Addiction to drugs, prescription medications or alcohol is the most common embodiment of mental addiction that all of us are familiar with. However, modern life is giving birth to some lesser known new age addictions under the garb of routine activities. This is why impact of such unhealthy lifestyle practices are going unnoticed.
With the growing desire to look good, acquire a status quo and prove one’s mettle, the modern addictions may seem perfectly okay until they begin to meddle with our behavior, actions and emotions. The person suffering from such addictions may not know at all and the symptoms may not be recognized by the family but they hit harder in the long run.
Here are 6 modern day addictions that are turning into mental health problems.
1. Workaholism: With increasing competitiveness and the zeal to outdo others and acquire more comforts, most of us are spending major chunk of our day at work. This leaves no room for personal life to relax, play a sport or spend time with family. Although workaholism is revered in the professional world, too much of involvement in work can harm one’s personal life and can cause immense stress.
2. Texting / WhatsApp messaging: The intervention of smartphones has changed the way we communicate today and texting or WhatsApp messaging has become an inseparable part of our daily lives. The fingertip access fuels the desire to write and respond and keep checking our phones in between meals and work or while driving, shopping, sitting with a friend or even exercising. This not just hampers the core activity we are engaged in by focusing our mind somewhere else but also affects our memory and concentration. Such an addiction can even lead to road accidents.
3. Watching TV:
It is impossible to think about modern life without an idiot box. On an average, people watch three to four hours of TV every day under the false impression that it soothes their mind and helps them escape from life problems. However, constant channel surfing and incessant watching can get addictive. People suffering from such a disorder tend to ignore or delay other important activities and want to sit in front of the TV all the time. They may feel irritable on being asked to shut it and there is a likelihood of eventually becoming a victim of depression.
4. Oniomania: Shopping mania is not just common to celebrities but also to many women and fashion conscious people who have an uncontrollable urge to buy despite the need. For some, it is a great stress buster. It is believed that more than one person out of 20 is a shopping addict. Compulsive shoppers end up burning a hole in their pockets and can even go bankrupt. Their obsession can be immensely stressful if controlled by their families and friends.
5. Working out: Crossing the limits of daily exercise can be detrimental to both physical and mental health. Often people do not realize this until they begin to experience the side effects. Over-exercising is usually accompanied by eating disorders and anorexia and can prove fatal too.
6. Internet addiction: Internet addiction is a gift from modern technology that can cause neurological complications, psychological disturbances, and social problems. It can be as impulsive as obsessive and can lead to other addictions such as dependence on video games, messaging, dating and so on. Studies have shown that heavy internet users, especially teenagers and young adults, suffer from poor decision making and memory loss due to shrinking of gray matter in the brain.
Dealing with addictions
Addiction is no longer limited to substance abuse. It is important to be aware of modern-day addictions as anyone can fall a prey to it. There is a good possibility to avoid them and get treatment at the right time.
If you or your loved one is suffering from any mental problems, get in touch with the California Mental Health Helpline to find the best mental health centers in California. You may call our 24/7 helpline number at (855) 559-3923 or chat online with our experts to get details about the best options for mental health facilities in California.
