We’ve all heard stories of people who are addicted to eating sofa cushions or bathing in bleach. These are far from the norm. It turns out that there’s plenty of strange addictions that are far more common. So common, in fact, that the chances are good that you know people that have an actual physical, mental, or emotional dependence on these things.

See Also: 10 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Addiction

10 Skin Picking

Everyone does it, but some do it to an extreme. Those who become addicted to skin picking can cause permanent damage to their tissues and nerve endings. Repeated digging, picking, or rubbing certain parts of the body is called Excoriation Disorder and often stems from a belief that the individual is trying to remove something they see as a blemish. In extreme cases, it can create social or occupational difficulties for the person when they develop open sores and even scars.

9 Tanning Addiction

Frequent tanners have been shown to display signs of addiction to their weekly and twice-weekly trips to the tanning salon—and it’s for more reason than the social belief that someone who is tan is more attractive. Tanning beds give off UV rays, which increase feelings of happiness and contentment. While prolonged exposure to UV rays is also linked to an increased chance of skin cancer, it’s also what keeps us happy in the summer and depressed in the winter. Those who make a habit of tanning can very quickly become addicted to the endorphin-producing activity.

8 Diet Addiction

Following recommended dieting routines can be setting you up for addiction. A healthy diet results in gradual weight loss over time, necessitating a prolonged practice that makes dieting a habit. While a healthy lifestyle isn’t bad, it can be if the diet is less than reputable. Dieting can also trigger a chemical change in the body, promoting a desire to keep that sensation going longer than necessary. This may lead to an unhealthy amount of weight loss. Social pressure to be thin and look a certain way can also add to the addiction.

7 Diet Soda Addiction

At first glance, diet, sugar-free soda can seem like a safe way to get a caffeine fix, but that’s exactly why it’s likely to become addicting. For those whose preferred method of caffeine intake is diet soda, it can be easy to tell themselves that they’re not consuming any calories like there are in regular soda or a double-espresso-caramel-frappuccino with whipped cream. It’s that sense of the “all right” that feeds the craving. Diet soda is also often used in place of an addiction the person is trying to quit, such as smoking. The addictive behaviors are simply transferred onto the new substance, leading people to drink gallons of the stuff every day: all guilt-free.

6Drinking Blood

With vampires all the rage, it’s not really surprising that some people might delve into this aspect of the vampiric nature. But some take it to the level of addiction. Some people might prefer to mix some human blood (from a few trusted donors) in with their evening meal or as a mixer to their favorite alcoholic beverage, but some have taken the addiction to the extreme. A man in Turkey was arrested after attacking strangers when his own blood wasn’t enough to satisfy his thirst.

5Eating Dirt

Eating dirt and other earthy materials such as rocks and chalk is so common that it has its own name – geophagia. It is classified under the broader term of Pica or eating items with no nutritional value, such as paper, coins, buttons, and even feces. Geophagia can begin with various causes. In some cultures, it’s thought that eating light-colored dirt will cause the skin to lighten and become more attractive. In other cases, it has been associated with iron deficiency and is thought to be a compulsion to restore vital minerals to the body. This addiction has even been mentioned in ancient Greek texts.

4 Shopping Addiction

We probably all know someone that we’d consider to be a “shopaholic.” However, this term is used loosely, and for some people, their shopping habits can become a more serious and debilitating problem. Oniomania, also known as Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD), is a behavioral disorder characterized by an obsession with spending money and an insatiable urge to buy things, typically resulting in adverse consequences. While the disorder is often overlooked, it can leave people in financial chaos. The shopping addict has to buy things that they neither need nor want. They will spend hour after hour every day shopping and buying with no regard to the cost or growing debt. They hide purchases from other family members and friends out of shame, but they can’t stop the addiction. If they don’t hide a purchase, they will probably lie about what they paid for it. Shopping addiction may stem from feelings of inadequacy, depression, or other negative thoughts and can usually be treated with medication, therapy, and group discussions.

3Sex Addiction

Sex addiction doesn’t have to mean being addicted to just the act. It can also mean being preoccupied with sexual thoughts or obsessions with other behaviors, such as watching pornography. When a person becomes so obsessed that it damages their personal relationships and doesn’t allow them to function daily without being plagued by these constant thoughts, they may consider a recovery program. Like the program followed by alcoholics, sex addicts can enter into a twelve-step program that helps them turn away from their preoccupations.

2 Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking in babies is quite common, but what happens when the behavior continues into adulthood? Occasionally a habit that some fall back on when anxious or irritated, thumb sucking for some can be just as comforting in adulthood as it was in childhood. Some say that sucking their thumb gives them a feeling of calm, but the addiction can mean something very different for others. It’s also a gesture tied to oral sex, and it was so anti-social that even Shakespeare took a well-known crack at it.

1Food Addictions

Food additions might seem a little questionable, but it’s been found that certain chemicals in certain foods—such as the sugars in candy and chocolate—can make the pleasure centers of the brain tingle just as much as nicotine or alcohol. Not simply a matter of eating too much, food addiction usually revolves around certain types of food and the changes that it triggers in the mind and body. Someone who is otherwise healthy can struggle with a food addiction to, say, chocolate. The behavior turns into an addiction when they cannot control how much they eat, when thoughts of the food distract them from other tasks, when they suffer from anxiety or depression after eating, or when deprived of that food.

Many drug users and those struggling with a specific activity addiction find themselves uncomfortable and unable to manage the addiction. Addiction does and most likely will ruin an addict’s life if they use narcotics or continue their desired activity for an extended period. Every year, millions of drug users and activity addicts in America become impacted by their addiction to the point that tens of thousands of deaths happen each year.

But some addictions have stronger withdrawal symptoms than others, causing discomfort to the user while taking the drug or doing the activity, thwarting any attempts to quit. Here is a list of the top ten most uncomfortable addictions.

10 Process Addictions

Process addictions include sex, gambling, gaming, and food, which curiously don’t always make the hard drugs list but are uncomfortable. Also called behavior addictions, these addictions carry all the sociological and psychological consequences of addiction but lack severe physical symptoms associated with substance abuse.

While gambling, having sex, shopping, or eating certain foods, dopamine levels in the body become altered, similar to what happens when using narcotics. However, psychological dependence can contribute to their mental or even physical discomfort.

Process addictions are prevalent in society, going mostly unrecognized and with most sufferers unable to stop.

9 Marijuana or Cannabis

While many states and countries continue to legalize marijuana for recreational and medical uses, consumption has risen due to its availability and increased potency. Weed or ganja is the most used substance, and many people struggle with the uncomfortable addiction to its active compounds.

Continued use, and as a result, higher amounts of endocannabinoids creates brain dependency on marijuana. Naturally produced neurotransmitters are interfered with, and reduced sensitivity means that over four million Americans are diagnosed with cannabis use disorder, according to the CBHSQ or Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality.

8 Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are a class readily-available of prescription drugs used to treat anxiety, seizures, memory loss, and sleep disorders and are highly addictive. Fifteen kinds of benzodiazepine prescriptions help many people deal with stress, panic attacks, or clinical depression.

When taking benzodiazepines, large surges of dopamine permeate the brain, altering receptor functions inducing pleasurable effects. When a person takes benzodiazepines to self-medicate, addictions can occur. Continued abuse causes the dopamine reining cells in the brain to deteriorate.

In the absence of benzodiazepines, the body lacks large quantities of dopamine. This drop in dopamine causes severe depression, irritability, and confusion. Other discomforts include nausea, stiffness, painful muscles, sweating, sleep and concentration problems, heart palpitations, and panic attacks.

Severe syndromes of withdrawal will include depersonalization, extremity numbness, hallucinations, sensory sensitivity, and life-threatening seizures.

7 Nicotine

Nicotine is among the most common addictions. Tobacco smoking is the primary source of available nicotine and is an uncomfortable one to quit. Cigarettes and other tobacco products are primarily legal, and as such, their addiction is prevalent among millions of Americans and many others around the globe.

Signature nicotine addiction telltale signs include cravings—discontinuity results in irritable and anxious behavior. When inhaled or ingested as chewable tobacco, nicotine elevates the heart rate and goes to the brain, causing a perceived state of temporary relaxation.

The almost immediate withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable for users, but nicotine can become an emotional crutch that addicts reach for when anxious. Smoking and other nicotine delivery forms are filthy habits that soon lead to emphysema or lung cancer, resulting in a painful demise.

6 Cocaine

Not only is cocaine one of the worst addictions in the US, but it’s also significantly misrepresented. Over 1.5 million users suffer from an addiction to cocaine, although the number has declined from its popularity in the 1980s.

A social drug, cocaine in its original form, can boost energy and creates a positive mood, albeit with short-lived effects. Users become addicted to constant use, especially while working or partying, and the habit can be challenging to kick.

Cocaine acts to alter dopamine and serotonin build-ups, shutting down the brain’s normal processes. The feelings of behavior reinforcement, pleasure, or desire are quickly replaced by paranoia, mood swings, and other emotional or physical tolls.

Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, intense cravings, irritability, nightmares, agitation, and general discomfort, while acute symptoms can also cause patients to harm themselves.

5 Methadone

Methadone is a drug used to minimize opiate withdrawal symptoms, but users can often become addicted without proper medical supervision. Methadone helps opioid and heroin addicts get past the most painful phases of recovery. Dangerous tolerances occur when methadone is taken for years. Addiction to this drug prompts abusers to take high doses, resulting in over 40% fatal opioid pain relief overdoses in many states.

Withdrawal symptoms for methadone kick in after a few hours, leaving users with intense symptoms of restlessness, anxiety, and flu-like reactions. Symptoms can last from three hours to over a few weeks of uncomfortable agony.

Like benzodiazepines, the brain tries to regain homeostasis with alcohol, resulting in DT hallucinations, extreme confusion, delirium, and tremors or seizures. Victims will experience continued anxiety, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, depression, and headaches that may last long after the last dose.

4 Crack Cocaine

Derived from the original form of powdered cocaine, crack is a powerful stimulant with an intense euphoria replaced by a compulsive craving. Easy to create, crack cocaine emerged in the US during the 1980s, an inexpensive but highly addictive alternative to heroin.

A psychological dependency for this substance makes it hard to quit abusing, coupled with the high tolerance, which builds up quickly. The drug has at least three recovery stages, but many users relapse due to cravings’ reappearing years after believing they’ve kicked the habit.

3 Methamphetamine

Crystal meth, known as methamphetamine, is a highly addictive synthetic drug made with pseudoephedrine, a common substance used to make cold medication. This human-made stimulant can be snorted, injected, or smoked, giving users a potent high followed by an almost immediate and equally forceful craving.

Meth is hard to quit, and most addicts risk significant neurological damage, not to mention severe exhaustion and depression a crash brings. Users that develop a dependence on this drug can’t manage their life or even have a moment of joy without it.

Long-term methamphetamine use leads to brain damage, preceded by emotional regulation and memory problems. The use of this drug is accompanied by aggressive, violent, and often psychotic tendencies, while medical detox uses anti-anxiety, anti-psychosis, and antidepressants to re-regulate brain chemistry.

2 Heroin

Heroin is derived from morphine and is an illegal opiate produced by a poppy flower species, and users experience intense euphoria and powerful cravings. Addicts of heroin will smoke, inject or inhale its vapors while the drug quickly hits the brain, causing behavioral alterations.

Being an illicit narcotic, heroin dealers usually ‘cut’ or mix it with toxic additives to increase its potency. These additives, some of which are opiates themselves, cause many overdoses, as the street buyer can’t tell the purity of the heroin short of doing a chemical analysis.

Heroin addictions and the resultant egregious withdrawal symptoms cause physicians to prescribe other barbiturates to ease discomfort. Like buprenorphine and methadone, these remedial drugs are highly addictive and can result in new addictions without a doctor’s guidance.

1 Prescription Opioids

The most addictive and abused medicines, prescription opioids, include oxycodone, Vicodin, and codeine. Addicts that abuse opioids get feelings of euphoria and pleasure as the drug attaches to brain receptors to block pain transmission signals.

It’s the severity of withdrawal symptoms that keeps many sufferers addicted to prescription opioids. Symptoms are uncomfortable, and this period’s length will depend on how long a user has been an addict.

Withdrawal symptoms of opioid abuse include stiff, painful muscles, anxiety, a runny nose, hyperventilation, sleep insomnia, and hypertension that can sometimes turn fatal. The acute symptom will involve diarrhea, vomiting, stomach ache, nausea, and depression.

What Causes Addictions?

Several factors constitute the severity of an addiction. These factors measure how uncomfortable that addiction is. Addiction to substances and activities will depend on a person’s genetic makeup, environment, family support, mental illness, and trauma.

Repeated use or involvement in the following will become uncomfortable once you’ve developed a tolerance, which leads to dependence. These addictions take hold of individuals while they are unaware of the harm caused, but they resort to continuing the abuse to escape withdrawal discomfort.

Getting Help for an Addiction

Addiction brings chronic brain overstimulation, and the brain then has to create a new balance set point to maintain homeostasis. This adaptation is due to the brain’s capacity to adjust, setting new balance points through a process known as allostasis. The changes that result from allostasis are what is associated with the behavioral patterns observed in addicts. These include the need to continue with harmful drug use or activities, despite harming yourself or your loved ones.

When an addict recognizes that they have a problem, the road to seeking help and recovery has begun, although not all routes are the same. A medical doctor’s diagnosis is then necessary to correctly estimate the substance or activity addiction stage to make the proper treatment recommendations.

Some substances carry potentially hazardous withdrawal symptoms, and many drug users or activity abusers find quitting cold turkey another reason to relapse. Becoming re-addicted heightens the risk of overdosing, psychological, and other life-threatening medical health issues to occur.

Addiction is a psychological disorder that causes a persistent urge to engage in a specific behavior. In most cases, an addiction has detrimental consequences that alter brain function through constant cravings and lack of self-control. Even though many people associate addiction with drugs, everyday things and harmless indulgences can also become addictions.

The prevalence of addictions in the U.S. has seen a dramatic rise and led to increased unhappiness and even more cases of depression than was reported a decade ago.

Let’s review the top 10 addictions in the U.S.

10 Internet

It’s hard for any regular person to imagine going a day without logging into their computer or smartphone because these devices currently define our lives. Much of our daily activities are now dependent on the internet, from moving around conveniently to medical services and food delivery.

The benefits of the internet are obvious, but we hardly consider the addiction risks everyday internet use exposes us to. In 2021, the Pew Research Center reported that approximately 77% of Americans use the internet daily.

While binge-watching TikTok videos and streaming movies are relatively harmless activities, some people’s constant need to browse the internet interferes with their regular life. Some don’t go out for days, sacrifice personal relationships, and neglect their hygiene because of the internet. It becomes an addiction when you prioritize browsing the internet over critical aspects of your life, like work and relationships.

Internet addiction is a broad term for various impulse control issues involving a smartphone or computer. Examples include cyber relationship addiction, net compulsions, obsessive information seeking, and online gaming.

9 Food

Food is one of the most surprising addictions anyone can have because, unlike drugs, it’s impossible to abstain from food. But, if you’re struggling with grasping food addiction, you only need to look at obesity statistics in the U.S. to understand it.

Some reports indicate that at least 5% of the U.S. population has a food addiction. Generally, food addiction affects more women than men, where the global average is 7% and 3%, respectively.

Like drug addiction, food addiction can lead to cravings and tolerance. Cravings are displayed in the obsessive need to eat despite the negative consequences. Food addicts build tolerance by requiring more food to maintain the same dopamine levels.

The causes of food addiction are unclear, but some research indicates that genetics, brain chemistry, and stress eating are among the top possible causes.

8 Gambling

The internet has also contributed to widespread gambling due to accessibility to betting sites and apps. Gambling is legal and, in most cases, unproblematic. But the fun and social connotation attached to gambling activities prevent many with a problem from admitting it. Only 20% of people who reported a gambling addiction accepted that their gambling might actually be a problem.

Recent reports indicate that approximately six million Americans live with a gambling problem. Unfortunately, many might not recognize the signs until it’s too late. Even though a gambling addiction doesn’t pose any immediate health risks, it can lead to diminished quality of life and compound to substance abuse and depression.

Additionally, gambling is linked to increased relationship friction that results in domestic violence. Children raised by parents with gambling problems are at a higher risk of developing mental health and drug abuse problems. Gambling is also linked to increased crime rates as people frequently commit fraud, forgery, shoplifting, and petty theft to obtain money for their gambling activities.

7 Sex and Pornography

The internet may be the best invention yet, but with it came myriad addictions, including pornography. Sex and pornography addiction are controversial, with some researchers and therapists arguing that it doesn’t exist. The lack of agreement between experts on decisive factors that classify sex and pornography addiction also makes it difficult to recognize when someone is struggling with an addiction to adult content.

Still, it’s critical to note that approximately 3% to 6% of the U.S. population struggle with sex or porn addiction. Additionally, about 35% of all internet downloads are related to pornographic material. Many people who access and view pornography don’t have an addiction.

Addiction begins when someone has an obsessive compulsion to view adult content, forcing them to take irresponsible risks. Other factors that point to porn addiction include:

• Dissatisfaction with an otherwise healthy sex life
• Relationship issues because of dissatisfaction with your partner
• Engaging in risky behavior like viewing the content at work

Part of why pornography and sex addiction are rampant is the ease of internet access. This also increases the risk of exposure to minors and teenagers who may develop unhealthy views of sexual relationships.

6 Heroin

Heroin, also referred to as opioid, is a drug made from the opioid poppy plant seed pods. This plant grows mostly in Southeast and West Asia, Colombia, and Mexico. It comes in the form of a black or white powder or a sticky substance known as black tar heroin.

Heroin is addictive, but sometimes people mix it with cocaine to elevate its effects. This practice is referred to as speed-balling. This drug binds to brain receptors responsible for pain, pleasure, and sleep. It alters these functions by creating an “intense rush of serotonin.”

A heroin rush is usually accompanied by a mixture of feelings, a dry mouth, and a warm feeling on the skin. After the initial sensation wears off, users can experience nausea, vomiting, or intense itching. Depending on the dosage, if the mental function is impaired for too long, it can result in slow breathing and heart rate, which can sometimes be life-threatening.

One of the reasons why heroin is highly addictive is because users develop tolerance quickly. After using it regularly for a few weeks, you will need a higher dosage to maintain the same intensity. This leads to addiction.

Health risks of heroin addiction include increased exposure to infections like HIV, heart and liver diseases, collapsed veins, and overdoses.

Beating a heroin addiction can also be extremely challenging, with some users experiencing intense cravings years after stopping heroin use. Cravings can be triggered by stress, people, events, and other things you might associate with the drug.

5 Cocaine

Cocaine is the second most popular illegal recreational drug in the U.S. after marijuana. Significant use of cocaine in the U.S. began in the mid-1980s and early ’90s and is still one of the most abused drugs today. According to a 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, regular cocaine users stood at 0.8% or 1.9 million people. Only a quarter of these reported cocaine users consume crack cocaine, meaning that most use it in powder form.

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug with the potential for physical and psychological dependence. It also poses several health risks, which include high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, weight loss, mood disorders, strokes, and seizures.

The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies cocaine as a Schedule II controlled drug despite its potential for addiction because it has few medicinal uses. Hospitals use it to stimulate vital bodily functions like heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature.

4 Prescription Drugs

The U.S. has seen a sharp rise in prescription drug abuse and addiction cases in the last five years compared to the previous decade. Prescription drug abuse has risen significantly over the years because of accessibility, affordability, and the misconception that they are less detrimental to your health.

Sadly, prescription drug abuse has several long-term health consequences that can quickly turn chronic when left unattended. For example, opioid abuse, the leading prescription drug addiction, mimics heroin addiction. It can lead to nausea, constipation, shallow breath, and drowsiness.

Side effects of stimulants, such as drugs prescribed for conditions like ADHD, are similar to cocaine withdrawal. They include high temperature, paranoia, weight loss, and irregular heartbeat.

The most prevalent cases of prescription drug addiction fall under painkillers, stimulants like Ritalin, and sedatives used to treat tension and sleeping disorders.

3 Marijuana

Marijuana is widely considered a recreational drug in the U.S., currently legal in 21 states and Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, long-term use of marijuana can lead to addiction and a risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia.

Users associate marijuana with creativity boost and relaxation. This is because it affects parts of the brain responsible for attention, learning, coordination, and decision-making, giving the user an illusion of creativity and an energy boost.

Approximately 18% of Americans, or 42 million people, reported regular marijuana use in 2020. Research also indicates that three of 10 regular marijuana users have a marijuana abuse problem making it the third-highest addiction in the U.S.

Even though the safety and effects of marijuana are highly politicized, studies indicate that it can indeed be addictive and have detrimental withdrawal symptoms after long-term abuse. Enthusiasts might argue that the medical benefits of marijuana far outweigh its negatives, but it’s not the case for everyone.

Studies show that teenagers who start using marijuana before 18 are likely to get addicted and abuse the drug. Additionally, the use of marijuana during pregnancy or breastfeeding can lead to various health risks. Before buying into the popular ‘weed culture,’ ensure you have the right information about marijuana abuse and its risks.

2 Alcohol

Despite its significant consequences, alcohol addiction has been underestimated for many years. This is because alcohol is a legal and socially acceptable drug. These facts make it harder to detect when someone is succumbing to addiction, only to notice when it’s too late.

There are many facts that you may not know about alcohol. First, at least 26% of American adults reportedly indulged in regular binge drinking as of 2019. Of course, many people who drink, even regularly, are not likely to develop an alcohol addiction problem. But this is largely dependent on how well they adhere to daily limits.

In many cases, alcohol addiction begins as a harmless social habit that evolves into full-blown dependence that can lead to serious health issues like depression. For example, most typical beverage servings in bars and restaurants have a higher alcohol percentage than a standard drink.

Another alcohol fact that many people conflate is alcoholism and alcohol abuse. Alcoholism is a brain change that causes a constant obsession with drinking. Alcoholism will lead to drinking even when you didn’t intend to. Alcohol abuse, on the other hand, is taking alcohol in a manner that leads to neglect and irresponsible behavior like drunk driving or failing to go to work. Alcohol abuse leads to alcoholism.

1 Nicotine

Approximately 30 million Americans are addicted to nicotine products, including cigarettes, cigars, patches, nicotine gums, or snuff. Nicotine is the most abused drug in the U.S., with reports showing that teens as young as 13 are dependent on the drug.

Many people addicted to nicotine mistakenly think that cigarette smoking or other nicotine use helps them relax. Nothing could be further from the truth. Recent studies show that nicotine use leads to increased stress levels. After the effects of nicotine use wear off, users start to crave another dose, and this causes them to be cranky and tense.

The shocking thing is that despite the widely reported side effects of nicotine use, the U.S. has not seen a significant drop in nicotine users in recent years. Research shows that nicotine users die 10 to 13 years earlier than non-users, but it is still not motivating enough to stop, perhaps because nicotine is among the most addictive drugs.

It’s essential to note that most teenagers who start smoking or using some form of nicotine remain users for the rest of their lives. What makes nicotine more dangerous is many users result to unhelpful alternatives like e-cigarettes or cigars, thinking they are healthier.

One would think that in this day and age where health and looks are a priority for most, the threat of stained teeth, red gums, and mouth odor would help people keep off nicotine use, but it seems like health campaigns have to take a different approach.