11 Common Things We Don’t Realize Can Get Us Addicted

Moisturizing your skin, drinking diet sodas, and listening to music are all daily habits that we often don’t think about in terms of consequences. But the truth is that even the most common routines can become addictive and harmful to your mind and body.

To help inform you, Bright Side is highlighting the most common daily actions that can lead to compulsive behavior.

1. Moisturizing your skin

Moisturizing the skin for a long period of time can make it forget how to hydrate on its own. One study found that if you stop using atopic creams on your body, the skin can remain dry for up to 3 weeks without self-hydration. But the good news is that natural moistening can be restored naturally and gradually.

2. Drinking diet soda

Diet sodas have artificial sweeteners in their composition, and because they’re just as sweet as sugar, they also stimulate cravings and dependencies. That’s why switching from normal soda to a diet version isn’t the best approach if you want to lose weight.

3. Tanning in a UV bed

Studies say that the ultraviolet rays released in tanning beds increase cerebral blood flow in areas associated with substance dependence. That’s why people who like to tan indoors often go back for more in a shorter period of time, even if they don’t need it.

4. Applying lip balm

Considered a behavioral addiction, the urge to apply lip balm is concerning for a large number of consumers. This is because it’s a ritual that provides pleasure and can become an obsessive act, just like biting the nails or plucking out hair.

5. Listening to music

When we listen to music, dopamine is released in our brain. Although this can leave us feeling euphoric and craving more, listening to music is also related to a number of benefits, like enhancing cognitive performance, decreasing stress, and lifting the mood.

6. Whitening your teeth

Whitening your teeth is not only addictive but the disorder also has its own name: bleachorexia. It can be seen as a body dysmorphic problem, as people tend to always see their teeth as dirty and yellow, even when they’re already perfect white.

7. Falling in love

The early stages of falling in love have similar characteristics to substance addiction, like cravings, euphoria, and anxiety. This happens because both sensations stimulate the same brain area that’s responsible for knowing the reward and urge experiences.

8. Using eye drops

According to studies, cycloplegics eye drops can be highly addictive. These are used during an eye examination to see the retina or to treat cornea inflammation. A number of cases have been reported of people suffering from withdrawal after receiving treatment involving this type of eye drop.

9. Buying designer clothes and accessories

Compulsive buying is also considered a type of behavioral addiction. They’re drawn to designer and luxury brands to impress others and to feel superior. This act leads to an increased level of anxiety and isolation but can be treated with medical help.

10. Taking selfies

The act of constantly taking selfies can be considered a mental disorder and is often observed in teenagers with low self-esteem. This addiction can be seen in 2 forms: the need to achieve the perfect selfie and the urge to receive good feedback on social media.

11. Getting your body pierced

Endorphins, also known as the “feel-good” chemical, are released when you get your body pierced. That’s why a rush of euphoria and happiness takes place, causing people to get addicted to that feeling.

What’s your favorite daily habit that you can’t live without?