You know, when we think of addictions, we often picture someone hooked on cigarettes or glued to their phone. But let us tell you, there are some sneaky addictions out there that many of us might not even realize we have.
One Redditor asked, “What is an addiction people might not realize they have?” The thread has over thousands of comments, but we have selected the top ones for you!
1. Misery
Misery can be a comfort zone. Some people get so used to being unhappy that they don’t even know how to function without a good old dose of it.
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Misery loves company is not just a saying. It’s science.”
Another added, “The spikes become normal to the brain, so those in toxic relationships, for example, crave those dysfunctional patterns. They crave the rush.”
2. Drama
Drama queens and kings, listen up! Drama addiction is real. If you’re constantly surrounded by chaos and conflicts, and you seem to thrive on it, congratulations, you’re addicted to drama.
One said, “My husband actually broke me of this. My whole life, all my parents did was yell/fight for one reason or another. And something was always happening, usually bad. To be fair, a good chunk of that was not in anyone’s control, but it sucked. So even though I tried not to, apparently, I make drama out of absolutely nothing.”
Another replied, “My home life as a child was so awful I developed BPD. It took me years to realize the reason why therapy wasn’t working was because I was hooked on the pain. Without it, I had no concept of who I was. I needed it to have an identity. Peace makes me anxious. I know something dramatic is supposed to happen, so why isn’t it happening?”
3. Political Outrage
We’ve all seen those people who can’t go a single day without being outraged about something political. Whether it’s a tweet, a policy, or a politician’s haircut, they’ll find a way to get angry about it.
A Reddit user wrote, “Political outrage is the drug of choice for SO MANY people.”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “Our older neighbors seek us out to tell us just how outraged they are at [insert political news topic], and they will strongly take a side, make the opposition an enemy worthy of execution, and expect us to wholeheartedly agree with them.
I’ve had to use my pocket answer so many times: “I don’t talk politics with people I like” over and over again to get out of that bull. Oh, and then there’s a new flavor of the week afterward, and after I learn more about last week’s hot topic, they couldn’t care less.”
4. Doomscrolling
One said, “Doomscrolling. I did it so much during the pandemic and it took me a while to break myself out of it.”
Another added, “I find myself getting hypnotized by YouTube shorts. I literally have to mentally break away from watching them. It’s pretty crazy.”
Another replied, “I had to Uninstall TikTok because of how addictive it was to me. Of course, now every other platform has aped their model, but none of them are nearly as addictive to me. YouTube Shorts still get me sometimes.”
You might think you’re just checking in on your friends’ lives and staying informed, but if you find yourself mindlessly scrolling for hours on end, you’re in deeper than you realize.
5. Shopping
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Shopping is a big one.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “This is a big one, and I think a lot of us are “shopping” even when we’re not spending money. Looking at products online, putting stuff onto wishlists, browsing aisles at Target, asking people in conversation where they got [whatever]. I’m trying to be more cognizant of this because I resent that I’m going through life in total consumer mode.”
You can order anything from a toothbrush to a bed without leaving your couch. But if you find yourself adding random stuff to your cart every night, you might be dealing with an addiction to retail therapy.
6. Anger
Ever met someone who seems to live life with a perpetual chip on their shoulder? They might be low-key addicted to anger. Anger can give you a weird sort of rush, a feeling of power even when you’re seething.
A Reddit user wrote, “Anger. I think addiction to anger is the primary force being weaponized against our entire culture right now.”
Another replied, “The modern free internet is based on engagement, and one of the best ways to drive engagement is by prompting an emotional response. The two emotions most likely to result in user-engagement are joy and rage. You are far more likely to share a video or article or respond to a comment if it either makes you laugh or makes you angry.”
7. Validation
Who doesn’t love it when someone tells you you’re awesome? But when you’re craving those compliments and likes like they’re oxygen, watch out. You might be addicted to validation.
One said, “As someone who grew up with parents who constantly gaslit, dismissed, and invalidated them, I am always looking for validation, and I hate it. I have an insatiable need to know I’m not crazy for having the thoughts and ideas that I do because I was always told things like “other people have it worse” and “quit feeling sorry for yourself.””
Another person agreed to it and said, “I constantly seek external validation and struggle SO much with validating myself. It’s absolutely attributed to my childhood and has resulted in an “anxious attachment style”- the inability to validate one’s self is often closely tied with anxious attachment!”
8. Stress
A Reddit user wrote, “Stress. I’m convinced some people create stress in their life bc they are addicted to it.”
Another added, “This is my wife. And now, the potential for something stressing her out stresses me out. 24/7. Forever. Constantly worried that she might get stressed. And changing my life almost entirely, routinely, to prevent it.”
Stress might not sound like something you’d willingly get addicted to, but it happens. You might be stress-addicted if you can’t remember the last time you took a deep breath without panicking.
9. Sugar
Sugar is in everything, from your morning cereal to your evening dessert.
Someone commented, “Sugar addiction. Ughhh I haven’t had tim tams in FOREVER. Might arrange a day trip to the city and go to the international food corner of the giant marketplace and grab a pack.”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “This – it’s a major epidemic with massive health consequences, and people don’t even realize how dangerously addicted we are as a society as a whole. Good luck fighting it, however. It’s an addiction where there is an absolute and constant control of the product over the addicted.”
10. Phone
You might not realize it, but constantly checking your phone can be an addiction too.
One said, “Phone addiction. Addiction to devices causes a short attention span in people. My cousin can’t even watch a 20-minute video on something without getting bored or distracted.”
Another replied, “Whenever I spent time with my ex, any pause in conversation would result in her getting her phone out and browsing FB, Insta, or worse, Tik Tok. Then she’d complain that I wasn’t talking to her. I’d explain that it’s because she’s on her phone, and she’d always say, “You can still talk to me while I’m on my phone.” Ummm, pass. There’s a reason she’s my ex.”
11. Food
Food, glorious food! It’s not just about eating to survive anymore. Some of us have developed a sneaky addiction to munching on junk food while binge-watching our favorite shows. Popcorn, chips, candy, you name it. It’s all part of the experience. And before you know it, your waistline and health are paying the price.
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Food. People often eat far more often than necessary. They eat out of habit and not out of necessity.”
Another added, “Doesn’t help parents force their kids to eat when they aren’t hungry or force them to finish the whole plate. We aren’t supposed to eat till we feel stuffed; that stretches the stomach.”
12. Procrastination
You know that feeling when you’ve got a deadline breathing down your neck, but you can’t resist binge-watching that new show or scrolling through social media? Welcome to the world of procrastination addiction!
A Reddit user wrote, “Procrastination. It’s so much easier to say “ef it, I’ll do it tomorrow.” And then tomorrow comes, and you still don’t do it. Such a terrible habit.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “It definitely is. There’s also that other side where instead of saying, “I’ll do X tomorrow,” you say to yourself, “It doesn’t matter if you do X today; one day won’t make a difference. I’ll stop doing X tomorrow,” and I have struggled with that one for a while.
Why not eat this entire pizza by myself today? I mean, I’ve been doing it once a week every last couple of months, so it doesn’t matter; I can quit next week. I had to realize that each step is just as important as the last one and the next one so that I could stop sabotaging myself.”
13. Caffeine
One said, “Caffeine. Millions of people in the US depend on coffee throughout their day.”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “I’d say people know they’re addicted to caffeine (it’s hard not to realize this given the withdrawal symptoms),; for most people, it’s just a “who cares if I’m addicted” kind of thing – it’s not like there’s substantial evidence that caffeine is bad for you, if anything there’s a significant amount of evidence that a moderate amount of caffeine is actually beneficial for the average person.”
It’s amazing how that morning brew can become such a lifeline, and before you know it, you’re getting withdrawal headaches if you don’t have your daily fix.
14. Other’s Lives
Ever find yourself more invested in other people’s lives than your own? That’s the living vicariously addiction talking.
A Reddit user wrote, “Addiction to other people’s lives. We’re constantly flooded with media on people we don’t even know/never met.
Yet, we invest so much time interacting with them and having a false sense of reality, seeing only what they show. Humans are so much more complex than the image that’s presented to us online. We should look around our own reality before trying to make sense of strangers.”
Another replied, “Can’t stand this, especially if it’s famous people. If it’s people in your own circle (like “Did you hear Jimmy got a job at the grocery store down the road?”), at least there’s a sense of community and interactivity. Celebrity news as a primary topic of conversation is a snooze fest.”
15. Smoking Weed
Weed is often seen as a chill, harmless pastime. But you might have a sneaky weed addiction when you can’t go a day without lighting up.
A Reddit user wrote, “Green, you can say you smoke medicinally, but if anyone can’t remember the last time they’ve seen you sober, either you’ve got a bigger problem than you think you’re treating, or you’re hiding from something you desperately need to face.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “The outright denial that comes with it too, “Nah, weed isn’t addictive.” Mhmm, sure.”
16. Daydreaming
Ah, daydreaming is the art of living in your head while the real world passes you. It might not sound like an addiction, but when you’re spending more time in la-la land than dealing with reality, you’re in daydreaming territory.
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Daydreaming! I do it constantly and can’t stop. It literally takes up hours out of my day.”
Another added, “It’s so difficult to live in the present. I’ve been doing mindfulness meditation for over a month, and I’m seeing slightly positive changes, but for now, I’m still very much living in the past and future.”
17. Alcohol
So, you might think alcohol addiction is only for people who chug booze like water, but surprise, it can be quite sneaky!
One said, “Alcohol. Many people are alcoholics and won’t realize it. Just because you don’t get drunk every day doesn’t mean you’re not an alcoholic.”
Another replied, “”I’m not an alcoholic, but I always need a few before bed” Um, yeah, that’s an alcoholic. If you depend on it to get through to the end of the day, it’s time to start cutting back.”
18. Soda
Someone commented, “Soda. It’s wild how many people drink soda like it is water. I work at a restaurant and ppl be drinking soda every day throughout their shift. It tastes nice, but the amount of sugar in soda is absolutely absurd, just not worth it imo so I rarely drink it. If I’m gonna consume that much sugar, I’ll get some sweets instead.”
Another added, “Soda is practically designed to wreck your teeth. The average soda contains more than enough sugar for your recommended daily intake limit. And I’d bet that companies add extra sugar for it’s addictive properties.”
Let’s face it; your dentist probably cringes when they see you coming.
19. Instant Gratification
We live in a world of instant everything- from fast food to lightning-speed internet. But if you can’t handle waiting in line for more than two minutes without grabbing your phone for a quick dopamine hit, you might be addicted to instant gratification.
A Reddit user wrote, “Instant gratification. My boyfriend has had to work really hard on being more conscious of this…”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “Yep, you can spot the ones with this on dating apps who want to get intimate straight away. “This one isn’t nearly as high up the list as it should be.”
20. Hitting Snooze
One said, “Hitting the snooze button too many times.”
Another replied, “Take my vote. I purposely set my alarm earlier so I can snooze longer. It is the dumbest thing, and I know it isn’t helpful. This is definitely a habit. My husband does it. I used to be able to just wake up with one alarm but he got me hooked. Now I use 5 before I actually wake up.”
Hitting that snooze button once? Totally understandable. But when it becomes a daily ritual, and you’ve turned it into a morning-long snooze marathon, you’re officially addicted to the snooze button.
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