Addiction

Addiction is a huge problem in today's society and people are addicted to all sorts of things like gambling, alcohol, cigarettes, sex/pornography, food, shopping, the computer… you name it. There's a show on TLC that I find fascinating called My Strange Addiction and boy are there are some really bizarre things that people get addicted to doing. If you've never seen the show, let me fill you in on some of the things people are actually addicted to.

• Pulling out their hair and eating it
• Sleeping with a blow dryer blowing on them all night
• Eating weird things like toilet paper, dryer sheets, glass
• Compulsive tanning
• Hoarding lots of animals

I also watch another show on TLC called Freaky Eaters where people are addicted to eating the weirdest things. Here are a few examples:

• Cornstarch – a lady loved eating cornstarch because of it's soft texture and the way it felt in her mouth and would go through about three boxes of cornstarch in a single day.
• Powdered laundry detergents and toilet cleanser – this particular person was abused as a child and she said it made her feel clean inside to eat things like this.
• Chalk – there've been several people addicted to eating chalk.
• Drywall – the woman loved the chalky substance that makes up drywall.
• Ice cream bars – the person addicted to these ate around 40 bars a day and little else.
• Tarter sauce – the woman addicted to this would have an entire bottle of tartar sauce every day and would put it on everything she ate from cold cereal to ice cream.
• Maple syrup – the guy addicted to Maple syrup would have several cups of it a day and would put it on everything he ate, even spaghetti.
• Cheesy potatoes – the woman with this addiction would eat some form of fried potato whether it was french fries or just potatos fried in a pan with cheese over it for every meal, and had been doing it her entire life.

I find shows like these really fascinating, but in a weird, sad way. These addictions always keep people from having close relationships with others because they're terrified of people finding out. I always wonder how/where the addiction originated and what are the emotional/mental benefits they get from doing something so odd. I'm always happy for the people that accept help and are able to change their ways, but not all of them do.

I feel blessed to not be addicted to anything because it always seems like it's so hard to quit whatever has a hold over you.