10 Major Teenage Addiction and Ways to Overcome Them

We tend to use the word “addicted” very commonly daily. For instance, you might have heard a mother of an 8-year-old say that her child is addicted to candy. But amidst this, we forget the real meaning of the word and joke about it and take it lightly. When in reality, it is something that poses a grave threat to the life of the individual who suffers from addiction.

This is because we never talk about addiction in its literal terms. We simply associate it with excess usage or consumption of something. But in psychological terms, addiction is a brain disorder due to which a person is unable to stop the consumption of or engaging in something specific, which slowly leads to mental as well as physical damage, thereby being dangerous.

Today, most of the people suffering from an addiction, be it anything, tend to belong to the teenage group. From social media addiction to substance abuse, teenagers are slowly becoming the prey of such threats. But don’t worry, for we have just the right way to help you out with a list of 10 major teenage addictions and the ways to overcome them.

But before that, it is important to note that none of these things are evil or being bad mouthed, because everything to a certain extent and if used at the right age, is acceptable to a point. It is only when this extent is crossed when it changes into an addiction, which then becomes harmful. So, to avoid that, one first needs to identify the addiction and its causes and then apply the ways to overcome them.

Alcohol

One of the most prevalent addictive substances, alcohol, is extremely dangerous, especially when taken up as an addiction. But why is alcohol addictive? This is because it tends to trigger those parts of your brain, which release endorphins, ergo those chemicals that produce good feelings and make you happy. Besides this, other reasons such as peer pressure, social attention, etc., can also become reasons for its addiction.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Attend support groups or clubs.
• Seek help through counselling or therapy.
• Go on a detox on your own.
• Start with small steps. For instance, limit the amount of alcohol you consume and keep cutting the limit slowly till you stop completely.
• Get rid of bad influences. Know that friends who encourage such habits of yours are not your friends.
• Stay firm towards your goal.

Smoking Tobacco/ Marijuana 

This is another common but exceedingly harmful substance that teenagers get addicted to. Studies have shown that a majority of people smoke because they find it easier to cope with stress, PTSD, and other adverse moods in this way.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Identify when is it that you crave cigarettes and why and then try changing that or avoiding whatever it is that triggered you.
• Get nicotine patches or chewing gums.
• Talk to a trusted friend or a loved one when upset. Know that smoking is not the right way to relieve stress.
• If you face extreme withdrawal symptoms, consider talking to a counsellor or joining a support group.

Social Media 

Social media addiction falls into that category which is harmful indeed but is still not taken that seriously. The answer to the question of why is social media addictive is because according to studies, social networking sites tend to trigger the same parts of your brain that addictive substances do, thereby making you happy and putting you in a good mood.

Then how is it harmful? Well, that is because it tends to have numerous negative effects and portrays things in a very unrealistic way which often instigates feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, etc.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Abstain from using social media accounts as much as you can. Deleting social media accounts can also be helpful.
• Switch to alternative activities in the time you use social media. For instance, read a book or listen to music instead of using social media.
• Spend more time working or with your friends and family.
• Learn a new activity or hobby to pass the time.
• Instead of overlooking all the bad effects of social media, keep that in focus and cut down its usage more.

Video Games 

With advanced video-gaming technology such as x-box or Ps4, teenagers stay stuck in front of the television screen for hours to play these video games and tend to develop an addiction for the same. This can be damaging to them both physically and psychologically.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Set time limits and slowly reduce the amount of time spent in playing video games.
• Start indulging yourself in other activities that do not involve screens.
• Switch to outdoor games or even board games as a healthier alternative if you want to get refreshed.
• Involve your parents and friends and build a rapport with them and spend quality time with them instead of wasting it in front of screens.

Binge Eating 

Eating disorders tend to spark a lot of concern as these are dangerous for an individual’s health, body, and mind. Binge eating is such a disorder in which a person tends to over-eat, thus exceeding his/her normal eating limit until he/she starts to feel uncomfortably full. Binge eating episodes tend to occur, especially in teenagers and have them consume specifically junk foods in large amounts.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Note down all those trigger foods or those food items that you tend to crave the most. Cut down its consumption slowly and gradually. You could also switch to a healthier alternative if you want.
• Talk to a nutrition specialist about it.
• Strictly avoid skipping meals because you tend to become hungrier by doing that.
• Stay hydrated.
• Start exercising and/or yoga.

Gambling

This is a progressive but extremely harmful addiction as it has severe repercussions on the individual in terms of his/her mental, physical, and social health. Psychologically, it is classified as an impulse-control disorder.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Look for other ways to help you cope with stress.
• Think about life and your future ahead.
• Take up a new hobby or rekindle an old one.
• Always remember that to gamble is never to win but only to lose.

Drugs 

A hardcore drug addiction is severe to such an extent that it can lead to the death of the individual suffering through the addiction. Peer pressure and the inability to be able to keep up with various stresses are some of the main reasons as to why teenagers indulge in such an act.

Ways to overcome this addiction:

• Seek help. Get admitted to a rehab centre or join support groups or counselling sessions.
• List down all the reasons as to why you would want to overcome this addiction.
• Set a daily goal and apply that.
• Start exercising, meditating and practice mindfulness.
• Take up a healthy diet.

Sex

The constant need to satiate one’s physical needs is one of the main reasons why people from an incredibly young age tend to get addicted to sex. Another reason is the prevalence of sexual acts in movies and shows on a large scale.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Get help or join treatment programs.
• Think thoroughly about the future, the risks involved and other pros and cons.
• Be aware and educated about STDs and other such risks.

Internet 

Although the internet is helpful and useful in numerous ways, it also has certain adverse effects if one gets addicted to it

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Practice self-control. Be patient and practice it regularly for change takes time.
• Take up other tasks, even if they are trivial.
• Focus on your work, studies, and other activities.
• Get rid of especially those sites and apps that are killing your concentration.

Shopping

Contrary to popular belief, shopping addiction is real. When you tend to indulge in compulsive shopping or compulsively buying things, then it is something you should be concerned or worried about. Because it has become a compulsion to spend money recklessly and that slowly leads to many financial, social and mental problems.

Ways to overcome this addiction: 

• Set a budget.
• Think about the time and money that you are spending and could spend them somewhere better and more valuable.
• Instead of emotional spending and “treating yourself”, talk to a friend or go on a brunch or a movie date to lighten your mood instead.
• Occupy yourself through other useful activities.

Conclusion

All the above-listed addictions pose a serious threat to individuals, especially teenagers and need to be rooted out. But change does not come instantly in a day or two. It will take time, but if you are willing to change for the better, it will happen. All you have to do is be patient and determined enough to get better!

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Co-author:  Khushi Shah 

Khushi has just passed her school and is now studying at PDPU. Apart from writing, she likes to sketch and dance. She also has other blogs where she posts proses and poetry.