The world consists of fans and fanatics, stoners and addicts, robbers and kleptomaniacs, drinkers and alcoholics, killers and serial killers. You come into the latter categories as soon as you overindulge in a habit. You repeat it obsessively with an urge to never stop. There comes a point in your life when your loved ones say, “You need to stop that.” And you will reply, “I can stop it whenever I want”. Believe me, friend, if you are an addict, you need to stop it immediately.
The addictive habit will engulf you and you will feel helpless. It will be exhausting and consuming. The addiction will eat you alive until the person that remains is no longer one you identify with. It will start dictating your life. If you come under any of these categories, this is a wake-up call. Here are top 5 addictive things in the world-
# TV seriesF.R.I.E.N.D.S, HIMYM, OITNB, TBBT, Sherlock- once you become a series buff you can never un-become one! This is one trend which current generation is fast catching up to. The number of downloads and online viewings of TV shows are at an all-time high. Many people become so engrossed in a TV series that it becomes the centrifuge of their life. They know more about the relationship of Ross- Rachel than their own, find chemistry in Breaking Bad more interesting than college lectures, start calling themselves Cumberbitches (this is the rock bottom of series addiction).
# Social networkingThe proof of its addiction is the number of users of Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Tumblr etc. People are busy tapping on the phone while using these apps. Even in villages where people don’t have a TV, they are sure to have WhatsApp. The increasing addiction of social networking sites is a growing concern. It is limiting the world of people. Liking, commenting and sharing while does have some effect but what about actually doing something? Social networking helps in bringing vast knowledge inside a small screen but you should sometimes look beyond it. Try eating food without uploading a photo of it on Instagram or enjoying something for pure fun than putting a Snapchat story.
# MasturbationYou should love yourself, just, a tad less! Jokes aside, masturbation is a healthy exercise which releases hormones in your body. As much as people deride it, it should not be shunned completely. The problem occurs when people do it excessively. It can then harm your body both physically and mentally. It would make you lose focus on all the other important things, you might get addicted to porn and if you’re in a sexual relationship, your partner may move apart. Do it as long as it makes you happy but remember when it becomes enough.
# AlcoholJust one drink more and you end up having 6. Alcohol gives you high and it is not even illegal! So, if you can’t do crack you can take vodka shots. That’s the philosophy most of the youngsters follow. Underage drinking is rising (Partly because Indian government has fixed the legal age at 21 in some cities!). Young students think it is cool to drink till the moment comes when they can’t stop. Whatever reason you drink for, whichever reality you are escaping from, remember, people out there still love you. Seek out their help. Anything that makes you out of control is never good for you.
# DrugsDrugs make you fly away to a different world. You feel light, happy and away from all the worries and tensions of the world. You think it’s a quick escape until it becomes your only one. Studies have shown that drug addiction is really difficult to leave. Addicts become so used to the high feeling that they can’t get by a day without doing drugs. Relapses occur frequently. However, rehabs have succeeded in keeping many people off the streets. If you don’t want drugs to overtake your life, undertake a rehab programme.