Seven Vices other than drugs and alcohol

Many know I don't smoke, drink, or take recreational drugs. This prompted an ex-girlfriend a few years back to ask me what my vice was. A vice is like an addiction, except it is not always dangerous I have a couple actually, as many of us do.

Here are seven of these such vices that exist.

1. Unhealthy food and drinks

People are consuming more of these now that the weather is cooler. Tasty sweet foods, desserts, buffets, and sodas are just some of the things that many crave. They also cannot do without them. That sugar rush has said to be equivalent to the type of rush crack addicts get. That sounds a little scary to me.

2. Social media

This is personally one of my biggest vices. Heck I have blogged about it on occasion. Currently Facebook and Twitter are the ones that are hot that have been around for so long. Now you have the two newcomers Instagram and Pinterest keeping the social media craze alive. People love to take photos, and they want to capture every moment via Instagram. Pinterest is good for photos, showcasing your interests, and putting certain items in a scrapbook type format. Many folks spend countless hours on some sort of social networking site and apps. It's a self-expression for them.

3. Entertainment (television, music, movies).

These forms of entertainment are good ways to escape from your normal life and to unwind. Television keeps a person's attention, whether be a football game, a suspenseful drama, the political debates, or a reality show. Music is the universal language, and has really become enhanced thanks to iTunes and Pandora. You can listen to music of all times virtually anywhere. Movies are cheap to rent and stream thanks to Netflix and Redbox. Then you have film buffs such as I than enjoy catching a movie at least once per week.

4. Sex

Sex is one of the greatest ways to express your love and affection for someone else. You see sex everywhere now, including in some of the previously mentioned vices. There are those that love it that much. You even have sex addicts or "nymphos”. They can't get enough of it.

5. Gambling

Gambling is one of the more dangerous of the vices I'm listing. Yes even the education lottery is gambling. Vegas, Atlantic City, and numerous Native American casinos stay in business due to folks being addicted to gambling. It is so serious there is Gamblers Anonymous just like AA and NA. You can ruin your life and the others around you through gambling.

6. Working Out.

Yes as much as I love health and wellness, even working out is a vice. I mentioned a couple of years ago about "The Gym Rat" There is a reason this term is so popular, and that is because these people spent so much time in the gym seven days/week, for two and three hours at a time. Your body needs rest to properly recover and even if you're a professional athlete or bodybuilder, you must set a limit. It is awesome to get those stunning results and compliments from others. Nevertheless, you want to be able to enjoy those accolades.

7. Shopping

Women have been known for years for spending hours in the mall, spending hundreds of dollars. Present day, both genders are spending lots of money in various fashions and forms of shopping. Online shopping has become huge, especially with eBay and Amazon, and one can easily spend hours dishing out money. Convenience can make one more apt to do or try something. The explosion of coupons, Groupons, and LivingSocial deals has also made it easier just to shop the day and night away.

So what is your vice, if not drugs and alcohol?

 

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Drug Abuse and Addiction Are Real

Generations ago, it was illegal to even drink at all. This is when prohibition started. Fast forward to now. You have more and more people affected by drug abuse and addiction than ever.
It is more than simply alcohol now. It is crack, prescription pills, Xctasy, and now even bath salts. Certain folks always feel the need to get high and escape to function and cope with life. They feel the need for them like a fish needing water. Of course a fish cannot survive without water. Unfortunately, many folks cannot survive without these drugs, which ironically can end up killing them. At best, your health, wealth, and body are at risk.
Drug addiction is a disease, an evil one, but one that has a cure. It has affected so many people, young and old, and their families and friends. They see this person they once knew as a violent, depressing shell of themselves. They forget not only small, everyday things and tasks; they forget who they really are.  It's truly a tragedy. 
My brother's life was ended early as a result of an accidental drug overdose. Drug abuse is near and dear to my heart not only because I have lost my brother, I have seen other family members destroy their lives as well.
Many celebrities have fallen victim to drugs and died at young ages. These include Frankie Lyman, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Chris Farley, John Belushi, Elvis Pressley, Sam Kinison, and Amy Winehouse. Too many people are losing their families, minds and lives for a temporary high.
Healing from a drug addiction is not easy. Rehab can help. There are also counselors, medications to wean one from their drug of choice, and various support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. However, I've found these such programs work best when that person wants them to work. The addict in question must be ready to make that change.
It is very sad to see a person who knows drugs are horrible and deadly, but cannot shake the habit. These people need your support and love.
There are hotlines and websites to help fight these terrors. Two are The Drug Abuse Hotline, 800-234-8334 and The National Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center, 800-784-6776.
We need to stay educated, at an early age and on throughout life, about the dangers of certain drugs. D.A.R.E. has been active for years in the schools. Our communities must strive together and fight this disease, the same way we fight cancer and paralysis.
Please don't give up this battle. We have stopped too many things as a people, as a nation. Drug abuse can be controlled and eventually curbed. Use your resources, willpower, and make that stand.

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Amy Winehouse didn't make it to rehab, no, no, no (stop the joking now)

Believe me folks, this blog is one of serious nature.

Amy Winehouse, talented, soulful singer, was found dead in her London apartment this past Saturday, July 23. She was 27.

I don't joke about this topic for several reasons. One because drug abuse is a serious disease. It hasn't been confirmed whether or not Amy's death was caused by drugs and/ or alcohol. Many folks die young from it and never get the help they need, even when its available. Amy was a talented singer, but a human being first. She had so much more life ahead of her. Instead, she becomes a sad clique'.

Also, drug and alcohol abuse seems to run rampant in the entertainment industry. They have all of these evil vices available and they indulge (often over indulging) Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, John Belushi, Elvis Pressley, Chris Farley, Frankie Lyman, and Sam Kinison are just of the few notable names whose lives were cut short by drug addiction. Joplin, Morrison, and and even Amy all died at age 27. Guess there's a lot of meaning behind sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.

This subject especially hits close to home since my brother, Adam, was a fatal victim of drug addiction. He passed away over 5 years ago as a result of overdosing on methadone and valium. He was addicted to several drugs, including oxycontin, crack, weed, alcohol, and especially xanax. Those drugs make him a different, more violent person. It was awful and saddening to see him in that sight. He put my mom through pure Hell for 6 years. Its sad now to see how my mom hurts over losing him. I would do almost anything to bring back my brother and dry her tears and mend her broken heart. Therefore, the folks I hate it for the most are Amy's parents. They're experiencing a parent's worst nightmare right now. Amy was merely an entertainer to us. To them, she was their beloved daughter.

The fact that it wasn't a complete suprise isn't the issue here. You don't want to wish death on someone. That's why it disgusts me to see folks joking about Amy. She was a sick, sad, lost individual whose time ran out.

My question is when will this vicious cycle end? Too many lives have been lost to this disease. Many folks need medication and hard drugs to properly function. But when anything isn't performed in moderation, it can end bad.

So please stop laughing now jokesters. Think of Amy as your cousin, sister, or even daughter. Forget that she was a Grammy winning singer whose biggest hit was "Rehab". She deserves our utmost respect in death. She definitely didn't get it in life.

So what are you doing to prevent and slow down drug addiction?

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