activity that happens when you think negative.
3. Foods, You are Allergic to – flocking to your ‘comfort’ foods, when you are down
There is a science behind the addiction to foods you are allergic to. Consumption of such foods makes your body release a bunch of endorphins, thereby lifting your mood and making you feel happier. This chemical, as you experience, as gets you addicted to such foods. Most common foods that fall into this category include – soy, wheat, chocolate and dairy products, which you turn to when you are feeling low.
4. Love – addicted to the feeling of being in love
You feel excited and attached when you are in love but you are addicted to love when you become preoccupied with those feelings. Scientists have discovered two kinds of love addiction. One type is where you begin to feel you cannot live without the person you are in love with. Another kind is where you tend to repeat the feeling of a new relationship more than once. Being in love makes your body releases chemicals like dopamine that makes you feel happy and energetic. Imbalance in the brain or early family life normally gets you to focus more on love relationships.
5. Internet – being preoccupied on the web
Consider the time you spend in front of your computer every day and if it interferes with your normal routine in life, then you are most likely addicted to the internet. If you prioritize the task of spending time on web over everything else, it can even start to affect your life and relationships. Internet addiction has gone to an extent where the addicts feel normal when spending time online and start to exhibit symptoms of withdrawal once logged off the internet.
6. Work – thinking constantly about work-related things
If you do not need any particular reason to work and your mind keeps going back to thinking about work over and over again, you are probably addicted to work. Being a workaholic is an emotional issue. You may get your emotional high from the adrenaline released by your body when you are stressed out. At other times, you get addicted to overworking in order to perform better for praise and to achieve a sense accomplishment. Work addiction can negatively affect your health and relationships with family and friends.
7. Shopping – hitting the mall at the drop of a hat
Being a shopaholic is nothing uncommon. Also called oniomania, being addicted to shopping can negatively affect many other aspects besides your bank account. If shopping makes you feel good, it is because your body releases endorphins that stimulate this feeling. If you start to continuously spend beyond your budget, you are most likely en route to becoming a compulsive shopper. Some shopaholics, in fact, convince themselves that they need the things they buy even if they do not actually require it. Others even go to the extent of hiding evidence of their shopping like their bank statements.
8. Television – relying on television to take away your stress
Do you feel restless when you miss out on an episode of your favorite sitcom? Do you feel irritable, if your cable services conks out for a day? It is quite common to see people resorting to television as a kind of self-medication for sufferings from stress, depression, negativity or depression. Studies show that people feel more at ease while watching television since the brain waves are less active during that time. And this relaxation makes you want to prolong watching television rather than turning it off to do something else.
9. Skin Picking – squeezing a zit, scratching, picking or pulling at a hangnail
Addiction to skin picking, also known as dermatillomania, makes you pick or pull at your skin even if it causes pain from bleeding or scarring. Many skin pickers pick using their fingernails or by using pins or tweezers. You are most likely to pick under situations of stress or as a result of a subconscious behavior. While some people do not limit to picking a particular area of their body, some others just stick to picking skin from their hands or face alone.
10. Exercise – turning a healthy habit into addiction
If you exercise regularly and you happen to experience withdrawal symptoms, if you have not worked out for a day or two, you are probably an exercise addict. The symptoms showcased include anxiety, guilt and irritability. You tend to prioritize your exercising habit even during times when you are prevented from working out (e.g. after an injury). Some exercise addicts do not feel satisfied enough even if they workout for long sessions.
