Addiction Affliction

The reasons i don't gamble & have made the decision to stop drinking (i can have wine with food, that is all) is because, like many people i have an incredibly addictive personality... for instance, I stayed up all night just so that i could try and beat my high score on Marble Shooter, I spend an unfortunate ammount of money on buttons, I have 3 times the clothing that i can physically facilitate, I've seen every Shirley Temple movie, I've seen every episode of The Office, Criminal Minds & Weeds over 3 times, if i go a day without coffee i get blinding migraines, every time i shower i have to essentially bathe myself in lotion afterward & i watch the news religiously, just so that i can pick out the inverted tenses. I wondered if there were other strange addictions out there & i found some shockingly popular addictions:

Shopping! Old movies! Starbucks!

Tanorexia: Addiction to Tanning

"The name comes because of its similarities to both substance addictions & body image disorders, such as anorexia. There is some evidence that UV tanning dependence may have biological underpinnings like other addictions, such as the production of endorphins."

Side Note: EVERYONE from the cast of the Jersey Shore has this problem.

CrackBerry: Addiction to BlackBerry

"Hearing a "phantom ring" (or experiencing a phantom vibration) and constantly checking e-mail are signs of BlackBerry addiction. Experts say e-mail and text messages may feed the ego because they make people feel important.

Side Note: I have a blackberry! I'm not really THAT enthralled with my phone though, but i do often feel phantom vibrating when it's in my purse.

Addiction to Cosmetic Surgery
"Patients who do not have an addiction to plastic surgery are satisfied when they leave; addicts think just one more procedure—and then another, and another, and another—will make them look perfect. This addiction can be the result of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, which is an unhealthy preoccupation with physical appearance or a specific body part. A famous addict is millionaire Jocelyn Wildenstein, who spent over $4,000,000 on cosmetic surgery over the years."

Side Note: She paid that much money to look like the deformed housebound brother from the Goonies?! "BABY RUTH!"

Pagophagia: Addiction to Ice

"Refers to the obsessive need to chew on ice. Scientific research shows Pagophagia can be a sign of low iron in the blood. The addition of B vitamins can help increase red blood cell production, and vitamin C can aid in the absorption of iron."

Side Note: I read an article that said people with Pagophagia often chew up to 10 lbs of ice per day

Addiction To Funerals

"This is so unique, it doesn't even have a name. Brazilan man Luis Squarisi suffers what he calls an addiction to funerals. The 42-year-old man from Batatais, has attended every single funeral in his town for the past 20 years and has quit his job to be able to feed his addiction. "What set me off was my father's death in 1983. The first thing I do every morning is to turn on the radio to find out if anyone has died, if I don't hear it on the radio I call the hospitals and the local funeral home", said the man. A spokesperson for local funeral home, São Vicente, said: "We dont want him to go to therapy, everyone expects to see him at the funerals."

Side Note: That's endearing.

Geophagy: Addiction To Dirt
'The extraordinary practice of earth eating is well documented by medical and anthropology journals and classified as "pica" or "geophagy". While not being considered a social norm in Western society, the custom is quite common among primitive or economically depressed peoples, and also animals, to augment a scanty or mineral-deficient diet. However, the practice is most often confined to people suffering from chronic mental illness and commonly labeled as "nutters".
Side Note: When my brother was little we'd convince him to eat dirt all of the time... he's not developmentally challenged.

Teeth Whitening Addiction
"Since bleaching is easy and effective, people can really get hooked. Two possible side effects of this addiction are tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. According to a report, in the US alone, people spent almost $1.4 billion on tooth whitening products and procedures in 2006."

Side Note: ... I think my boyfriend has something like this, he spends 30 -35 minutes brushing his teeth at one time.