Simulation. Adhd is a bitch. Luckily I haven’t tried any hard drugs… Well other than a legal prescription to Adderall hahahah
I am addicted to biting my nails and the area around my nails & knukkles to the point of bleeding. (I know, yuck!) When not using my hands, they seem to unconsciously move to my mouth ready for picking or biting. I moved from Reddit to here and reddit has a subreddit called dermatophasia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatophagia) that helped me not feel alone. When meeting people, I try to hide my fingers so they don’t see the scars of unconscious gnawing. The worst time for biting is when I sit in front of a TV; I am better off playing video games with a controller! See Video Games are healthier! Lol
Free and open source software
Screens, realistically. I know that it’s a “soft” addiction and nowhere near as serious as a substance, but going even five minutes without pulling at my phone, using a computer, or watching a TV starts tugging at my brain. That’s something you develop as a kid and I don’t see myself fixing it unless I totally “detox.”
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Literally? Coffee.
Nicotine. 25 days without and I keep dreaming about smoking. I’ve quit for longer before and the cravings never seem to go away.
I think I remember reading that it takes months to get out of your system and also for your brain to close that connection. Stopped in 2020 to vaping and it worked. Was hard the first few months but then it became the new me.
I went from cigs to vaping, quit in March of 2022. I still get cravings
I am addicted to procrastination.
My cheating boyfriend. I should dump his ass but i keep going back. It’s just like some kind of terrible drug addiction, where i keep sabotaging my life and giving endless resources down a black hole at the expense of everything else, especially myself; my friends are at a loss and growing tired of the cycles of nonsense. It’s killing my self respect and self esteem
Sorry you have to go through that :(
Thank you. It’s my choice, I know, but I feel weirdly helpless about it.
I’m genuinely curious why you haven’t dumped him.
Couple of good reasons.
The sex is really good and enjoyable, and plentiful. I have a high sex drive and it’s been a struggle to find someone who’s a god match for both the rather extreme amount and style that I’ve always wished for. (Could be part of the addiction?)
The really big one is that I’ve been going through cancer all year. And he ran toward me, not away. He nursed me after surgery so tenderly, kindly, lovingly. I’ve never in my life known anything like it. He knows all the bullshit and details about the whole experience. We have gone through it all together. I was helpless for a chunk of it, terrifying to someone like me who couldn’t ask for help. I have never in my life felt so safe and cared for. Oddly enough he says he looks forward to caring for me like that again after the next surgery. It’s stunning.
I suppose it’s bought my undying loyalty. I only wish it went both ways.
Also, I’m basically a deeply lonely person. I had a cold, cruel family of origin, pretty extreme combo of neglect and emotional abuse. I’ve made poor choices in my life romantically, always choosing selfish people and trying to ignore my own needs too, which I’m very good at. This guy is selfish, but also loves to care for me quite selflessly. It’s bewildering and humbling and welcome like rain in the desert.
Not sure if you watch ‘It’s Always Sunny’, but it sounds a lot like he’s using the D.E.N.N.I.S system on you.
D- Demonstrate Value
E- Engage Physically
N- Nurture Dependence
N- Neglect Emotionally
I- Inspire Hope
S- Separate Entirely
Seems like he’s bouncing around between the Ns and I. You come across as intelligent and like you have a really good eye on how you think / feel, so you probably know full well what I’m about to say… but all the love and care doesn’t mean much if he’s fucking other people behind your back. Does he know that you know? Have you had any serious conversations about it?
Hey, just wanted to check in, and let you know that what you said really affected me, and helped me to finally end the relationship.
We had had many open discussions about his many betrayals; we were even doing weekly couples therapy, and he had begun individual therapy. He would do and say the right things each time, for a minute anyway, and out of desperation, loneliness, fearfulness in the face of illness, I would take him back.
Except it never lasted, and every time, every fucking time, it turned out to be lies. The kicker was that as I grew increasingly angry and resentful, and began showing it and standing up to him, the love-bombing evaporated and he turned nasty. The last few weeks were a whirlwind of crazy making and gaslighting, descending into blatant character assassination.
He took to trashing every tender memory, all the sacred moments when he had cared for me, all that had kept me bonded. He now went on and on about how I had just been taking advantage of him, I was selfish, I was greedy.
The truth is, I’m a person with perilously low self esteem, who tries to disappear and constantly gives too much; it is a struggle for me to ask for or accept help. But he called me “a professional victim” and “a whiner.” He knew just how to cut me to the core.
The closer I got to ending it, the deeper he stabbed. And yet- he really seemed to think we had a future together.
In the end, his sickness was blindingly clear, even to my blinkered eyes. He was flashing from sweetness to contemptuous rage at a moment’s notice- I was walking on eggshells and living in a state of high anxiety.
Thank God I’d been working on my social network, been forced to with the crisis of cancer. I started telling people what was going on. I had a couple of friends now, a therapist. On a whim I spoke the truth here.
And everyone said: Go, get out, save yourself.
It’s taken me many tries, but I did it. He’s blocked on everything, and I’m getting through each day with the conscious knowledge that I’m quitting a dangerous addiction. Lots of distraction, much reaching out for help and support. I spend time each day reminding myself of the horror. Still sometimes I miss him so terribly. Thank God my head is still ringing with so many horrible things he said.
I feel like I’m going to make it. Thank you, kind stranger, for your piece in showing me the way out.
Hey! Thanks so much for sharing this update. I’m really sorry to hear that it went so badly towards the end, that all our internet-stranger suspicions were correct, and that things escalated so badly. My sister is going through something similar with her ex, she kept his worst behaviour hidden from us during their relationship… now they have a 3-yr old daughter, split up about 9 months ago and his behaviour has been shocking… violent threats, harassment, culminating in him knocking my dads tooth out (while my dad was holding his daughter) a few weeks ago. Like you my dad has cancer and had started radiotherapy that day, wtf. Who punches a pensioner with cancer who’s holding a toddler?!
I think people like you, my dad and I desperately want to see the best in everyone but as I said to my dad… life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, there are very nasty people lurking amongst us, and often the only way to get them to move on is to stand up to them or actively separate.
Whenever you feel a bit weak or lonely, feeling your resolve softening, please remind yourself of these last few weeks in particular. And I know I’m just an internet stranger, but you are always welcome to drop me (and I’m sure all the other people who gave you feedback) a message if you want to talk, vent or seek advice.
You write good.
I wasn’t expecting this kind of reply, you are in a more shitty position than I initially thought.
I know this doesn’t help but I don’t know what to say to you.
You should seek for the best mental health you can get to deal with your current condition.
It is quite confusing for me why would he do that to you if he is a good support for you as well, maybe he needs mental support more lol.
I’m not trying to be harsh, hope you get these things sorted out!
A spoon of Nutella in my coffee.
Nicotine currently. I get addicted quite easily. At the moment it’s difficult to stop weeding in the garden. Something satisfying about pulling out Dock Leaves. In the past, running, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, sugar, video games, phone apps, gambling, sex. Pretty much anything with a short term pay off, I’m helplessly drawn in. Eventually it stops being pleasurable and I unwind it. No point fighting it, better to let it play out.
Stay strong, buddy. Keep replacing those bad addictions with healthy ones. I have a bit of experience with unhealthy addictions myself. Been clean a long time now.
Appreciate your compassion brother. I’m on the mend now, not the sauce XD. Being present in the moment is my new gig.
I’m addicted to a site called RedFlagDeals, which is the equivalent of Slick deals for the states. I find myself endlessly scrolling for deals on the forum and buying things I probably don’t even need, but I do it anyway since the item is relatively cheap. For example a car charger that was like 10 bucks… and I don’t even have a car.
I think it’s out of boredom as well, and it’s gone to the point where I could even tell you a specific product is a good deal or not just by looking at the current price of it as I probably subconsciously index all of the prices in my head some how from scrolling through it.
I need a new hobby.
Sugar and caffeine. I am always tired, I’ve gone 20 years in a constant state of tired. If I sit still for an hour I start to fall asleep. The constant sugar and caffeine intake probably dont help…
As ridiculous as this sounds, spending time with my dogs. I didn’t grow up with dogs, but got my first as an adult, and it’s been a revelation. When I want to go run an errand, go out to eat, go take a walk, whatever…they’re always up for it. The best part though is that when I’m done, they’re happy to follow me in being done too. Outings last exactly as long as I want, they’re always silly and fun, and when I get home I have a tired cuddle buddy for a nap.
I have a very healthy social life with friends I see every week, a husband, and family I love…but spending time with my dogs just scratches an itch I didn’t know I had. They’re just the least complicated and demanding relationships in my life, and I really value that. Taking my golden out for pancakes and a trip to the park on a Saturday morning is one of my greatest joys in life. It’s simple stress-free joy, and if life gets busy and interferes with my dog time I’m just cranky and unhappy.
My phone. I really need to work on not holding it at all times and opening the screen, looking for notifications, and closing it again every 30 seconds.
