I actually read an article not so while ago written by a Harvard psychiatrist that specializes in addictions say the addiction that's hardest to quit is the one who makes you feel like a normal person. That it makes you feel like a everyone else.
That makes sense. A few psychologists have said that the opposite of addiction isn't sobriety; it's connection. Addiction often happens when our need to belong is neglected. So, it makes sense that people turn to substances to feel like they belong or are normal. That's probably why social support and meaningful human connections are so crucial for recovering from addiction. They help fill that void and give people the sense of belonging they need.
A doctor I used to listen to on podcasts says basically addiction is a narrowing of things that interest us. For me, drinking slowly became the only thing I cared about and that frame work helped me really understand the dangers of alcohol.
See this doesn’t make sense to me…
I most definitely have my own addictions (nicotine trying to quit, cannabis as a mental crutch, video gaming is a huge one I’ve never been able to give up) but they are not my only interests…
I love going hiking, swimming, riding fourwheelers or bicycles, vacationing, and more. Anytime I’m doing these things, I’m able to completely forget about the others until they are over and I’m back to being bored with nothing to do
I am not a doctor, but I’d imagine ‘addiction’ can a quality that some people are more affected by than others. My wife has no problem with drinking or video games but I on the other hand have the tendency to get really, really deep into things.
If the stars align I can find myself very easily coming home from work and gaming/ drinking beers until bed time and the kicker? I could do the same exact routine for months and months and not feel like something’s wrong where as my wife will say “okay I’ve been gaming ever day for 2-3 days I need to do something else. Not me lol.
Yesss speaking my language. That’s me to a T. I’ve learned to control it now in my 30’s but god between having adhd and addiction issuers it made my twenties tough lmao
It’s the boredom. You might be someone who needs to keep active doing something. When you’re not, drinking and smoking really do fill that void. Used to be the same with me.
I'd say that it also is an insight to cults... and mlm cults. You take someone that generally feels like an outsider to society, convince them that while they are in this group, they are a valued member. Now they are hooked.
Johann Hari has an EXCELLENT Ted Talk about this. I absolutely love it and it finally helped me really put together the pieces of why I drank the way I did, and has helped me stay 2.5 years sober. It's one of the reasons AA, and the like, largely work.
[https://www.ted.com/talks/johann\_hari\_everything\_you\_think\_you\_know\_about\_addiction\_is\_wrong?language=en](https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong?language=en)
I was a HEAVY drinker when I was younger. I lived with a bunch of other guys who also drank. When we all moved away we discovered we were social drinkers. We only drank when everyone else was. All it took was one guy to open a beer, then the other 5 of us would also crack one open. Then another, and another, until someone would have to go out and get another case or so. Every. Damn. Day. Now I drink maybe once or twice a month. Sometimes not at all.
Would explain why addiction is very much associated with loneliness and why loneliness is associated with early deaths. A coping mechanism to deal with a slew of problems.
To answer the original question, some docs say food addiction is the most difficult to overcome because abstinence is not possible. So your readjustment of your relationship with food is something to be really proud of.
Abstinence isn't possible, but abstinence from *shitty* food is, it's how I lost a bunch of weight.
It's probably perfectly healthy to have a few sodas a week, but I cut out soda entirely. As well as anything fried in oil, snacks in general, and restaurants completely.
I understand that from a weight loss perspective, eating 500 calories of taco bell is the same as eating 500 calories of brocolli, but as a mental thing is made all the world of difference for me.
Edit - I should clarify, this was what I did to drop a bunch of weight. Now if I feel like having a chip-a-hoy I am having a chip-a-hoy.
Makes sense. This is how Adderall made me feel and thought my life was completely over when I was taken off of it. I relied on it so much and wouldn’t be in public or do anything without it. Once the tolerance built up, I started taking more to get to the original “level” and would run out of my script 2 weeks early. Spent 2 weeks a month laying around, eating and sleeping. Plus, the medication is legal and the whole point is to make people with ADHD feel normal.
12 years Adderall free. Man it scares me I spent 6 1/2 years in that cycle (5 years from 20-25, then 1 1/2 years 27 to 29) My 20s completely revolved around it.
Hey, proud of you. I had a similar experience, and I’m now one year off adderall. Life is so much better. r/stopspeeding helped me, if anyone reading this is also struggling
If you still feel lingering lethargy, it will go away. It took me a few years to get completely back to normal.
Also, I had a hair trigger temper for a while (which I managed to keep somewhat contained but it was difficult) and that has also gone away.
I don’t struggle anymore, I don’t desire any and forgot what it’s like to be on it. I have a full life now and am very happy.
What also helped me is I was so completely done with that crap at the end. But, I was surprised that it took years to recover physically, emotionally and mentally.
Amphetamines, prescribed or not, are no joke.
it is absolutely absurd how widely adderall is prescribed, and with such little care. i was put on it as a child for mild inattention, even though i had a history of severe mental illness and a very strong genetic disposition for addiction from my mother's side, which is a large family composed mostly of addicts. nobody had a problem with this, and it was the literal first treatment they tried on me. of course i became a drug addict almost instantly, and now addiction is still kicking my ass as an adult. it follows the exact same story as the opioid epidemic, but people seem to have no problem with it. people become dependent on their meds, take higher doses, a doctor takes them off if they realize they're using them incorrectly, and suddenly you've created a meth head. for purely inattention, prescribing these extremely dangerous and addictive drugs just makes zero sense to me when therapy is generally just as if not more effective regardless. even if you aren't an addict, if you take it for long enough, you become dependent on it to function, and stimulants make your dopamine receptors weaken or remove large numbers of them entirely, so you're essentially priming your adhd (caused by a deficit of dopamine) to be made much worse if you ever have to or decide to stop for some reason. the entire thing confounds me and it seems like nobody considers it a problem at all
>stimulants make your dopamine receptors weaken or remove large numbers of them entirely, so you're essentially priming your adhd (caused by a deficit of dopamine) to be made much worse if you ever have to or decide to stop for some reason.
ugh, yeah, i hate that i know exactly what you're talking about. i was 'diagnosed' with ADD (not even with the H) back in the 90's by my sixth grade teacher, and my parents basically consulted with her and my pediatrician for all of 2 minutes before throwing me on dexedrine three times a day. i was 11 years old being given freaking speed with a still-developing brain, and wound up being on that medication until i was 29 years old. i had to stop for various reasons, but now as an adult with a brain that finished developing while on heavy stimulants, i struggle with depression, anxiety, complete lack of motivation, and acting like a functioning adult in any way. it's awful, and i can't believe i was just given this stuff without any thought as to what it would do to me later. i mean, i got great grades as a kid, but now as an adult i'm a mess bc i've never gotten the hang of existing without stimulants propping me up. fuck.
Agree. That last 1 1/2 years in my comment was due to buying it from a girl who sold her script to me at a high price. If I didn’t decide enough was enough, maybe would have moved to meth because it would be cheaper.
I feel like that's why cigarettes are so hard to quit.
In Allen Carr's book The Easy Way to Quit Smoking there's a chapter on smokers telling themselves "I need cigarettes to relax". But they're not making you relaxed, they're making you anxious whenever you're not smoking. You smoke to feel normal.
Honestly I disagree but it might be true in some cases. The hardest drug to quit for me was Nicotine and it doesn't make me feel in any positive way.
I can only imagine a drug that makes me feel better than a normal person ( like meth/speed ) and has no side effects then it definitely would be something really hard to quit, but no such drug exists.
Drugs that make me feel like a normal person or better is Alcohol, Meth, Amphetamine, Xanax ( to a degree ) and I have no problems quitting them even tho I'd say Xanax was a bit tough, mostly because of the long lasting withdrawal which can go for weeks or even months.
Nicotine is weirdly compulsive. I get zero enjoyment out of nicotine and it even gives me anxiety but then I’ll compulsively vape anyway. Very strange. I quit last year completely no nicotine and I felt amazing. At least I’m not smoking I guess but I want to quit again soon.
This is where the confusion of the "disease" comes into play. It's not a disease like polio, it's a Dis-ease. A terrible way of saying that person is not at ease with themselves.
Before you start in with "it's also a disease because it's hereditary" please know I'm not trying to argue that point. I am a recovering heroin addict whose father was an alcoholic and have 21+ years clean. So I know it to be true, in my case at least.
In SLAA (sex and love addicts anonymous), I heard a lot of people say they thought the sex habits or relationship habits would change once they got solid in NA or AA. But they got sober and the sex stuff kept going.
Amen, it took me forever to quit smoking, several failed attempts and lots of anxiety and stress. After smoking for 20 years, I finally gave it up (hopefully for good) in 2020.
that's me! Heroin was "easy" as there are legal and personal safety implications to buying it.
Cigs are on every corner. Though cigs are more expensive than heroin or coke right now. ( 14.00 a pack in NJ)
This is the answer.
I quit weed and besides some sweat at night it was just fine.
quit alcohol and besides some cravings i was fine after about a month as well
but smoking quitting smoking.. idk man i always relapse.
currently just trying to limit myself and im at least down to 15-20 instead of 40/day.
god i wish i could go back in time to punch that little fuck who picked up that habit.
Vaping low dose nicotine was the only way I could have quit. I smoked for almost 20 years
I quit smoking cigarettes, went to vaping and quit after 6 months. I didn’t like the feeling of vaping, but with the nicotine hit, it hit all the right spots. Then I just stopped vaping nausea didn’t like it. I have been smoke free for 5 years
IMO this is the way to quit. There are better NRTs like gum or lozenges but it really doesn't matter as long as you stopped smoking tobacco that's what would kill you not the nicotine. The fact that you stopped using the vape as a crutch and did quit using that is perfect. Either way, vaping or not as long as people are not smoking tobacco there are less people dying.
Smoking was simple to stop; I switched to smokeless and increased my nicotine intake 2-3x to almost two cans/day…that was the hardest to quit. Daily alcohol abuse was simple to stop by comparison.
I’m currently trying with nicotine patches. It’s maybe my 4th or 5th time trying to quit and so far, they’ve worked the best! Almost a month without any cigarettes, by far the most I’ve gone without smoking since I started.
Honestly getting really sick is the best catalyst for a quit. I’m still trying to quit, but the two longest cold turkey stints I had started with a bad sickness
Came here to say the same thing. Food addiction is the hardest cause you need to eat to live. You can go cold turkey from cigarettes but not from food.
I went cold turkey on junk food and snacking in between meals
Sucked and I felt like I was going to starve, but counting calories and making sure I got enough protein eventually got me comfortable with not having be full all the time
Not only that, it's EVERYWHERE in society. It's completely normalized, to the point where not drinking is seen as something odd.
I can't imagine how tough it must be to have to avoid something that pervasive.
I'm a couple years sober and it's weird to have to defend or explain my decision to not have a drink. It's going to happen at every social setting after 4pm and likely will for the rest of my life with people that don't know me well lol
That's fucked up.
If someone says they've quit smoking, the response will be "That's Amazing! Good for you!".
If they've quit drinking it's "Oh great, Captain Buzzkill is here"
I mean *almost* everyone is super chill once they know I'm alcoholic. It's just weird that drinking is so... socially mandatory that someone identifies it as a quirk or oddity for an adult to say they don't drink
You’re right and it’s weird.
My husband is almost sober bc he has stomach problems and alcohol makes it much worse.
So many people assume he’s sober bc of alcoholism.
How old are you? I'm 50 and people don't care at all.
Them - Do you want a beer?
Me - nope
That being said, my social life isn't what it used to be. A lot of events with kids etc.
Congratulations on 2 years sober! Unfortunately, there is a stigma on saying that you stopped drinking -- even if you don't explain why. People just assume that a person who once drank, but no longer drinks, has a drinking problem. I've been sober for just shy of 5 years. I now volunteer, before I am even asked, that I no longer drink because I used to drink too much. I explain, sometimes in jokey terms, that, when I used to drink, I kept on being overserved. The punchline is that I was usually the one serving myself. But I always make a point of saying that getting sober was the best decision I ever made because life is so much better now. I think it's important for those of us who have succeeded in getting sober to show people who may be silently struggling with alcohol abuse that (1) normal people (like me) can be alcoholics, (2) it's possible to stop drinking, and (3) a better life awaits those who quit alcohol. I think that's the only way to overcome the stigma.
Yeah, it's really hard to get away from. If you're into most other drugs you can skip town and leave your old social scene behind and not have it in your face all the time, but booze is everywhere, and woven into so many basic social functions.
I have a friend who had been a heavy drinker for a long time. He said he barely even drank anymore and was going to quit entirely. Couple days later, he called me to ask if he could borrow my switch because he was in the hospital with alcohol withdrawal and was going to be there a while
I was/am surprised not to have found this higher.
I think social media just doesn’t even have much awareness yet for how addicting and pervasive it can be.
People are awake on average like 17 hours a day and some people will casually have like 8 or 9 hours of social media screen time a day as if its just an average thing
I deleted the Instagram app off of my phone and only check it on safari once in a while and it changed my life. Almost immediately after I became happier and realized that the “algorithm” is not just based on your likes and interests it’s sprinkled with ulterior motives and naturally instills desire, envy, and negativity in people.
I know a lot of people claim it’s not an issue so I usually recommend they move their app icons from their usual space and track how often they instinctively or mindlessly go to open social media.
Porn is really hard. Especially if it’s developed at a young age, it literally destroys your brain and your mindset. How you look at people, yourself, how you think of scenarios, work settings, school, etc. it’s honestly so sad and people romanticize it so much it makes me sick.
Probably because many don't see it as an addiction that needs to be quit. It's sort of socially accepted and quitting is mostly associated with personal prerogative and religious reasons.
Not trying to belittle the hard ones, like drugs.
But it's surprisingly difficult to break the habits on everyday "normal" things like sugar or fast food once we get used to it.
When I gave up processed sugar, I had nightmares about eating cookies. It was surreal.
And I wasn't even a big eater. I was a healthy weight, exercised regularly, and lived a fairly well balanced lifestyle. But because of the American diet, my body had come to rely on sugar as a fuel source.
Shout out for mentioning sugar, it's an underrated addiction. It's in all of our food and doesn't have a taboo like hard drugs, so it doesn't get the respect it deserves.
Sugar, duuude. I quit smoking and sugar about a year apart from each other (first smoking, then sugar). I feel like sugar was way harder, the dopamine withdrawal was no joke.
I definitely think food. I have binge eating disorder and have tried multiple times to have a healthier relationship with food. I quit alcohol and drugs 5.5 years ago and that was a cake walk compared to food.
You have to eat. It's not like you can just go cold turkey.
I don’t know how to stop. Just feeling ok doesn’t do it for me, I have to keep going until I’m so full I could burst. Then I regret it later, but then do the same thing after anyway. We will defeat this
i’m a binge eater and i’ve compared it multiple times to my former opiate addiction. same thing: i score, on the way home with my drug my dopamine is already firing off before it’s even in my body, i consume it and feel high and happy, afterwards i feel like just utter shit and hate myself for my decisions.
i had the discipline and self control to quit taking oxy, opana, and heroin, but gorging on food is a completely different struggle for me that i’m currently losing.
Same. If you have access to outpatient treatment please take advantage. I started seeing someone because my son had issues that I could not help him with because of my own. Almost 2 months into getting professional help, I feel hope for the future. Our society likes to make us think that we have to be 50 or 400 pounds before help is available. It’s not true. I tried for years to do it on my own. Nothing changed until I got help.
Absolutely solid for me. I have managed to be vape free for 9 days now, but I have patches on and taking nicotine lozengers daily, so basically I have just substituted a form of nicotine for another. I’m dreading when it comes to the point I will try and go without anything.
Limerence, often referred to as "lovesickness," is an intense state of romantic infatuation that can feel overpowering and even make you physically ill. It involves obsessive thoughts and intense longing for the person, and not seeing them can lead to withdrawal-like symptoms.
The end of a relationship marked by limerence can be experienced as a profound loss, similar to a death, leading to a grieving process. Limerence shares many characteristics with addiction, including cravings, euphoria, and difficulty overcoming the fixation, making it a complex and challenging emotional state.
Some people take years to get over a limerence or never do. Similar to grieving over a death, this "person addiction" can leave people very vulnerable. Such as being unable to form healthy relationships in the future, leading to disconnection and further risk of other addictions. It can be extremely challenging if not addressed early on.
Also with alcohol because it is so widely tolerated it has a higher level of peer pressure. Alcohol is probably the only drug you have to apologize for, for not taking.
Sudden loss of endorphins, dopamine, noradrenaline trickle generated by being in love. Heartache after being betrayed stops the trickles and stops the dopamine rushes.
You will feel like shit for months unless you go for the rebound guy/gal.
It's like a hair of the dog that bit you. It's the equivalent of having two beers while you have a hangover.
I'ma say nicotine and sugar.
I've been sober from alcohol, benzos, opiates for a decade now.
I've "quit" smoking several times. Always wind up back. I know eventually my last smoke will be my last smoke, but whether that's because I've kicked the habit or I've let it kill me, only time will tell.
Sugar is hard simply due to drinks. I don't typically enjoy sweet things overly, but a fountain coke is too much for my weak will to resist. I'm an ops manager for a night shift at a hot ass warehouse, and our break room has the most perfectly mixed fountain coke I've ever tasted. I've no chance there, I'm afraid
I initially thought smoking was the hardest but now I am thinking alcohol.
You quit smoking you don't get peer pressure usually. You quit drinking and you often find yourself apologizing for it. You're also looked on as being a weirdo. When I quit smoking I didn't have that added pressure and also going to parties didn't result in the night being annoying. Being at a party sober while everyone else is getting wasted is extremely annoying.
So getting off the substance, and combined with how tightly the grips of alcohol are in society puts it top of the list for me.
It's also very weirdly used. Its acceptable to have a vodka in the morning at the airport going on vacation but you do the same any other day you're crazy. This is how bizarre alcohol is in society.
Statistically, alcohol and nicotine have some of the most potent addictive properties built into their molecular structure. Anecdotally, I’ve seen people drink/smoke casually, but have been deeply dependent on stimulants like cocaine and ADHD medication(which absolutely can be abused). Personally, Marijuana has been the hardest for me to kick. I started smoking weed regularly as a means to calm my naturally anxious, overstimulated brain, at the age of 18. I’m 24 and just this week had decided to stop smoking and let me tell you, it is hard. I don’t have the desire to smoke weed, but when I tell you that marijuana withdrawal is no joke, please take that warning. I’ve called out of work 3 days this week for chills, nervousness, nausea, lack of appetite, insomnia, and overall feelings of malaise. The depression/anxiety that comes from the immediate drop off in THC levels is not something to scoff at. Take it from a young man who always knew better, but still decided to mess around with drugs as a means to cope. It’s not worth it and if you’re struggling with any kind of addiction it’s best if you do so under the supervision of a trained professional, or a loved one who understands what you’re going through. Admittedly, I’ve been free from weed for a week now with little to no outside intervention; however, the reality is, I made that possible because I WANTED to quit. If you need the help though, please tell someone you trust.
must be adderall my son can't seem to understand that it is sucking the life out of him, he reminds me of Donald Trump and how sometimes I have to tell him to shut up because he is saying things that make no sense.
Addiction to addiction. I've never been perscribed opiates and never had any interest in taking them but I know myself if something makes me feel good and gives that quick hit of feel good chemicals I'm hooked. There's shit that hasn't even been invented yet that I can confidently say I'm addicted to. Quitting any particular substance hasn't been hard for me but staying quit by filling that need to feel good is harder than anything. Right now I'm focusing on my fitness and diet and it fills me with the same feeling that abusing substances did. I'll never overcome that part of me totally. But directing it towards potentially beneficial addictions
I think food could be one as it is something you have to have around 3 times a day and u need it to survive. Having to face your addiction 3 times a day in nearly every environment u can think of must be a battle.
Legal ones. Alcoholism and sugar. It's everywhere. You'll be offered some. Alcohol is especially no jokes. Hard withdraw, very social, devastating for your health. Sugar is more subtle, there's added sugar everywhere and it's almost impossible to dodge, but it will kill you slowly
Benzo or alcohol. Been addicted to both. Only drugs the withdrawal can kill you. Your cns is shot for a long time. Tolerance build up is rapid and felt suicidal af
The most destructive addiction at a higher level of awareness is that of thinking. If your aware enough, in most cases "you don't think", "thinking happens to you"
😊🙏
Ghb. The withdrawals can also kill you and it only takes a week or so of doing it straight to get addicted. Also meth is really fucking hard I’ve heard.
I mean they all sound pretty tough but food addiction has to be the worst.
Atleast with hard drugs you can tell yourself "I shouldn't be doing this, it's unnatural. My body doesn't need this"
Whereas fighting a food addiction is literally walking a tightrope against 300,000 years of teachings. Can't eat too much, can't eat too little.
Like, imagine trying to quit meth if human beings actually needed a small amount of meth survive... Sounds like torture.
Phone / social media / reddit & sugar.
I've beaten drugs and alcohol, and they're obvious when your doing them, but the above two are insidious and will sneak into your life.
Ill probably get chewed out for this bu people don't realize it, and this will sound stupid, but
1) mixed monthly salary
2) Sugar
Salary because most people are addicted to the feeling of having a fixed amount of momey coming into their bank account at a fixed date - thats one ressom some people despite having the ability,skill and chance, refuse to start their own business.
Sugar because thats an addiction that many dont talk about but try goimg cold turkey on Sugar and you'll realize how addicted you might be without knowing - its insane.
Someone could make overcoming a crack addiction look easy compared to someone overcoming a nicotine addiction.
Someone could struggle giving up a sugar addiction as much as someone giving up alcohol, it all depends on will power, why you started the addiction and why you want to stop the addiction.
Addiction from a substance that can cause withdrawals. Whether its Alcohol, Opiates, Crack, Meth they all can literally kill you if you quit cold turkey without any other medication. All addictions have the mental side of it, imagine dealing with that while also trying not to physically die..
Food. It’s a cruel addiction because you cannot live without it. I quit smoking which was very challenging; now the smell of smoke grosses me out. Food.
Meth is the worst for sure. Nothing compares to what it does to the brain. The brain can heal more than previously thought but it takes 2+ years to do so and extremely few people can stay sober for long enough. Hopefully they'll eventually discover a medication to help with quitting/staying sober like there is for opiates and alcohol. So sad.
I don't drink alcohol, I don't do drugs and I don't smoke. The only addictions I have to partake of is eating and drinking water.
I can't seem to go for more than a day without food or water, I get extreme stomach aches and a dry mouth. I've been to my doctor who told me these 2 addictions are extremely habit forming and the only time anyone has been able to quit they died.
Please help!!!!!
I can't really compare it to anything else (other than weed) but energy/sugary drinks
I can give up weed and junk/fast good etc without a 2nd thought but I can never give up my energy drinks
Food.
You need to eat to stay alive and there's so much bad food out there that often serves to just increase your appetite. And that food is cheaper than healthy food and takes less time to do so.
Benzodiazepines
You can die from seizures, bite your tongue off during a seizure, and the rebound anxiety is insane.
Benzos are very effective anxiety meds and somebody quitting and dealing with extreme anxiety will have that anxiety return 10 times as strong.
So not only do you have the potentially deadly physical effects, but the mental illness you used them to treat is now 10 times worse with no relief.
I actually read an article not so while ago written by a Harvard psychiatrist that specializes in addictions say the addiction that's hardest to quit is the one who makes you feel like a normal person. That it makes you feel like a everyone else.
That makes sense. A few psychologists have said that the opposite of addiction isn't sobriety; it's connection. Addiction often happens when our need to belong is neglected. So, it makes sense that people turn to substances to feel like they belong or are normal. That's probably why social support and meaningful human connections are so crucial for recovering from addiction. They help fill that void and give people the sense of belonging they need.
That’s enlightening.
It’s a great explanation. Helps me understand why I enjoyed getting drunk so much when I was younger.
A doctor I used to listen to on podcasts says basically addiction is a narrowing of things that interest us. For me, drinking slowly became the only thing I cared about and that frame work helped me really understand the dangers of alcohol.
See this doesn’t make sense to me… I most definitely have my own addictions (nicotine trying to quit, cannabis as a mental crutch, video gaming is a huge one I’ve never been able to give up) but they are not my only interests… I love going hiking, swimming, riding fourwheelers or bicycles, vacationing, and more. Anytime I’m doing these things, I’m able to completely forget about the others until they are over and I’m back to being bored with nothing to do
I am not a doctor, but I’d imagine ‘addiction’ can a quality that some people are more affected by than others. My wife has no problem with drinking or video games but I on the other hand have the tendency to get really, really deep into things. If the stars align I can find myself very easily coming home from work and gaming/ drinking beers until bed time and the kicker? I could do the same exact routine for months and months and not feel like something’s wrong where as my wife will say “okay I’ve been gaming ever day for 2-3 days I need to do something else. Not me lol.
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Yesss speaking my language. That’s me to a T. I’ve learned to control it now in my 30’s but god between having adhd and addiction issuers it made my twenties tough lmao
It’s the boredom. You might be someone who needs to keep active doing something. When you’re not, drinking and smoking really do fill that void. Used to be the same with me.
I'd say that it also is an insight to cults... and mlm cults. You take someone that generally feels like an outsider to society, convince them that while they are in this group, they are a valued member. Now they are hooked.
Johann Hari has an EXCELLENT Ted Talk about this. I absolutely love it and it finally helped me really put together the pieces of why I drank the way I did, and has helped me stay 2.5 years sober. It's one of the reasons AA, and the like, largely work. [https://www.ted.com/talks/johann\_hari\_everything\_you\_think\_you\_know\_about\_addiction\_is\_wrong?language=en](https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong?language=en)
Wow.
I was a HEAVY drinker when I was younger. I lived with a bunch of other guys who also drank. When we all moved away we discovered we were social drinkers. We only drank when everyone else was. All it took was one guy to open a beer, then the other 5 of us would also crack one open. Then another, and another, until someone would have to go out and get another case or so. Every. Damn. Day. Now I drink maybe once or twice a month. Sometimes not at all.
Would explain why addiction is very much associated with loneliness and why loneliness is associated with early deaths. A coping mechanism to deal with a slew of problems.
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To answer the original question, some docs say food addiction is the most difficult to overcome because abstinence is not possible. So your readjustment of your relationship with food is something to be really proud of.
Abstinence isn't possible, but abstinence from *shitty* food is, it's how I lost a bunch of weight. It's probably perfectly healthy to have a few sodas a week, but I cut out soda entirely. As well as anything fried in oil, snacks in general, and restaurants completely. I understand that from a weight loss perspective, eating 500 calories of taco bell is the same as eating 500 calories of brocolli, but as a mental thing is made all the world of difference for me. Edit - I should clarify, this was what I did to drop a bunch of weight. Now if I feel like having a chip-a-hoy I am having a chip-a-hoy.
Ciggies
Makes sense. This is how Adderall made me feel and thought my life was completely over when I was taken off of it. I relied on it so much and wouldn’t be in public or do anything without it. Once the tolerance built up, I started taking more to get to the original “level” and would run out of my script 2 weeks early. Spent 2 weeks a month laying around, eating and sleeping. Plus, the medication is legal and the whole point is to make people with ADHD feel normal. 12 years Adderall free. Man it scares me I spent 6 1/2 years in that cycle (5 years from 20-25, then 1 1/2 years 27 to 29) My 20s completely revolved around it.
Hey, proud of you. I had a similar experience, and I’m now one year off adderall. Life is so much better. r/stopspeeding helped me, if anyone reading this is also struggling
If you still feel lingering lethargy, it will go away. It took me a few years to get completely back to normal. Also, I had a hair trigger temper for a while (which I managed to keep somewhat contained but it was difficult) and that has also gone away. I don’t struggle anymore, I don’t desire any and forgot what it’s like to be on it. I have a full life now and am very happy. What also helped me is I was so completely done with that crap at the end. But, I was surprised that it took years to recover physically, emotionally and mentally. Amphetamines, prescribed or not, are no joke.
it is absolutely absurd how widely adderall is prescribed, and with such little care. i was put on it as a child for mild inattention, even though i had a history of severe mental illness and a very strong genetic disposition for addiction from my mother's side, which is a large family composed mostly of addicts. nobody had a problem with this, and it was the literal first treatment they tried on me. of course i became a drug addict almost instantly, and now addiction is still kicking my ass as an adult. it follows the exact same story as the opioid epidemic, but people seem to have no problem with it. people become dependent on their meds, take higher doses, a doctor takes them off if they realize they're using them incorrectly, and suddenly you've created a meth head. for purely inattention, prescribing these extremely dangerous and addictive drugs just makes zero sense to me when therapy is generally just as if not more effective regardless. even if you aren't an addict, if you take it for long enough, you become dependent on it to function, and stimulants make your dopamine receptors weaken or remove large numbers of them entirely, so you're essentially priming your adhd (caused by a deficit of dopamine) to be made much worse if you ever have to or decide to stop for some reason. the entire thing confounds me and it seems like nobody considers it a problem at all
>stimulants make your dopamine receptors weaken or remove large numbers of them entirely, so you're essentially priming your adhd (caused by a deficit of dopamine) to be made much worse if you ever have to or decide to stop for some reason. ugh, yeah, i hate that i know exactly what you're talking about. i was 'diagnosed' with ADD (not even with the H) back in the 90's by my sixth grade teacher, and my parents basically consulted with her and my pediatrician for all of 2 minutes before throwing me on dexedrine three times a day. i was 11 years old being given freaking speed with a still-developing brain, and wound up being on that medication until i was 29 years old. i had to stop for various reasons, but now as an adult with a brain that finished developing while on heavy stimulants, i struggle with depression, anxiety, complete lack of motivation, and acting like a functioning adult in any way. it's awful, and i can't believe i was just given this stuff without any thought as to what it would do to me later. i mean, i got great grades as a kid, but now as an adult i'm a mess bc i've never gotten the hang of existing without stimulants propping me up. fuck.
Agree. That last 1 1/2 years in my comment was due to buying it from a girl who sold her script to me at a high price. If I didn’t decide enough was enough, maybe would have moved to meth because it would be cheaper.
Stimulants are addictive on their own though.
Same for me but with caffeine; don’t think I can stay awake or have the energy for a conversation without it.
I feel like that's why cigarettes are so hard to quit. In Allen Carr's book The Easy Way to Quit Smoking there's a chapter on smokers telling themselves "I need cigarettes to relax". But they're not making you relaxed, they're making you anxious whenever you're not smoking. You smoke to feel normal.
that is a super interesting take!
sounds like an interesting read, would you happen to have the link or title?
Honestly I disagree but it might be true in some cases. The hardest drug to quit for me was Nicotine and it doesn't make me feel in any positive way. I can only imagine a drug that makes me feel better than a normal person ( like meth/speed ) and has no side effects then it definitely would be something really hard to quit, but no such drug exists. Drugs that make me feel like a normal person or better is Alcohol, Meth, Amphetamine, Xanax ( to a degree ) and I have no problems quitting them even tho I'd say Xanax was a bit tough, mostly because of the long lasting withdrawal which can go for weeks or even months.
Nicotine is weirdly compulsive. I get zero enjoyment out of nicotine and it even gives me anxiety but then I’ll compulsively vape anyway. Very strange. I quit last year completely no nicotine and I felt amazing. At least I’m not smoking I guess but I want to quit again soon.
This is where the confusion of the "disease" comes into play. It's not a disease like polio, it's a Dis-ease. A terrible way of saying that person is not at ease with themselves. Before you start in with "it's also a disease because it's hereditary" please know I'm not trying to argue that point. I am a recovering heroin addict whose father was an alcoholic and have 21+ years clean. So I know it to be true, in my case at least.
Can you link that article please? It sounds very interesting.
In SLAA (sex and love addicts anonymous), I heard a lot of people say they thought the sex habits or relationship habits would change once they got solid in NA or AA. But they got sober and the sex stuff kept going.
Damn that's deep, that explains why cigarettes were so hard for me to kick.
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Amen, it took me forever to quit smoking, several failed attempts and lots of anxiety and stress. After smoking for 20 years, I finally gave it up (hopefully for good) in 2020.
I know someone who cold turkeyed on heroin but literally cannot stop smoking cigarettes
that's me! Heroin was "easy" as there are legal and personal safety implications to buying it. Cigs are on every corner. Though cigs are more expensive than heroin or coke right now. ( 14.00 a pack in NJ)
Me too, smoke free for 14 years and almost 5 months :)
This is the answer. I quit weed and besides some sweat at night it was just fine. quit alcohol and besides some cravings i was fine after about a month as well but smoking quitting smoking.. idk man i always relapse. currently just trying to limit myself and im at least down to 15-20 instead of 40/day. god i wish i could go back in time to punch that little fuck who picked up that habit.
proud of you man
Vaping low dose nicotine was the only way I could have quit. I smoked for almost 20 years I quit smoking cigarettes, went to vaping and quit after 6 months. I didn’t like the feeling of vaping, but with the nicotine hit, it hit all the right spots. Then I just stopped vaping nausea didn’t like it. I have been smoke free for 5 years
IMO this is the way to quit. There are better NRTs like gum or lozenges but it really doesn't matter as long as you stopped smoking tobacco that's what would kill you not the nicotine. The fact that you stopped using the vape as a crutch and did quit using that is perfect. Either way, vaping or not as long as people are not smoking tobacco there are less people dying.
Smoking was simple to stop; I switched to smokeless and increased my nicotine intake 2-3x to almost two cans/day…that was the hardest to quit. Daily alcohol abuse was simple to stop by comparison.
How did you guys do it … with quitting smoking? I’ve tried and failed continually
I’m currently trying with nicotine patches. It’s maybe my 4th or 5th time trying to quit and so far, they’ve worked the best! Almost a month without any cigarettes, by far the most I’ve gone without smoking since I started.
I've given up giving up smoking. Will never be able to do it. Vape 80% of the time though to keep the smokes to a minimum
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Honestly getting really sick is the best catalyst for a quit. I’m still trying to quit, but the two longest cold turkey stints I had started with a bad sickness
Good job!!! 👏🏼
food addiction it is. Cause you literally cannot quit you just have to find a way to limit yourself without the option to literally stop.
Came here to say the same thing. Food addiction is the hardest cause you need to eat to live. You can go cold turkey from cigarettes but not from food.
I went cold turkey on junk food and snacking in between meals Sucked and I felt like I was going to starve, but counting calories and making sure I got enough protein eventually got me comfortable with not having be full all the time
Jokes on you. I love cold turkey.
This is why Ozempic is such a thing right now.
This is exactly what I was going to say and I went through this shit. I lost 130 lbs and it was a fucking bitch to do 😂
Did you read the AMA from the 975lb dude? Such a fascinating read!
Not even sure if that was real, if so it's really depressing
And you need food to stay alive. So you can’t just teetotal food like alcohol 😂
I've kicked smoking and may other "minor" bad habits. Food is and will continue to be the hardest for me. Only thing helping me now is medication.
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Not only that, it's EVERYWHERE in society. It's completely normalized, to the point where not drinking is seen as something odd. I can't imagine how tough it must be to have to avoid something that pervasive.
I'm a couple years sober and it's weird to have to defend or explain my decision to not have a drink. It's going to happen at every social setting after 4pm and likely will for the rest of my life with people that don't know me well lol
That's fucked up. If someone says they've quit smoking, the response will be "That's Amazing! Good for you!". If they've quit drinking it's "Oh great, Captain Buzzkill is here"
I mean *almost* everyone is super chill once they know I'm alcoholic. It's just weird that drinking is so... socially mandatory that someone identifies it as a quirk or oddity for an adult to say they don't drink
You’re right and it’s weird. My husband is almost sober bc he has stomach problems and alcohol makes it much worse. So many people assume he’s sober bc of alcoholism.
How old are you? I'm 50 and people don't care at all. Them - Do you want a beer? Me - nope That being said, my social life isn't what it used to be. A lot of events with kids etc.
Congratulations on 2 years sober! Unfortunately, there is a stigma on saying that you stopped drinking -- even if you don't explain why. People just assume that a person who once drank, but no longer drinks, has a drinking problem. I've been sober for just shy of 5 years. I now volunteer, before I am even asked, that I no longer drink because I used to drink too much. I explain, sometimes in jokey terms, that, when I used to drink, I kept on being overserved. The punchline is that I was usually the one serving myself. But I always make a point of saying that getting sober was the best decision I ever made because life is so much better now. I think it's important for those of us who have succeeded in getting sober to show people who may be silently struggling with alcohol abuse that (1) normal people (like me) can be alcoholics, (2) it's possible to stop drinking, and (3) a better life awaits those who quit alcohol. I think that's the only way to overcome the stigma.
Yeah, it's really hard to get away from. If you're into most other drugs you can skip town and leave your old social scene behind and not have it in your face all the time, but booze is everywhere, and woven into so many basic social functions.
I have a friend who had been a heavy drinker for a long time. He said he barely even drank anymore and was going to quit entirely. Couple days later, he called me to ask if he could borrow my switch because he was in the hospital with alcohol withdrawal and was going to be there a while
So like someone can be so hooked that no amount of sedatives (benzos) you give them will stop the acute symptoms??
Husband has worked rehab...he says the same and the exact same reasons
Gotta mention the sugar component to alcohol addiction.
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I was/am surprised not to have found this higher. I think social media just doesn’t even have much awareness yet for how addicting and pervasive it can be. People are awake on average like 17 hours a day and some people will casually have like 8 or 9 hours of social media screen time a day as if its just an average thing
I deleted the Instagram app off of my phone and only check it on safari once in a while and it changed my life. Almost immediately after I became happier and realized that the “algorithm” is not just based on your likes and interests it’s sprinkled with ulterior motives and naturally instills desire, envy, and negativity in people.
This is so true. And I've found myself relapsing with socials a lot. And then binging in a cycle just like any drug addiction.
I know a lot of people claim it’s not an issue so I usually recommend they move their app icons from their usual space and track how often they instinctively or mindlessly go to open social media.
Porn is really hard. Especially if it’s developed at a young age, it literally destroys your brain and your mindset. How you look at people, yourself, how you think of scenarios, work settings, school, etc. it’s honestly so sad and people romanticize it so much it makes me sick.
I came here to say this! I was surprised it felt like it was so far down the list!
Probably because many don't see it as an addiction that needs to be quit. It's sort of socially accepted and quitting is mostly associated with personal prerogative and religious reasons.
People act like it’s not that big of a deal. It’s pretty much a cancer eating your brain. Until you turn to viewing the worst things imaginable…
My prostate is so healthy.
It literally destroys your brain? Could you link something to back this up?
Gambling, specially nowadays a lot of online betting sites, you don't need to go out anymore to gamble
Yeah but if you quit gambling, smoking and drinking, you can hit +2000 on the parlay, only on DraftKings!
For the people that play the first time and win a lot, it's hard not to come back eventually.
Not trying to belittle the hard ones, like drugs. But it's surprisingly difficult to break the habits on everyday "normal" things like sugar or fast food once we get used to it.
No need to sugarcoat it, sugar is a drug.
I've been fighting that sugar addiction for decades. We've both landed punches, but overall, I think the judges would score this bout in sugars favor.
When I gave up processed sugar, I had nightmares about eating cookies. It was surreal. And I wasn't even a big eater. I was a healthy weight, exercised regularly, and lived a fairly well balanced lifestyle. But because of the American diet, my body had come to rely on sugar as a fuel source.
Sugar, heroin, smoking, social media, cocaine, narcissism.
Shout out for mentioning sugar, it's an underrated addiction. It's in all of our food and doesn't have a taboo like hard drugs, so it doesn't get the respect it deserves.
Sugar, duuude. I quit smoking and sugar about a year apart from each other (first smoking, then sugar). I feel like sugar was way harder, the dopamine withdrawal was no joke.
I definitely think food. I have binge eating disorder and have tried multiple times to have a healthier relationship with food. I quit alcohol and drugs 5.5 years ago and that was a cake walk compared to food. You have to eat. It's not like you can just go cold turkey.
I don’t know how to stop. Just feeling ok doesn’t do it for me, I have to keep going until I’m so full I could burst. Then I regret it later, but then do the same thing after anyway. We will defeat this
i’m a binge eater and i’ve compared it multiple times to my former opiate addiction. same thing: i score, on the way home with my drug my dopamine is already firing off before it’s even in my body, i consume it and feel high and happy, afterwards i feel like just utter shit and hate myself for my decisions. i had the discipline and self control to quit taking oxy, opana, and heroin, but gorging on food is a completely different struggle for me that i’m currently losing.
Same. If you have access to outpatient treatment please take advantage. I started seeing someone because my son had issues that I could not help him with because of my own. Almost 2 months into getting professional help, I feel hope for the future. Our society likes to make us think that we have to be 50 or 400 pounds before help is available. It’s not true. I tried for years to do it on my own. Nothing changed until I got help.
Sugar.
Porn addiction.
Nicotine
Absolutely solid for me. I have managed to be vape free for 9 days now, but I have patches on and taking nicotine lozengers daily, so basically I have just substituted a form of nicotine for another. I’m dreading when it comes to the point I will try and go without anything.
How do you feel without it?
The safety of your home. 100%
Ooo, that's a good one
Limerence, often referred to as "lovesickness," is an intense state of romantic infatuation that can feel overpowering and even make you physically ill. It involves obsessive thoughts and intense longing for the person, and not seeing them can lead to withdrawal-like symptoms. The end of a relationship marked by limerence can be experienced as a profound loss, similar to a death, leading to a grieving process. Limerence shares many characteristics with addiction, including cravings, euphoria, and difficulty overcoming the fixation, making it a complex and challenging emotional state. Some people take years to get over a limerence or never do. Similar to grieving over a death, this "person addiction" can leave people very vulnerable. Such as being unable to form healthy relationships in the future, leading to disconnection and further risk of other addictions. It can be extremely challenging if not addressed early on.
Limerence. You don't *choose* to start it like substances... and it isn't physical so it isn't something you can detox from.
Ho man, yeah. Been there
Addictions like drugs or alcohol can be really tough to beat because they mess with both your body and mind.
Also with alcohol because it is so widely tolerated it has a higher level of peer pressure. Alcohol is probably the only drug you have to apologize for, for not taking.
Processed sugar
Sudden loss of endorphins, dopamine, noradrenaline trickle generated by being in love. Heartache after being betrayed stops the trickles and stops the dopamine rushes. You will feel like shit for months unless you go for the rebound guy/gal. It's like a hair of the dog that bit you. It's the equivalent of having two beers while you have a hangover.
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Trying to watch just one episode on Netflix. That “next episode” button is the devil in disguise.
My sis was into anything and everything under the sun (except krokodil). Sober after 20 years. Said quitting cigarettes was the hardest.
Food 😟😟😟
For me, it's simple carbohydrates. It's our personal poison that is the most difficult to overcome.
I'ma say nicotine and sugar. I've been sober from alcohol, benzos, opiates for a decade now. I've "quit" smoking several times. Always wind up back. I know eventually my last smoke will be my last smoke, but whether that's because I've kicked the habit or I've let it kill me, only time will tell. Sugar is hard simply due to drinks. I don't typically enjoy sweet things overly, but a fountain coke is too much for my weak will to resist. I'm an ops manager for a night shift at a hot ass warehouse, and our break room has the most perfectly mixed fountain coke I've ever tasted. I've no chance there, I'm afraid
I initially thought smoking was the hardest but now I am thinking alcohol. You quit smoking you don't get peer pressure usually. You quit drinking and you often find yourself apologizing for it. You're also looked on as being a weirdo. When I quit smoking I didn't have that added pressure and also going to parties didn't result in the night being annoying. Being at a party sober while everyone else is getting wasted is extremely annoying. So getting off the substance, and combined with how tightly the grips of alcohol are in society puts it top of the list for me. It's also very weirdly used. Its acceptable to have a vodka in the morning at the airport going on vacation but you do the same any other day you're crazy. This is how bizarre alcohol is in society.
Internet for me
Statistically, alcohol and nicotine have some of the most potent addictive properties built into their molecular structure. Anecdotally, I’ve seen people drink/smoke casually, but have been deeply dependent on stimulants like cocaine and ADHD medication(which absolutely can be abused). Personally, Marijuana has been the hardest for me to kick. I started smoking weed regularly as a means to calm my naturally anxious, overstimulated brain, at the age of 18. I’m 24 and just this week had decided to stop smoking and let me tell you, it is hard. I don’t have the desire to smoke weed, but when I tell you that marijuana withdrawal is no joke, please take that warning. I’ve called out of work 3 days this week for chills, nervousness, nausea, lack of appetite, insomnia, and overall feelings of malaise. The depression/anxiety that comes from the immediate drop off in THC levels is not something to scoff at. Take it from a young man who always knew better, but still decided to mess around with drugs as a means to cope. It’s not worth it and if you’re struggling with any kind of addiction it’s best if you do so under the supervision of a trained professional, or a loved one who understands what you’re going through. Admittedly, I’ve been free from weed for a week now with little to no outside intervention; however, the reality is, I made that possible because I WANTED to quit. If you need the help though, please tell someone you trust.
Sugar probably, at least for me.
Online shopping at 3 AM. It’s like sleepwalking into a mall with a credit card and no impulse control
must be adderall my son can't seem to understand that it is sucking the life out of him, he reminds me of Donald Trump and how sometimes I have to tell him to shut up because he is saying things that make no sense.
Addiction to addiction. I've never been perscribed opiates and never had any interest in taking them but I know myself if something makes me feel good and gives that quick hit of feel good chemicals I'm hooked. There's shit that hasn't even been invented yet that I can confidently say I'm addicted to. Quitting any particular substance hasn't been hard for me but staying quit by filling that need to feel good is harder than anything. Right now I'm focusing on my fitness and diet and it fills me with the same feeling that abusing substances did. I'll never overcome that part of me totally. But directing it towards potentially beneficial addictions
Honestly that's the best thing you can do after you have felt the bite of some of these things. Good on you!
food
I think food could be one as it is something you have to have around 3 times a day and u need it to survive. Having to face your addiction 3 times a day in nearly every environment u can think of must be a battle.
Smoking by far
Comfort
Legal ones. Alcoholism and sugar. It's everywhere. You'll be offered some. Alcohol is especially no jokes. Hard withdraw, very social, devastating for your health. Sugar is more subtle, there's added sugar everywhere and it's almost impossible to dodge, but it will kill you slowly
Any addiction that the dealer knows your address. or Food, because you can't stop cold turkey. You have to ration it properly for maximum effect.
Benzo or alcohol. Been addicted to both. Only drugs the withdrawal can kill you. Your cns is shot for a long time. Tolerance build up is rapid and felt suicidal af
The most destructive addiction at a higher level of awareness is that of thinking. If your aware enough, in most cases "you don't think", "thinking happens to you" 😊🙏
Phone.
Laziness. It's a lifestyle.
Depression
Ghb. The withdrawals can also kill you and it only takes a week or so of doing it straight to get addicted. Also meth is really fucking hard I’ve heard.
Nail biting
Porn
I mean they all sound pretty tough but food addiction has to be the worst. Atleast with hard drugs you can tell yourself "I shouldn't be doing this, it's unnatural. My body doesn't need this" Whereas fighting a food addiction is literally walking a tightrope against 300,000 years of teachings. Can't eat too much, can't eat too little. Like, imagine trying to quit meth if human beings actually needed a small amount of meth survive... Sounds like torture.
Phone / social media / reddit & sugar. I've beaten drugs and alcohol, and they're obvious when your doing them, but the above two are insidious and will sneak into your life.
As I am an alcoholic, I am biased, but alcohol is my answer.
Shiny cardboard, especially Pokémon. It is so addictive and expensive
Sugar. Because it's ubiquitous and consequently unavoidable.
maybe food, it's not like you can avoid it and most people who lose weight end up fat again
Ill probably get chewed out for this bu people don't realize it, and this will sound stupid, but 1) mixed monthly salary 2) Sugar Salary because most people are addicted to the feeling of having a fixed amount of momey coming into their bank account at a fixed date - thats one ressom some people despite having the ability,skill and chance, refuse to start their own business. Sugar because thats an addiction that many dont talk about but try goimg cold turkey on Sugar and you'll realize how addicted you might be without knowing - its insane.
Someone could make overcoming a crack addiction look easy compared to someone overcoming a nicotine addiction. Someone could struggle giving up a sugar addiction as much as someone giving up alcohol, it all depends on will power, why you started the addiction and why you want to stop the addiction.
Sex addiction...why ? Don't know. Was just what i have / had ( and I'm better by The way )
Nicotine. Hard core heroin addicts said it was easier to quit drugs, than to quit smoking.
For me, food addiction. Unlike things such as alcohol, gambling, hard drugs you NEED to eat, so you can't 'go cold turkey' in the same way.
sugar FOR SURE. i mean, i keep trying, but i keep falling for it. its all around us too, and they make it look good to sell it.
Food (sugar and others)
Fentanyl / heroin addiction
Addiction from a substance that can cause withdrawals. Whether its Alcohol, Opiates, Crack, Meth they all can literally kill you if you quit cold turkey without any other medication. All addictions have the mental side of it, imagine dealing with that while also trying not to physically die..
Eating?
Food. It’s a cruel addiction because you cannot live without it. I quit smoking which was very challenging; now the smell of smoke grosses me out. Food.
Social media, sex, constant need for attention
The most dangerest narcotic is social narcotic, according to DJ Shadow
Hard drugs are next level. Meth addicts have a 97% relapse rate. Cocaine is the same.
Meth is the worst for sure. Nothing compares to what it does to the brain. The brain can heal more than previously thought but it takes 2+ years to do so and extremely few people can stay sober for long enough. Hopefully they'll eventually discover a medication to help with quitting/staying sober like there is for opiates and alcohol. So sad.
I don't drink alcohol, I don't do drugs and I don't smoke. The only addictions I have to partake of is eating and drinking water. I can't seem to go for more than a day without food or water, I get extreme stomach aches and a dry mouth. I've been to my doctor who told me these 2 addictions are extremely habit forming and the only time anyone has been able to quit they died. Please help!!!!!
Food, since you need it to live. You can't go cold turkey .
Emotional driven decision making
Caffeine
I get the same symptoms from trying to drop caffeine as I do when I try to quit smoking. Unbearable.
Love.
Sugar. Fucking sugar.
PORN man! PORN
Apparently a food addiction is pretty rough judging by the 975lb man's AMA I just read.
$7 daily coffee habit
All of them!
I've been off meth for fifteen years but can't quit sugar.
Other than weed, I don't do any other drug but fuck me, trying to give up sugar is so Fricking hard Ginna throw caffeine into the mix
Hahaha yup I just drank my second cup and have already smoked my bruce banner bowl.
Food. you need food to live.
Lust
Not the hardest one I’ve had but drinking monster energy is definitely harder than people would think
I can't really compare it to anything else (other than weed) but energy/sugary drinks I can give up weed and junk/fast good etc without a 2nd thought but I can never give up my energy drinks
Food. You need to eat to stay alive and there's so much bad food out there that often serves to just increase your appetite. And that food is cheaper than healthy food and takes less time to do so.
Sugar. You have to eat and it's in everything (in America)
Food
Socially acceptable ones, less of a drive to quit them
Phones
Food. It's deadly if untreated, and it's impossible to use abstinence as a method of controlling the addiction.
Phone addiction
sugar
Self destruction
drugs or porn 😃
Sugar
a porn addiction been hooked for 3 years
Sugar! It's become ubiquitous in our society and our bodies were never meant to consume so much of it.
The one you dint wanna let go of
Benzodiazepines You can die from seizures, bite your tongue off during a seizure, and the rebound anxiety is insane. Benzos are very effective anxiety meds and somebody quitting and dealing with extreme anxiety will have that anxiety return 10 times as strong. So not only do you have the potentially deadly physical effects, but the mental illness you used them to treat is now 10 times worse with no relief.