What are you addicted to?

[caitlinerinm]

This may end up being a long rambling of thoughts, so.... beware.

I've been spending a lot of time driving back and forth to and from Austin lately, and driving is when I do my thinking. So, I've been doing a ton of thinking, and all of it is about working out, my diet, etc... And today, I started to think about why I obsess about it. The more that I thought about it I realized that I have an extremely addictive personality. Two examples: 1. When MW3 came out, I had never played an Xbox before (I grew up a PS girl...and will always be one). However, all of my guy friends were playing it (they set up four 50" screens in the living room of their apartment). And I started to play here and there when one of them would get too pissed to keep playing. Then one day, I sat in front of the tv screen from 4 pm to 5 am playing COD. That became a habit after that (my grades began to slip up as well). 2. For Christmas I bought Skyrim for my boyfriend at the time but the new Star Wars game had just come out for PC.... so he began neglecting his Xbox. Since he was playing that all the time, I started playing Skyrim and ended up beating the main story line in like 3 days.... I played it non-freaking-stop. That was really out of character for me.

Examples over... So I think that a lot of the questions I have had about myself have been answered. Like, I have always wondered why I'm not much of a drinker, like the rest of my friends. It's because I know I'll get "addicted" to it. So, I guess it's a good thing when it comes to that. But in other situations, I don't feel like it's much of an asset.

Any other addictive personalities out there? What are you addicted to?

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

Food is my addiction. Its funny because when I drive is when I think about it the most, too. And today I was trying to figure out why I obsess so much over it. Why can't I be normal and not think about eating until I'm hungry? I don't understand that even as I'm eating I'm planning out what I'll eat next. Hence why I chose leangains as my diet-o-choice so I can stuff my face every other day .

But seriously, its a problem. And I never really had an addictive personality until recently. Oh, and coffee. I could never explain my addiction to coffee. Working out would be on there, too, but I'm being smart about it and taking rest days when I need them to increase my gains and such. I do think about it almost all the time, and am working on my PT cert so I study it all the time, too. I don't really see it as an obsession, though, more of a passion that I hope will carry me somewhere in life.

Thanks for letting me vent, haha.

[Daneb]

I'm the same as lainisos. Food is my addiction. And not healthy food either (it never is). Like, doritos and pizza, and chocolate milk. I don't know what it is really. For a long time, I was a really unhealthy person... didn't work out, ate like crap, stayed up late... you name it. And I don't know when it started either - all I know is that up until about last July, and even on odd occasions the past year, I would literally plow through one of those big bags of chips, or a large pizza. Looking back, it's disgusting. My heart is seriously a champ, I'm surprised I'm not diabetic or something.

Lately though, getting healthy has been my obsession. I'm kind of enjoying it though! After finishing off a bag of chips, I would feel shame, disgust, regret. I feel much better just preoccupying my mind with thinking healthy. And having cut back on my calories over the last few weeks, I find that my want for food has gone way way down. It's nice.

[caitlinerinm]

Oh, and coffee. I could never explain my addiction to coffee. Working out would be on there, too, but I'm being smart about it and taking rest days when I need them to increase my gains and such. I do think about it almost all the time, and am working on my PT cert so I study it all the time, too. I don't really see it as an obsession, though, more of a passion that I hope will carry me somewhere in life.

Ahhhhh! I totally understand the coffee thing! I can't stop drinking it! I cut out all sodas, and everything else but water EXCEPT COFFEE. But, it's really not bad for you, as long as you aren't putting in ten tons of cream and sugar And props to you! Maybe I should try looking at it the same way, instead of assuming that I'm a freak haha.

[KAllen]

Cokes - however I have limited myself to 2/day. But I don't think I can totally give them up. Matter of fact, I don't want to give them up!!! I've just limited myself.

Metal - I mean there ain't another kind of music as far as I'm concern.

Sons of Anarchy - 87 more days till it's back on!!!

[Kewilson]

I'm less addictive than I am obsessive. When I get into something, especially something competitive, I'll spend a lot of time doing it. Probably the most obvious one is MW3 (and the Call of Duty series as a whole), where me (and the clan) will play for hours on end, perfecting strategies, tactics and general skills until we're nigh unbeatable. Same goes for various other hobbies - I can't just 'do it', I have to dominate/perfect it.

For addiction - probably pop and chocolate. I'm a life-long pop drinker. I switched to diet pop over a year ago, and I'm still working on dialing that down. Drinking pop was easily the hardest of my unhealthy habits to wind down (and I'm not even done yet!). Phasing out diet pop will probably be part of my next six-week challenge.

I've replaced all the other chocolate in my life with 90% dark chocolate, which is relatively healthy/not that bad. A whole bar has like 4g of sugar, and it takes me a week to nibble through a bar - hardly a major dietary infraction in my view.

[pixieopower]

I am a Fangirl. ... not necessarily a bad thing but I am a fangirl of media. I don't have just one or two things, I am current on about 30 shows, many many anime, and web series, and Otaku based music stuff, movies, etc etc, etc. My geek quotient is high. I realize I am addicted to the TV (well ok laptop cuz I dont actually have a TV). I am scaling back though! It's part of my next challenge goals.

And yeah, I smoke and drink and swear too much too but those don't get in the way of my real life yet.

[WarriorAmy]

I get that overwhelming addiction to a video game. I was so, so addicted to The Sims (the original one!). I would play it from 7am to midnight, every day, all day. Even now, I don't play computer games because I feel myself slipping back into that 'must play constantly' addiction.

I instead indulge my cheeseburger addiction :S

[progress126]

French fries! Especially homemade ones (like the fries I made last night for the family except I topped of my bowl of fries with three fried eggs!) and Five Guys fries. I can't get enough. Ooohhh...poutine! Fries topped off with gravy and cheese curds! Damn!

I used to drink a 2 liter (or two) or Coke a day but a couple of years ago I gaveup soda for Lent and ever since then I rarely touch the stuff. Sometimes ill get a craving for that fizzy feeling Coke gives you and will indulge a little but most times I will drink water or coffee.

[Eurydice]

Coffee. Physically. Oh, god, the migraines if I don't get to the coffee pot in time in the morning. And yet I love it and there's no way I'd give it up or even go decaf for very long.

I could live without the migraines, though.

[Luthorcrow]

Battlefield 2 almost ended my marriage. I definitely went off the deep starting a clan, daily scrims and competing online leagues. It was definitely an interesting period of seeing how people handle high pressure competition both the highs and the lows. After 2 years of that pressure cooker I was more than willing to step out on online gaming for a while.

Outside of that experience I generally keep my vices under check. I have been a caffeine addict most my life but whether that is good or bad for your health keeps changing.

[bigm141414]

1) Coffee. I can't function without it. I like good coffee, bad coffee, okay coffee, but mainly good coffee.

2) Books. I am a bibliophile. I can't get enough books. I have stay away from bookstores because i usually don't leave without spending near triple digits worth of dollars on books. I currently have somewhere north of 1500 and probably closer to 2000 in my house. My dream has always been to live in a library. (if there are some library science undergrads who want practical experience in maintaining a collection of books hit me up. I could use the help)

3) NF Forums. Seriously. I am addicted to this site. Look how long I've been around! The admins can tell you that the only other person is logged in as much as I am is probably Loren Wade. Although it is a close race. I can't get enough of reading how you guys evolve in your fitness and life journeys. It gives me warm feelings where my heart should be.

[Ocelot]

I'm not really addictive or obsessive. I'm more of a moth. I fly from one thing, love it forever for a while, then on to the next thing. I've had many different interests and short term addictions, but nothing permanent. WELL. Except for:

1. Horses. I can't go through a week without riding or just hanging out at the stables.

2. Coffee. Every day.

3. Running. Really. I can't walk anywhere any more and all my shoes are either running shoes or easy to run in. Playing sports also scratches this itch.

4. The internet. Well, I'm not as bad as I was - I used to get withdrawal symptoms after just a few hours away from it. Now I go on once maybe twice a day maximum, and I also have spent about a year computer free which was peculiar and I wouldn't do it again but it made me realise I can cope without the internet. Quite a big thing for me as I've been online since I was 14 or so and it's kind of my second reality. (I'm sure I'm not alone in that of course!)

[Josh Cross]

At this point it feels more like a matter of asking, what am I *not* addicted to? Although I share your sentiments as far as somehow subconsciously denying myself certain things out of fear. For instance, I've never really gambled in my life and could never figure out why until it hit me that if I ever did...I'd probably be dead or owe people thousands...

Anyway, at this stage my two biggest addictions are alcohol and the internet. I drink almost every single day and have sometimes caught myself stumbling for four or five hours at a clip without even realizing it. Like, I'll sit online so much sometimes that I'll suddenly come out of the fog and realize I have a stress headache from gritting my teeth. It's especially sad because I quit MMORPG's cold turkey late last year and thought I was sort of over it...hell at least during my MMO I was *kind of* accomplishing something, what am I accomplishing stumbling besides looking at the 300th pic dump of the day?

The alcohol is a totally separate thing but I've found the best thing for the internet is ration my amount of stumbling/facebook/blog commenting to certain days or only certain times. It's tough to kick when you're a stay-at-home graphic designer but it can be done as long as I keep an eye on the clock and force myself to go away from the screen every hour for a few minutes. That and I force myself to disable the Stumble bar if I have *any* outstanding work, regardless if it even needs being done. If I'm not going to finish X Project until tomorrow...that means no stumbling tonight.

[The Tin Man]

1)(if there are some library science undergrads who want practical experience in maintaining a collection of books hit me up. I could use the help)

I know two people going for their Masters in library science, just sayin'.

And seconded on the NF boards. My next challenge may involve a goal of less NF time

[ETFnerd]

the smell of a woman when she comes out of the shower...

[Flatsnap]

Ongoing recovery: MMOs. I have learned that I cannot play just a little, I'll inevitably end up doing nothing else and mess my whole life up.

Currently: exercise..

[Lachy]

Coffee. Physically. Oh, god, the migraines if I don't get to the coffee pot in time in the morning. And yet I love it and there's no way I'd give it up or even go decaf for very long.

I could live without the migraines, though.

This. I used to think caffeine addiction was nonsense, decided to just give up the coffees. Couldn't work out why I had such a bad headache, then my jaw and teeth started hurting. After like a day and half, I figured it out, back on the coffee. No regrets!

Food is an addiction for me. Trying to adjust to that everything I eat is as good as it can be, and not crap. That way I can give into my addiction of eating, without too much of the bad side.

Oh, and the Rolling Stones. God help me, I can't stop listening to them.

[RunningGirl]

Popcorn. I can't go to the cinema without getting popcorn and nearly always have it as a snack when I get home from work.

I'm pretty addicted to Instagram as well which is weird but I guess since photography is my hobby I like that it's so portable.

[TheSavageBean]

Overthinking things.

[8ball]

Training with my PT. I thought it was Wednesday today and was looking forwards to a really good training session tomorrow, but then remembered that it's Tuesday. He works me hard and training by myself in the gym just isn't the same.

Gigs. I'm in a band and can't get enough of performing. We're halfway through a 6 week break between gigs and I'm about to start crawling the walls.

Sweet stuff. I've swapped processed sugar for agave or maple syrup, but I think I still overdo it.

[Trad_Climb]

Training with my PT.He works me hard.

If you know what I mean...

[Max Power]

Music, I have music going pretty much all the time, there have been moments when I will pause my ipod to play a song on my computer, and there are times when I will play both. Those are the moments when I question whether I have a problem or not.

[magi192]

I'm not really addictive or obsessive. I'm more of a moth. I fly from one thing, love it forever for a while, then on to the next thing. I've had many different interests and short term addictions, but nothing permanent.

Same for me, I've obsessed over orcas, dogs, cats, knives, etc and have been addicted to Pokemon, mmorpg's, volleyball, manhunt, etc throughout my life. My obsessive periods usually last a month. Then the thing becomes just another interest. I dislike having obsessions or addictions. I like control. However, I do have one exception. My love for Häagen-Dazs ice cream is too pure. If I could afford it, I'd be downing a bucket everyday. I would definitely become addicted. This is one of those times I'm glad I'm a broke college student living in a time food prices are high.

[Rurounii]

Bike riding. video games. My obsessions come and go, like the few months I was wrapping everything in paracord.