You Are An Addict to Phones, Porn, and McDonald's Fries!

[Jade-Green Stone]

So I've been noticing this alot in my free time moments when it's either watching youtube, playing on my phone, going onto a rule34 site, or getting up to eat a bag of chips at 3 in the morningish. 

Every. One. Of. These. Is. An. Addiction!

So it started a while back when I gave up soda, for reasons not of thinking I was addicted to it, but because it was starting to cause stomach aches and poop problems in me. But when looking up how soda affects you, I find that majority of people call it an 'addiction' similar to that of alcohol or cocaine. I mostly thought nothing of this, it's been shown sugar is addictive.

Fast forward to my biology class in college, where my teacher says they have been, in McDonald's fries, to make them addictive. Meaning they put something in them so that way when you smell McDonald fires cooking you are compelled to want them due to that addictive ingredient. Okay so I love my some fires don't get me wrong, but to the point where I always want them when I go by McDonald's, not really. I mean, every places makes them different, some are more soggy than others or stale, so when I want some good fries I instead get these stale ones that taste awful. But whatever, to each is their own I guess, if he believes that.

Then came the look in for my college paper, I found an news place that says 'You are Addicted to your Phone and the Internet'. It went into how people today are addicted to their phones and it's causing unhealthy behaviors, and how the internet is fueling this 'unheathy' 'addiction'. I mean sure some people can't live without their phones and such, but I can at least put it down enough to go to the bathroom and wipe my ass and crotch without feeling the need to check facebook. Plus if it is an addiction, how come there aren't rehab things for phone use, oh right their own you just have to use your phone/Internet to find them.

Then came the word I heard called 'Porn Addiction'. being now I am more curious and inquisitive of a person I deiced to look it up for myself. And majority of what they say is just long articles of repeating the same rehash of it's bad for 'Relationships' and how it 'Description your sexual life' and 'It makes you desensitized'. I never found however a counter argument to these, ones I did were few and far between, even when I directly searched 'Porn Addiction Bullshit' I still kept getting articles of how 'Porn is Addictive'. Many of these places proclaiming studies, but really just using big fancy words. 

This is when I started to relook back on everything I had heard was an 'addiction' and began to wonder do we just push the word 'Addiction' on there to just gain attention to it, fear monger, or have any real claim that it is and addiction?

I also found that majority of things that are proclaimed to be an addiction often have no counter arguments, like when you even search directly for a counter argument you are just force feed more reasons why it is real and like there is no one saying 'No that's bullshit'.
We know that cigs and alcohol are addictions, there are countless studies on that, but with these others things I mentions, there is very little studies, and what ones their are are just the same things played on repeat. Having no real backing to them other than bits and pieces from random studies. 

Makes me wonder, are these things 'Addictions' or are we just throwing around a word like we do with the word 'Nazi' or 'Communist'. Because those two words are labeled to everything also. Is by throwing this word onto anything making it to where we are just loosing meaning of what addiction really is?

What are you're guys thought?

[Alan V]

Makes me wonder, are these things 'Addictions' or are we just throwing around a word like we do with the word 'Nazi' or 'Communist'. Because those two words are labeled to everything also. Is by throwing this word onto anything making it to where we are just losing meaning of what addiction really is?

People do overuse the word "addiction" just as they overuse the word "crazy." That can lead to desensitizing people to the real meaning of the word. What they are really saying is that something is so compelling it's like an addiction. It's a metaphor or simile.

Certain drugs are addictive: opioids, nicotine, alcohol and so on.

Nevertheless, there are some things which become addictive to certain people and not to others. They develop such strong habits that they lose self-control. Such things include sex, gambling, and pornography. I doubt smart phones and french fries fall into that category, though I might be mistaken about smart phones.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I was addicted to nicotine. Bag of crisps is just an indulgence.

[brewer]

The word "addiction" can be attached when any activity begins to adversely impact your life.

[tackattack]

IDK, I think I define addiction a little differently. I'd define it as the repeated undesired involvement with a substance or activity, despite the substantial harm it can cause, because of dopamine responces.

I maybe see it as like a threshold thing, like the difference between fear and phobia. Enjoying something is fine when you are in control of it, the second it controls you it could be deemed an addiction, IMO.

[mlmooney89]

I think people have addictive personalities. My husband is one. He has to have an addiction but he also has ADD so that may be a factor. I do not have one so I have a hard time understanding the idea of addiction. I was very proud of my husband when he gave up smoking only to realize he replaced smoking with beer... I didn't ask him to give up beer just have fewer and he did try. It was god fucking awful. He was a dick and mean and I was like fine have the beer back you functioning alcoholic. He doesn't get drunk so I stopped caring.

Sugar and caffeine very much are addictive. People get headaches and go through physical withdrawls if they normal consume a lot of them and then stop. I don't know how many people tell me they have a headache from lack of coffee or soda. Is it just me or do people hit it hard on either coffee or specifically Mountain Dew? I've known so many Dew addicts it's not even funny. I don't see people downing Pepsi or Coke. I know us American southerners prefer Dr. Pepper but not like Dew crazies.

I honestly think anything can be an 'addiction' for those with those personality types. If they can't stop themselves from using, doing, etc to me its an addiction. It becomes more legit though if you suffer physically without it.

[Angrboda]

I'm addicted to food. I need an intervention.

[Fireball]

I'm addicted to food.  I need an intervention.

IK,R? Withdrawal from food is a bitch, and usually fatal.

[Dr H]

Addiction is a disease.  Just as not all infirmities are diseases (e.g., a broken leg), not all habits are addictions. 
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) definition of 'addiction' is:

"Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors." 

Just liking fries a lot isn't an addiction unless you are incessantly pursuing them to the detriment of other important parts of your life -- like maintaining health; keeping a roof over your head; sleeping; holding down a job; interpersonal relations; etc.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm addicted to food.  I need an intervention.

IK,R? Withdrawal from food is a bitch, and usually fatal.

I blame me mum!