Chapter 6 is a really interesting chapter because sometimes when we think about addiction, the first thing that comes to our heads is drugs. Because it is something easier to measure and because only recently we noticed that people can be addicted to shopping, sex, social media, working out, in other words, everything. The first interesting topic for me was addiction to social media. At the beginning of the chapter it says at at least 9% of students agreed that social media affected their school performance. Which I consider that is a huge understatement because how many times have we procrastinated or did not finish a school assignment because we were so caught up with social media. Couple of months ago I was so addicted to social media and Instagram that it made me insecure about myself and my body. I would compare myself with other or not feel attractive or good enough so I decided to delete Instagram for a couple of months until I felt better. Now I feel like after a couple of months of trying to find something else to do and focusing on myself, I do not care anymore. I think everything is a working process and we all have a journey and time work on our goals.
The second interesting topic to me was exercise addiction. Because I stopped working out regularly for the past couple of weeks, I been feeling weak and struggling lifting the weight that I was lifting before. I would get so mad and frustrated that I would literally cry after the gym because I felt like I wasn’t doing this right and I ruined what I have been working so hard for months. Maybe it is not an addiction yet, but it is definitely an unhealthy behavior. Working out for me should be something that relaxes me, makes me feel better and more comfortable. And when I go to the gym and feel insecure or weak because I can’t do something, it really takes one of the purpose of why I go to the gym which is to feel better about myself and be proud of my accomplishments. One example was yesterday, I tried to dead lift 225lbs and I was so focused on just lifting it that I did not worry about the shape of my body or if I was lifting it right, I just wanted to lift it regardless if it was the right way or not. Of course, because I wasn’t thinking straight, I had my back in the wrong position and now I pulled a muscle, once again.
The last topic that stoke to me was the reasons why people become addictive to something. I think some people really have addictive personalities and after they start something it is hard for them to stop. However, I also think that your past has a lot to do with it as well as to fit in. It is really interesting how there is not an specific raise, economic status or gender that is more likely to be addicted to something than others, it is simply the circumstances. Sometimes people think that when famous people are addicts or die from overdose which happens really often in young famous singers and actors like Juice Money, most of the time is not because they have a lot of money or because they are popular but because they have so much pressure that they just don’t show it off on social media, pressure to fit in, and all the things that they went through to get where they are to make them become addicts, just like Demi Lovato. It is simply hard for an famous and important influence to admit that they are addicts and that they need help without disappointing fans or even ruining their careers.
Environmental Health 