Crazy Things People Have become Addicted to
Tanning
We’ve all seen these people. People who spend just a little too long at the tanning salon. Don’t get me wrong, I think everyone would agree that a little tan is nice and ascetically pleasing to the eyes but if someone overdoes it then it can look very odd. The scientific term for people addicted to tanning, whether it’s through sunbathing or artificial UV tanning beds, is Tanorexia, or simply known as Tanning Dependence. This is when a person has a physical or psychological dependence to always have to tan. People dealing with this are dealing with a form of a body dysmorphic disorder. It’s very similar to people who are anorexic, they see themselves as overweight when in fact they are very much underweight. Compulsive tanners always see themselves as not tan enough even though it’s very much the opposite. Many compulsive tanners also have some sort of anxiety disorder, like depression, eating disorders or obsessive compulsive disorder. Experts also put Tanorexia in the category of a behavioral addiction as well, which involves the person to overly engage in a rewarding non-substance related behavior. You might think that since these people are addicted to a non-substance reward, their affection probably isn’t that bad but in this case the repercussions tanning has on one’s body makes it very dangerous. The effects of Tanorexia can lead to skin cancer, skin burns, premature skin aging and eye damage, both short and long term. There have been some studies done that when someone is under UV rays at high doses the body produces an endogenous opioid called Beta-Endorphin, that is made in the skin and may seep into the bloodstream making it’s way to the brain. So, these compulsive tanners may also have a physical dependence to tanning as well. Tanorexia can be treated by doing cognitive behavior therapy, taking anti-depressants medication and even addiction treatment centers.
Lady with a tanning addiction. (photo credit: Inside Edition)
Plastic Surgery
It’s pretty normal for everyone to not like at least one feature they were born with. Maybe your ears are too big, maybe your nose is a bit crooked, maybe you wouldn’t mind having bigger ta-tas, you get the idea. Most of us just deal with it and carry on with our lives, but a lot of people today get a little (or a lot) plastic surgery to change their appearance to what they want it to look like. Plastic surgery addiction is a very real thing. Don’t believe me? Check out a scientific journal at your local library and see for yourself. Or you can just google it, that woks too. People who are addicted to plastic surgery are suffering from never being satisfied with their bodies and continue to “perfect” them to their perceived preferred body image. It’s also a behavioral addiction just like Tanorexia. Also, many plastic surgery addicts suffer from body dysmorphic disorder too. They will always see their body as flawed and needing to be fixed. 1-2% of the general population suffer from body dysmorphia disorder and it’s been found to be 15 times more prevalent in those seeking plastic surgery.
Usually, people who get a lot of plastic surgery are thought of to be very narcissistic and self involved but it’s actually quite the opposite. Mainly it’s their severe self-insecurity that drives their disorder, or at least starts it. This is where the body dysmorphia kicks in. They may see themselves as ugly and deformed in some way, when they probably look fine. You might think that these people getting the plastic surgery releases stress for them, but you’d be wrong. The stress does not go away, they just go on to the next “defect” they see. People who are plastic surgery addicts also might take part in obsessive compulsive behaviors, like excessive mirror gazing, skin picking, and “self-surgery” practices.
Many plastic surgeries can be very bad for someone’s body. They can have very serious health threats like infections, blood clots, scar tissues, collapsed muscles and even cardiac arrest from taking anesthesia too many times. Many legitimate plastic surgeons will turn away people they deem unstable or who don’t need the cosmetic surgery. This very often leads to sufferers to find less qualified, shady doctors who only care about getting paid.
Often people addicted to cosmetic surgery get addicted to the pain medication they get afterwards for their healing process. Due to their low self esteem and personal image, opioids can act as a pain and emotional reliever. Plastic surgery addiction has only been rising as costs for these procedures have been decreasing over the years. The good news is that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a proven effective way to help sufferers break free from this affliction.
Man who has had 72 cosmetic surgeries. (photo credit: Insider)
Animal Hoarding
An animal hoarder is when someone keeps an unusually high number of pets even though they don’t have the space, proper living conditions, or ways to take care of them properly. Animal hoarders are not usually cruel to animals, most of the times they are very loving towards their pets and overly attached to them. Compulsive animal hoarding is a compulsive hoarding condition that is classified as a mental disorder. These people are addicted in a way that they cannot let go or see that what they are doing is not healthy for the animals. Animal hoarders are most often under the delusion that they are taking care of their pets just fine. Just a person with a lot of pets doesn’t mean they’re an animal hoarder, they have to be failing to recognize that both the house they live in and the animals are deteriorating. Usually they don’t even pick up the animal’s poop. Animal hoarders are not breeders, though many animal hoarders claim to be breeders, or are former breeders who don’t sell their animals anymore.
Experts have explained the condition as a “pathological human behavior that involves a compulsive need to obtain and control animals, coupled with a failure to recognize their suffering.” Animal hoarding is classified as a compulsive hoarding disorder that is linked to obsessive compulsive disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, delusion disorder, attachment disorder and sometimes dementia. Luckily, the American society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals provides a “Hoarding Prevention Team,” which works with animal hoarders to help them cut down and care for a manageable healthy number of pets.
photo credit: Palm Coast Observer
Sniffing Gasoline
If you have ever gotten out of your car at the gas station and took a whiff of the gasoline and enjoyed it, you’re definitely not alone. Many people enjoy the smell of gas. It contains a chemical called benzene that emits the sweet odor that people find pleasant and even euphoric. A neurologist and psychiatrist who specializes in small and taste, Dr. Alan Hirsch, once said that “the smell can evoke good memories of family spent around vehicles or the independence of learning how to pump gas for the first time.” It’s fine to enjoy the smell of gas but to intentionally sniff it often may lead to a serious addiction.
Gasoline has always been a common inhalant abused for its effects of suppressing the central nervous system, like dizziness, drowsiness and euphoria. However, sniffing a lot of gas can lead to memory loss, headaches, seizures, loss of consciousness, hallucinations or even death. Long term use can cause cancers like leukemia. There are over 150 toxic chemicals in gasoline.
A lady who appeared on the tv show, My Strange Addiction, named Theresa was addicting to sniffing gasoline. She wasn’t full on inhaling it but she was sniffing small amounts every few minutes. She realized at a young age after her father let her sniff the family’s gas can that she loved the smell and couldn’t get enough. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recognizes sniffing gas as a serious addiction. People who suffer from it can take traditional drug abuse treatments and therapies to get clean.
Eating Dirt
People having compulsions to eat non-food items is nothing new in the world. Even substances that are toxic people will still eat them if they get the overwhelming urge. This is known as Pica. Some people also get the urge to eat earthly non-food substances like coal, chalk and even dirt. This is known as Geophagy. It probably sounds super odd that some people find that eating dirt to be satisfying but it’s actually one of the most popular non-food items people eat. Better yet, it’s a completely accepted practice in many cultures and places in Africa and around the Tropics.
One of the countries where it’s not weird to eat dirt is Cameroon. They sell it there with the label Kaolin, which is specifically a clay. It is very popular among children and pregnant women for some reason. It’s sold in most markets. If you have an authentic African grocery store in your city, you would probably be able to find the packaged dirt meant for eating called “pregnancy clay.” In fact, the state of Georgia has white dirt that is highly sought after in the dirt eating community. You can find this dirt available online for purchase. The packaging will say “not for human consumption” but we all know that’s a lie.
So, why the heck do people eat dirt? And not just eat it, some people claim to be addicted to it. The mainstream theory is people who crave it have mineral deficiencies in their bodies, like iron and zinc, because of dieting, malnutrition or starvation. Some people maybe addicted to it due to mental illness, obsessive compulsive behavior disorder or developmental disabilities like autism or some sort of mental retardation. Geophagy and Pica can be treated with aversion and behavior therapy. Medical treatments and medicines can also be used to treat the person’s mineral deficiency as well.
Coffee Enemas
Believe it or not, coffee enemas have been a common practice in alternative medicine for about a hundred years now. In case you don’t know, a coffee enema is where instead of drinking a cup of coffee you put it in your colon. Yup, you read that right, your colon, otherwise known as your large intestine, otherwise known as your butt.
Coffee enema advocates claim the practice can boost your immunity, treat autoimmune diseases, remove heavy metals from your body, detox the liver, treat cancer, increase your energy, treat depression and cause euphoria. People get a strong caffeine buzz from doing a coffee enema because down there is full of large blood vessels that can absorb substances quickly. That’s why some medicines come as what’s known as a suppository, meaning you put it in your booty hole.
Coffee enemas originated from the early 1900’s with German physicians looking for ways to treat cancer. Coffee enemas are thought to stimulate bile flow and the production of glutathione, which is a powerful detoxifying antioxidant. They also give you one heck of a caffeine rush too.
The immediate benefit of doing a coffee enema is that its causes the person to have multiple bowel movements which cleanses their bowels completely. So, for constipation, coffee enemas could be a good solution. There’s not enough scientific research to prove or disprove that coffee enemas are beneficial to our healths or viable medical treatments. Some side effects to coffee enemas are nausea, vomiting, bloating, cramping, dehydration, infection caused by unsterile equipment, bowel perforation and rectal burning. Make sure the coffee isn’t too hot!
On the show My Strange Addiction a Florida couple say that they are addicted to taking coffee enemas. Roughly everyday they spend 5 hours prepping and performing them. They each have 100 enemas a month, costing them around $3,000 a year. They love the way it makes them feel so they do it up to 5 times a day, though one of them has done 10 in a 24 hour period. They are so addicted to it they won’t leave the house for long or travel anywhere. Luckily they both work from home. Doing coffee enemas too much can lead to severe dehydration and high blood pressure. This couple isn’t doing their hearts any favors taking these things all the time. Their caffeine tolerance must be through the roof though!
Drinking Urine
Scientifically known as Urophagia, drinking urine has actually been practiced by humans for thousands of years for its “healing” purposes. Some people still do it today. It’s known as Urine Therapy in the alternative medicine circles. They either drink it, apply to to one’s skin or rub in someone’s gums for its effects. No scientific evidence shows that drinking human urine has positive health benefits. It doesn’t really have any negative health benefits either, though there is salt in it so it will dehydrate you, which is why the US Army Field Manual advises against drinking urine to survive.
Pee is made up of 95% water, while the other components are; urea, chloride, sodium, potassium and creatinine. Some people claim that urea in urine has cancer fighting properties and sometimes it’s used as medicine in alternative medicine routes for treating cancer. Other people claim that urine maybe a great source for stem cells.
There’s the old “folk remedy” that peeing on an animal sting, like a sting ray’s, will take the pain away. While some people swear by it, Scientific American reports that it may in fact have the opposite affect. Urinating on a sting might cause nematocysts that makes the sting site to become even more painful.
On the tv show, My Strange Addiction, a woman in her 50’s named Carrie is addicted to drinking her own pee. She would also bathe in it and brush her teeth with it. WTF. She says she likes the taste and finds it comforting. She also said she doesn’t eat asparagus anymore because it “doesn’t taste good recycled.” Does anything taste good recycled?
