5 Addictions You Need to Break.

An addiction is classified as a physical or subconscious need for a habit-forming substance that may include coffee, drugs or alcohol. What happens is the mind and the body will adapt to the substance or thing being used and the person can't live without it. According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there were 21.5 million people aged 12 or older in 2014 alone that had a substance use disorder. We know about the most common addictions like drugs and alcohol, but common drugs and alcohol are not the only ones that people battle with. Whether it is sex addiction, caffeine addiction, food addiction, or anything that makes someone lose control--addiction can be devastating if it is not taken care. It doesn't matter what the addiction is. So don't be surprised if you have an addiction. Having a dependence on anything is unfortunate. Here are 5 addictions you need to break.

Caffeine

We don't think of caffeine being a mood-altering legal drug but it sure is! Caffeinated products like coffee, soda and tea are the most widely used drug in the world. Caffeinated products are in the top 20 of the most drugs used. This includes cocaine, cannabis, magic mushrooms and amphetamines! When we have 1,000 milligrams or more of caffeine a day it may lead to depression. Too much caffeine may additionally lead to insomnia, anxiety, muscle spasms and some heart problems. With 85 percent of Americans consuming one caffeinated cup of coffee per day, no wonder why we are addicted to this drug.

Sex

The same way people are addicted to caffeine, food or alcohol--some people develop a sex addiction. We think of sex addiction as being a taboo subject, but it is a substantial problem for the 30 million people it impacts. It ultimately comes down to brain chemistry, Addictions.com reported. When people are addicted to drugs, they’re actually "addicted to the neurotransmitters the substance they ingest stimulates the release of when it reaches the brain." With sexual addiction, the person becomes obsessed with thoughts and behavior related to sex. They may be addicted to pornography as well. Researchers also found a link between bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder with sex addiction.

Food 

Although it is a joke to many in our society, food addiction is a real thing. The connection with the food and the consequence is being further explored by science. Science is finding that high fat, high sugar foods may create an addiction to food. What happened is that a chemical imbalance takes place. Dr. David A. Kessler was the former head of the Food and Drug Administration and has done in-depth research on the matter. He said we are living in a food carnival "where huge portions of foods loaded and layered with sugar, fat, and salt are on every street corner and are available 24/7" and it is enabling us to overindulge. The effects are nothing demure of food addiction.

Sugar

Do you have a sweet tooth that is out of control? If you’re like many people, you might be addicted to sugar. Like any other substance, the feel-good rush from sugar is pretty antiquated. In fact, man has been addicted to sugar for some time. Scientists have found that sugar is addictive and excites the same pleasure centers of the brain as cocaine or heroin. Refined sugar detected in white flour, candy, soda, bread, cookies and in cakes stoke the inflammatory messengers called cytokines. So when you eliminate sugar from your diet--the withdrawals can be as bad as weaning off of drugs.

Internet

There is an addiction to something that might startle you. A problematic use of the internet is called "compulsive internet use." Yes, it is an addiction. In fact, it has been added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that is published by the American Psychiatric Association every year. Excessive internet use has "resulted in either mental distress or clinical impairment, akin to the type of inability to the function associated with pathological gambling," the New Yorker reported. This addiction has really impacted a lot of people all over the world. There are an estimated 420 million people addicted to the internet. Internet addiction progressed so rapidly in China that the country was the first to label it a disorder.

Addiction is prevalent in any society and has many faces. Whether it is the internet, food, sex or caffeine--they all have grave ramifications. Any addiction can be detrimental to our health, detrimental to our relationships and detrimental to having a bright future. If you are suffering, don't do it alone and contact a licensed therapist in your area for guidance.

Beliefnet.com