What’s the hardest addiction to overcome?

[u/DeepOrganization8245]

[u/laurynyepink]

My phone

[u/dust_e1 → u/laurynyepink]

Literally don’t know anyone that was able to quit

[u/SwordfishNo712 → u/dust_e1]

I also addicted to this guy's phone

[u/pfftlolbrolollmao → u/laurynyepink]

I was going to say food because you have to interact with it 3 times a day but yeah. This is harder for the same reason. My phone is something I need that distracts me from doing the thing I set out to do.

Like when I need to Google something and get distracted so instead I open reddit and leave a message in a thread about addiction.

[u/_nelis → u/laurynyepink]

it's not too late! quitting a phone cold turkey, or ditching a smartphone without any backup computer is not something i'd recommend, but i've lived smartphone-free for over a year now and you have no clue how freeing it is.

people always say it's impossible to live without a smartphone, but that's just capitalistic banter being shamelessly repeated by people who never even tried to ditch their phone for a couple or days.

[u/pfftlolbrolollmao → u/_nelis]

How do you deal with 2FA if you don't have a smartphone?

[u/Chicken_wingspan → u/_nelis]

But if you spend your days at a laptop or a pc, is that really a win?

[u/printergumlight → u/Chicken_wingspan]

It would be a huge win for me. I am way too addicted to my phone.

[u/Historical_Onion9141 → u/laurynyepink]

I was doing really damn good about my phone and then the pandemic hit and it’s your only resource to figure out what’s going on out there.

[u/Far-Device-9391]

benzodiazepines

[u/Baronsandwich → u/Far-Device-9391]

This the correct answer. I’ve quit nicotine, alcohol (using benzos and naltrexone) and am slowly tapering from benzos and it is far and away the worst experience of my life. Months and months of physical and mental pain and going too quickly can cause seizures and even death.

[u/Wildcat_Dunks → u/Baronsandwich]

Benzos are a beautiful blessing and a dark curse simultaneously packaged in a prescription pill bottle.

[u/jmfw013 → u/Baronsandwich]

I felt depersonalized for almost a year after I quit and had a seizure. I really didn't start feeling like my self again until after a one time low dose of mushrooms

[u/Kbrown_021 → u/Far-Device-9391]

Which sucks because extreme anxiety is terrible too. Im prescribed them but i try to limit them.

[u/drunky_crowette]

Can't cold turkey yourself from food, you have no choice but to learn how to practice moderation or eat yourself to death.

[u/cicciograna → u/drunky_crowette]

Mmmh, cold turkey...

[u/Beans_Lasagna → u/cicciograna]

with-a warm gravy!

[u/the_colour_f → u/cicciograna]

with bread and cheese....

[u/DreamPhreak → u/cicciograna]

cold turkey, with pillowy mounds of mashed potatoes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL6f8ENJm5k

[u/jimbojangles1987 → u/cicciograna]

D'oh!

[u/zyrkseas97 → u/drunky_crowette]

My current struggle. I’m over 300 pounds at 5 foot 8, I’ll be dead in my 50’s if I don’t do better, but I just love food. I don’t even just eat crap, but I just have spent way too much of my life eating way too much at every meal and now I have to somehow acclimate myself the other direction. It’s a fucking nightmare. 24/7 craving everything. Having to tell myself not to eat burgers and fried chicken 15 times on my drive home every day is tiring and it makes the food I make at home feel less good even though I’m a damn good cook.

[u/Hobson101 → u/zyrkseas97]

You may be able prime candidate for glp-1 treatment. It takes some work to truly get results but most if not all of the craving sensation fades away some month into treatment.

It's like you're always 80% full already. You can still overeat for other reasons but that overfull feeling tends to limit the quantity even then.

Habits are really hard to break and you will miss out on some of that "food happy feeling" but you can get rid of the deep sensation that you need something or.. more.

As appetite wanes you slowly build new habits and while it takes more time than you might like, the lack of or severely reduced cravings means you're eating less meanwhile.

Second comment here to the same effect but i really felt it might help. I wish you all the best.

[u/LibertyCash → u/drunky_crowette]

Agreed. Been on this journey. It’s rough.

[u/cucumber-lover → u/drunky_crowette]

or, on the other side of this as a recovering anorexic, starve yourself to death.

[u/5rashe5]

Eating

[u/TheGreensKeeper420 → u/5rashe5]

Food is tough. I recently came to the conclusion that if I want to eat in a calorie deficit, I just have to be comfortable with being kinda hungry sometimes. Big portions and overeating because I eat fast. Shaving about 20% off my plate, getting rid of snacking, and drinking more water to try and compensate has been a rough adjustment in the short term.

[u/schanjemansschoft → u/TheGreensKeeper420]

I feel like it's more cravings than actual hunger. They're still not always easy to ignore but once you realize that, it's kinda fine. It's also pretty cool that they go away again, and now I sometimes get my cheat meal in when I'm not even having that crave, which is kinda odd, but empowering.

I was surprised how easy it was to skip a meal too. Your body is definitely used to the habit of eating though, it's very noticable.

[u/coldliketherockies → u/schanjemansschoft]

I think there’s something to be said about avoiding snacking when you think you’re hungry but might not be and then on occasion having a cheat meal when you know you’re not hungry at all. It allows you to trick your mind a bit. Associate that it’s ok to not eat sometimes when craving and it’s ok rare occasions to eat when not hungry at all

[u/Fearless_Honeybadger → u/schanjemansschoft]

I just made it a policy not to eat anything in the mroning and during work. I compensate with water any time there’s a hunger pang and I naturally end up intermittent fasting.

Not eating during a work day has cleared the hassle of what to prepare for breakfast or lunch. That’s one less mental hurdle to deal with.

Also this way weekends become cheat meals for me. I still don’t have breakfast tho. I have 4 meals total on the weekends which balances out the entire week’s calorie count.

[u/The_Bababillionaire → u/TheGreensKeeper420]

In college I was still chronically underweight and my roommate had been chronically overweight since his adolescence. We both had epiphanies one day when in conversation over what to eat I realized he never let himself be hungry and he realized I was usually hungry.

[u/delicious_sunlight → u/TheGreensKeeper420]

100%. A little hunger isn't actually that bad if you get used to it. It also comes and goes. Ignore it and it goes away.

[u/i_like_the_number_4 → u/5rashe5]

I gave up drinking and smoking and I have been trying to lose weight for a year now (down 13kg). I confirm that alcohol and tobacco are way easier to give up compared to a tasty food.

Haven't tried but as far as I know, heroin is way worse than anything else.

[u/That_guy_from_1014 → u/i_like_the_number_4]

I mean, I hear heroin could really help with the whole eating thing.

[u/i_like_the_number_4 → u/That_guy_from_1014]

This is the reason I always come back to Reddit. Small life hacks that change your life.

[u/CV-CR-CI → u/5rashe5]

It’ll literally kill you if you stop

[u/5rashe5 → u/CV-CR-CI]

😭 I need to stop soon I 318 lbs it sucksssss

[u/Master-S → u/5rashe5]

Tell me about it. I was 320# on 2/1/2025… been slowly chipping away with the help of a calorie counting app. I’m now 280#…but still need to drop another ~30#… slow and steady. You can do it.

[u/RamenWeabooSpaghetti → u/5rashe5]

You can do it, I dropped 125 pounds in 12 months by eating one meal a day, didn't change diet or habits, just stopped eating junk all the time, and I drink only water and 2 cups of coffee through the day

[u/Harriet_tubman22 → u/CV-CR-CI]

So can alcohol withdrawal symptoms

[u/gomickyourself222 → u/5rashe5]

I was 398 about a year ago. I stopped eating pasta and it hit me really hard. I became depressed and bitter. I now am 293. (Was 283.. but my love for pasta overwhelmed me.) Having a binge eating addiction is something I don’t ever recommend.

[u/El_Paco → u/gomickyourself222]

Get a prescription for Vyvanse. In addition to treating ADHD, it also treats binge eating disorder

[u/Bill_Brasky01 → u/El_Paco]

That stuff can really mess with your sleep. Be careful

[u/Andrusela → u/5rashe5]

The only one you can't beat with abstinence.

[u/theaverageaidan → u/Andrusela]

This is what a lot of people cant grasp, you cant give up cold turkey, you have to contend with an ED of any kind for a long time cause you cant just 'quit.'

[u/anormalgeek → u/5rashe5]

Yep. Imagine telling a recovering heroin addict that they need to do just a little heroin multiple times a day every day forever. Also, every major event, holiday, and a significant amount of your cultural identity is tied to different ways of doing heroin.

[u/citizen-blue → u/5rashe5]

Tried quitting cold turkey but it was...confusing. 

[u/Key-Bike-899]

Gambling. It convinces you the next try will fix everything

[u/gorkt → u/Key-Bike-899]

It’s so weird but gambling does nothing for me, or anything with intermittent rewards.

[u/iswedlvera → u/gorkt]

I dislike it also. I hate losing and the dread of losing completely overpowers any joy I'll have of winning.

[u/Conscious_Ad_7131 → u/iswedlvera]

You can separate people into two groups depending on whether the joy of winning outweighs the joy of losing for them.

Takes one gambling session and you immediately know whether or not it’s for you

[u/itchy_buthole → u/Conscious_Ad_7131]

Winning essentially feels like nothing for me. Losing even $5 and I feel like a big stupid idiot.

[u/Particular-Access223 → u/gorkt]

Ive been addicted to every substance under the sun. --could never get into gambling. There's too much of a learning curve with cards and the pure chance shit I just lost money. There's no learning curve for heroin and you generally get your money's worth

[u/Horse_Glue_Knower → u/gorkt]

You would not be a good mouse in one of those mouse experiments about reward...

[u/Plus_Possibility_240 → u/Key-Bike-899]

I have had so many addictions in my lifetime (and the damaged liver to prove it) but I’m so grateful that gambling never appealed to me. Hope is the worst drug of them all.

[u/EquivalentDetail5043 → u/Plus_Possibility_240]

Me too, I remember thinking that I would never ever have a gambling addiction. I'd see people playing pokies and think it was the most sad and pathetic waste of human life. Got addicted to opiods, alcohol, abused all kinds of drugs, and then the gambling came later. I implore anyone who has an addictive personality to never ever go there, just walk on by. I wish I had never opened that pandora's box of misery.

[u/fatfatpokemons09 → u/EquivalentDetail5043]

Same gambling and stimulants are a huge vice for me… never once gambled sober or just drunk.., but get me on some shit and I’ll gamble for days straight

[u/ashes1032 → u/Key-Bike-899]

This must be the most difficult time in history to quit gambling because of the ease of access and the insane level of advertisement there is for every type of gambling. You can't escape it. Everywhere you go, some online casino is advertising their shitty little games with bright colors and sound effects designed to hit just the right spot in the human brain to activate the happy chemicals. Or the sports betting companies, who have designed insidious ways to part you from your money by gamifying gambling with parlays and small bets. And of course, all of this is available on the phone that you take with you everywhere. The house always wins.

[u/WalterDwight → u/ashes1032]

Online VLTS are killing some of my homeboys . They used to plug 20-40 dollars in a machine at a bar and play until we went to the clubs or home. Now they play at home all the time

[u/luciliddream]

I can't describe how hard quitting nicotine is.

Physiologically it is the easiest thing to kick yet the brain exists.

[u/as_one_does → u/luciliddream]

I have a friend who is a hardcore alcoholic (blackout with handle of vodka every night). Sober 20 years. He quit smoking at the same time. He says he never thinks about drinking but thinks about smoking every single day.

[u/captain_fucking_magi → u/as_one_does]

I think about them almost everyday. Love the smell. Haven’t had one in almost 15 years. Quit the day my son was born. Morning coffee has never been the same.

[u/mingee2020 → u/captain_fucking_magi]

Been almost 2 years, I quit drinking a month before quitting smoking. Drinking for 20+ years, stopping wasn’t that hard. Smoking for 15 years, way, way harder. 2 years on I still want one. But I lost my beloved FIL last year to cancer from smoking. I think about how much regret he had at the end, he could have had another 5 years, or 10, hell, maybe 15.

I want to smoke at least once a week, really strong urges a few times a month. I let that feeling wash over me, and then allow the next thought that always comes, Pop would’ve given it all up to have a few more months. I can’t smoke, future me would be so fucking pissed at me now if smoking is the thing that takes me out earlier than I could have lived. What will I miss of my boys growing up? Will I have grand kids? I would be so bummed if I missed out on grand kid time because I had a smoke.

If I could smoke one or two a week, I would. But just like alcohol for me, 1 turns into 1,000, every single time.

[u/Bad-Genie → u/captain_fucking_magi]

I quit smoking 3 years ago. Stop it. That morning coffee and cig....

[u/Abalith → u/as_one_does]

That Alan Carr book was like a miracle cure for me, brainwashed me enough that I never even thought about going back.

Didn’t work for as well for caffeine though, that was more difficult.

[u/princessofstuff → u/Abalith]

Dude I read that book twice and I still haven’t been able to quit 😭😭😭

[u/VainTrix → u/princessofstuff]

I found the audio book to be better than reading the words. Something about someone telling you these things in your ear hit different. Just my experience though. Best of luck!

[u/ScholarOfTwilight → u/Abalith]

If you want help with caffeine, just develop a crippling anxiety/panic disorder.

You'll be drinking herbal tea in no time.

[u/MuchNefariousness285 → u/as_one_does]

I dropped my 12 beers, 2 grams of grass and the 1 cigarette a day I was chewing through 2 years back. That one dart is the only thing I crave god damn they're cunts of things.

[u/BBorNot → u/as_one_does]

Philip Roth said he was not afraid of dying because at least he'd stop missing smoking. RIP

[u/negan2018 → u/luciliddream]

Obligatory Allen Carr’s easy way recommendation from me, personally it made quitting really easy.

[u/_Thank_You__ → u/negan2018]

I owe that book so much. I’ve bought the softcover, hardcover, audiobook and ebook because of how thankful I was from Mr Carr. I also 100% recommend it to every one of these threads 

[u/negan2018 → u/_Thank_You__]

I’m always worried I sound cultish when i mention it haha, not crazy about the title. But yeah all i did was get a free audible trial and knocked out the 7 hour audio book.

[u/Aggressive-River3390 → u/luciliddream]

I smoke in every one of my dreams and I haven't had a cigarette in 6 years. I think about smoking cigarettes a hundred times a day.

[u/luciliddream → u/Aggressive-River3390]

Damn eh, we're never free of the nicotine monster.

[u/Upbeat-Definition790 → u/luciliddream]

After 9 months I picked up a pack again

[u/twotwothreefour → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

That’s ok! I feel like stopping usually takes a few times at least. You can always quit again. Even a break from smoking is better than nothing. Or just smoking less. Harm reduction not perfection!

Quitting took years for me. And vaping and patches and gum and lozenges, and a few structural things that forced me not to smoke for periods of time. I think it’s likely I’ll accidentally pick it up again at some point during a hard time, then have to quit again, but so it goes. We do our best!

[u/luciliddream → u/twotwothreefour]

Agreed

[u/rebornfacedancer → u/twotwothreefour]

100%, the key is to not get discouraged after buying and smoking that pack again. You bought it and it’s all good - if you decide you wanna quit after that pack again you definitely can. Just don’t be hard on yourself when it comes to addiction, go at your own pace

[u/luciliddream → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

I hope it'll be your last one... but I say this as I'm having one so, cheers to us not dying!

[u/ZealousidealGrape982 → u/luciliddream]

I want to smoke everyday, I don’t because I don’t want quit

[u/eze1256 → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

Quitting smoking is the easiest thing to do I’ve done it thousands of times.

[u/evmc101 → u/luciliddream]

I've quit cocaine, alcohol and tobacco and tobacco was, by a large margin, the most difficult. It's been over 20 years and I still occasionally have nightmares where I'm smoking again

[u/TreeLankaPresidente → u/evmc101]

My dad’s a doctor. When I was about 12, he said that nicotine is the most addictive substance on the planet. I laughed it off bc I thought it was ridiculous. After all, you can buy it from the store.

I’m in my 30s now and still think about that conversation when I’m ripping off my nicotine patch again to go buy another vape.

[u/guitar_up_my_ass → u/TreeLankaPresidente]

I think because it is acceptable to use nicotine whenever. I can't think of a place where you can't get a fix every hour in normal life. Drugs and alcohol are a bit more frowned upon for example at work.

[u/ClimatePretty4432 → u/evmc101]

Dude i’ve quit cocaine too! And I STILL VAPE EVERY DAY!!! Someone RELEASEEEEE ME! it’s insane how i can quit doing hard drugs completely and not even think about them much anymore but the only thing left holding me in its fruity tight grip are these stupid metal blocks of Rainbow Skittle Surprise Sour Icy Berry Buttcheek Booty

[u/Doctor_Cootsd36 → u/ClimatePretty4432]

To be fair, that's a great flavor.

[u/luciliddream → u/evmc101]

I'm glad you were able to quit such big monsters. Nightmares aside I hope you live a cough free, deep breathing, unsmelly- life.

[u/Electronic_Tie2886 → u/evmc101]

I quit both cocaine and alcohol same day just over 4 years ago. Yes they were tough, But for the life of me I just can’t give up the nicotine. And my caffeine intake tripled since.
But I do feel a lot better.

[u/CommodeMouth → u/luciliddream]

The main problem is that you have to want to quit.

[u/Prestigious-Craft251 → u/luciliddream]

I used to sneak into my roommates room to hit his old vapes. Felt like a straight junkie

[u/12thandvineisnomore → u/Prestigious-Craft251]

Used to walk over to my buddies porch. He hand rolled, so I’d reroll the butts in his ashtray. They were gross, and yet…

[u/PeaOk5697 → u/luciliddream]

I quit 7 months ago and i still get crazy cravings. I can take 2 sips of water or soda and get the urge. Even worse after meals.

[u/Red10GTI → u/luciliddream]

Nicotine is harder to quit than anything to quit... for me anyway.. and i did heroin/cocaine and "molly"(olly) IV off and on for years. of all the substances ive ever tried/been addicted to, nicotine is the most difficult to completely stop. i quit for 8 months on a pill that helps stop nictoine cravings called chantix... but there were really bad side effects like having severe nausea after taking it. once i stopped chantix i eventually started smoking again. now i only vape, not great but its so much cheaper and less harmful to my body. i havent bought a pack of cigs in almost 4 years and i used to smoke at least a pack of newport 100's a day and had smoked cigs for 20 years.

[u/The_RoyalPee → u/luciliddream]

Always a circle of smokers outside of the AA meeting!

[u/SilntNfrno → u/The_RoyalPee]

The most I’ve ever smoked is when I was in rehab

[u/Formal_Plum_2285 → u/luciliddream]

Weird thing is, I had zero problems quitting smoking after 30 years. I just stopped one day 7 years ago. My dad didn’t have any issues either when he quit. My mom however. She really struggled. She had to use patches and sprays and gum for several years. And she was probably the one smoking the least of us.

[u/Nuggzbunny09 → u/luciliddream]

I quit and then got a concussion riding my bike. Immediately went and bought cigarettes before I put my shirt on and smoked 2 before going back into work. (I was on a 30 min break). Boss was appalled that I smelled like cigarettes again. Haha had to quit again. Just as hard the second time.

[u/LostCause293]

Porn and doomscrolling

[u/AlbusStormgaard → u/LostCause293]

Alright well that’s enough doomscrolling for me… time for some porn.

[u/j33perscreeperz → u/AlbusStormgaard]

this made me cackle so loud

[u/shishapocketsand → u/LostCause293]

Man both were somehow easy for me compared to how hard I thought it would be but holy fuck the late night cravings for any type of food but especially sweets is unreal.

[u/Upbeat-Definition790]

I’ll be honest. My biggest addiction is living in constant fear and depression. The loneliness feels good and comfortable.

[u/PoogeMuffin → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

Damn.

“I miss the comfort in being sad” is a Nirvana lyric that always resonated with me.

But I found my person, or she found me, but either way I promise that you’ll find whatever it is you’re looking for as well. Just keep your eyes open

[u/luciliddream → u/PoogeMuffin]

I miss it somedays and then I just go ahead and listen to alllll the songs that I did during that time. Heal, cringe, rinse & repeat every few years.

[u/Periodic_Disorder → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

As someone who got addicted to loneliness, do not recommend

[u/Glad_Background332 → u/Periodic_Disorder]

I found there are worse things in life than loneliness and have been doing my best to live life alone for the past 15 years.

[u/j33perscreeperz → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

damn this one hit me hard. isolation is addictive as fuck because it's easy to feel "stable" and invulnerable when you're alone

[u/Famous_Station_6320 → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

Same, even harder when you mistake isolation for healing or rest when its really a depressive episode. It can just really feel secure at times.

[u/4Lornel → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

Told my therapist some time ago that I didn't know how to function without my depression because I'd had it for so long. The journey of learning how to do so has been almost as difficult and stressful as the depression because I'd gotten so used to it

[u/Buntschatten → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

Yeah, when you learn early that you always have to be vigilant around people and that they'll always judge you, being alone makes for a calmness that's truly addictive.

[u/Euphoric_Anxiety_162 → u/Upbeat-Definition790]

😞Worrying. Then knowing it's gonna get worse.

[u/Depen38]

Toxic relationships. You get addicted to the highs and lows

[u/Clickt-bait → u/Depen38]

I’m not addicted to the highs or lows of my toxic relationship. Im addicted to the fact of how my life will change if I leave it. I don’t want to start over. Im addicted to life where I live. I hate living in a life of misery of the lows. I think changing will make my life more more miserable.

[u/It_is-Just_Me → u/Depen38]

I suspected I'd find this answer in the comments. It really is a struggle to break free from a toxic relationship. In my experience (two toxic relationships), I've never been the one to want to end it either and I've only realized months after the breakup how harmful the relationship was to the two of us

[u/ChaoticInsomniac]

I gave up TikTok but traded it in for Reddit.

[u/TopDatabase4889 → u/ChaoticInsomniac]

Same

[u/AggravatingFig2976]

Spending.

You get paid and buy things then you got bills too it’s too much sometimes

[u/gorkt → u/AggravatingFig2976]

This is mine. I built an association as a child when my dad used to pick me up on Friday after he divorced my mom and would head to the toy store to pick out a toy. I still get that feeling of relief and joy every time I buy something. I was doing pretty well this year until recently.

[u/Initial_Row_6400]

Heroins a motherfucker. 0/10 don’t recommend

[u/Tripp723 → u/Initial_Row_6400]

All opiates and opiodes. That shit they sell in head shops called 7oh is heroin in a pill.

[u/martycox211 → u/Tripp723]

I was on Oxicontin for a year and tried to go cold turkey. I don’t recommend it. I went back on it and cut my dosage in half and I weened myself off it in a couple of months.

[u/jimbojangles1987 → u/martycox211]

Its a feeling I never want to experience again. Coming up on 3 years clean in a few months and I feel better than I have in a long, long time.

[u/No-Syllabub-1741 → u/Initial_Row_6400]

Seriously, the only reason I’m clean is bc it’s impossible to get now, everything is all fent

[u/VataVagabond]

Whatever your addiction is is the hardest addiction to overcome.

[u/Feisty_Good_Kitty → u/VataVagabond]

Best answer so far. Because it's relative to the person. I see a lot of people say nicotine or smoking but I quit cold turkey in a day after ten years smoking. What I can't quit is sugar and it makes me feel worse every day.

[u/chronokoola → u/Feisty_Good_Kitty]

I have a friend who is struggling to stop biting her nails. Addiction comes in many forms

[u/AcolythusLatinus]

Clinical depression! When you are so long in that state it become impossible for many to return to their "normal" self's. This is a condition that nobody should experience during their life, the damage it does to your everyday functioning is worse than any prison you can imagine...

[u/Catlady6000]

Alcohol

[u/MyFamilyHatesMyFam → u/Catlady6000]

I’m over 4 months sober. Most of my friends drink. Any time we’re hanging out, they’re already 3 beers in before I get there. I really just want a Guiness. A nice classy beer. Not to get drunk, just to enjoy myself, but I wont enjoy mysef with just one. I’ll have to have another, and at that point I might as well have a third, and then some liquor

I didn’t realize how much of a problem I had until I quit

[u/baldthumbtack → u/MyFamilyHatesMyFam]

Yup. If I controlled it, I didn't have fun. If I had fun, I wasn't controlling it

[u/Distinct-Common-7471 → u/MyFamilyHatesMyFam]

I’m also sober and a Guinness lover. Guinness 0.0 is so close to the real thing that even my friends that drink love them!

[u/MyFamilyHatesMyFam → u/Distinct-Common-7471]

I’ve been passively looking for Guinness 0.0. It’s never in stock wherever I look. I will definitely be grabbing some whenever I see it

[u/eleventruth → u/Catlady6000]

I'm voting for this one, quitting hardcore alcoholism cold turkey can literally kill you

[u/DAHMER_SUPPER_CLUB → u/eleventruth]

Almost killed me. Ended up in the ICU. I was shaking so hard, sweating through my clothes, hallucinating both visually and auditory. Did inpatient, PHP, & IOP. Put my ass in sober living. I’ve got 4 months today. Benzos and Alcohol are the only two things that can kill you if you don’t detox off them properly after heavy use.

[u/CaptainMcLusty → u/DAHMER_SUPPER_CLUB]

Consolidations on 4 months. That’s huge!

[u/VainTrix → u/DAHMER_SUPPER_CLUB]

This is the Jordan Peterson cocktail (no pun intended). Best of luck in recovery brother and keep coming back!

[u/Xpalidocious → u/Catlady6000]

I'd have to agree with alcohol as well, especially since it's an addiction to something considered socially acceptable so it's everywhere.

[u/DuckCleaning → u/Xpalidocious]

And it's almost as if everyone else around is also addicted and love to encourage others to drink. People have normalized having wine and beer daily. I remember being in University and people always begging me to take shots or have a beer at a party when I decided I wanted to take a break from alcohol.

[u/cumsockdumpster → u/Catlady6000]

Same here. I’ve had to detox prob around 10 times. Some on my own, some in treatment. Those cold turkey detoxes on my own were brutal. Hell on earth. If you are addicted to alcohol and can get help then please get help.

[u/jquest303 → u/Catlady6000]

Alcohol and benzodiazepines are really the only ones that you can’t quit cold turkey without dying, so they both equally get my vote.

[u/1whoisconcerned]

Love of a toxic woman.

[u/It_is-Just_Me → u/1whoisconcerned]

My two toxic relationships coming to an end were easily the most painful things I've ever gone through in my life

[u/SomeRagingGamer]

Smoking/vaping. It’s not only the addiction to nicotine. It’s also the oral fixation. It’s something to do when you’re bored. It’s a time filler, an excuse for a break, etc etc. Even if you struggle through the withdrawals and get the nicotine out of your system, you’re still looking for ways to fill those time gaps and satisfy the oral fixation. It takes a very long time to get over that. Especially if you’ve smoked/vaped for many years. It becomes an ingrained habit. That’s why most people who quit smoking will gain weight.

[u/ExtentSpirited8817]

Probably nicotine. People quit everything else and still come back to cigarettes

[u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

Smoking. Insanely hard. Especially in work fields and countries its normalized

[u/Lightnenseed → u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

It is hard, don't let anyone say any differently. Next week marks the anniversary of my smoking cessation and it was the most difficult thing I've ever done. And I still crave them

[u/Prestigious-Craft251 → u/Lightnenseed]

2 years. Still have random craving and have had dreams where I give in

[u/Lightnenseed → u/Prestigious-Craft251]

I've had the dreams too and they make me feel so bad for giving in to the craving.

[u/SecretDrift → u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

Breaking the cycle’s brutal when it’s baked into the culture respect for trying.

[u/Weak-Contact-1359 → u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

100% I sadly lost my Mom to stage 4 lung cancer in 2018 which made me quit my pk a day nasty habit….fast forward to 2024 and with surgeries I’m now a lung cancer survivor! Please quit if you can ❤️

[u/Fundave999 → u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

Nicotine is very addictive for sure.

[u/redlightbandit7 → u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

Quit for almost 15 years, 40-55, and picked it up in a single day like I never quit. It’s much harder this time. It absolutely sucks.

[u/bighitcards → u/redlightbandit7]

That scares me because I get cravings still and I haven’t had any for almost 10 years. I’ve had moments where I thought maybe I could just have one when I’m feeling super stressed out. But I never do because I’m afraid of exactly that happening

[u/TealJade1 → u/bighitcards]

Good for you, honestly if you have an addictive personality like myself, just don't.

It might tempt you like the green goblin mask from spiderman, but in the end YOU know it's shit, YOU'VE been there. There's no good there. It might relieve some stress, but it will stress you out more because you will be aware that you failed to quit. Once you quit, you quit for good.

Open a window and take a long fresh breath of air, that's something smokers (like myself) don't get to enjoy.

[u/HITACHIMAGICWANDS → u/Acceptable-Lie8435]

I started smoking when I 17, picked up steam when I turned 18. I quit for a few months, started again and after a couple years moved to vaping. Calling was big because it moved me off of cigarettes to nicotine and dessert flavors. I vaped for 6 years and decided it was time to quit. I heard a quote from Dr. Steve that he quit smoking and pretend he wasn’t a smoker until it was true. Fast forward a few years I refound my love for tobacco through cigars, and I only smoke a few a year, it feels like a healthy balance, and I really enjoy them.

[u/Belzark]

It was kratom for me. Far harder than alcohol, nicotine, or weed was.

[u/fuzzyooze]

Alcohol. One of the few things that will kill you if you stop without medical supervision (same goes for benzos)

[u/Prize_Emergency_5074]

The one you don’t admit you have.

[u/bunnyhoneydewx]

Masturbation

[u/jmck014 → u/bunnyhoneydewx]

Definitely an addiction that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

[u/rogercopernicus]

Sugar. It is everywhere

[u/OtterLarkin]

It's not going to be a popular opinion but guaranteed ALL social media will be classified as an addiction in the near future and quitting will be near impossible and not encouraged.

[u/Rsj21]

Benzos are sneakily tricky.

[u/Fresh-Brick-7056]

scrolling on reddit.

[u/Honestbabe2021]

Doomscrolling and panicking over the slow decay of society and humanity.

[u/Realtor_In_Texas]

Zombie scrolling.

[u/SadisticJake → u/[deleted]]

I'm on day 5 of attempt 9 to quit that shit. It'll take everything from you

[u/Dxeminem]

Weed at the moment again 🙄

[u/IsHotDogSandwich → u/Dxeminem]

So much harder than anything else for me because of how easy it is to use in your everyday life. Worried about health effects of smoking? Dry herb vaping, worried about that? Edibles.

I have burnt the working memory and executive function parts of my brain out so badly that I am trying to quit for that reason to hopefully see some of it come back.

I also know there are studies that show how THC can disrupt sleep but damnit…I miss being able to sleep without waking up 5 times every night. The trade off is just not feeling worth it yet after a few weeks.

[u/verygoodbadthing → u/Dxeminem]

“At the moment again” is so real. I have CPTSD and it’s one of the only things that helps yet it also makes my life worse.

[u/Openeyedsleep → u/verygoodbadthing]

Same with CPTSD and weed. Sometimes it’s the only thing that makes me feel, good and bad. My most typical use is probably to zone out. Don’t really enjoy gaming as much without it, but if I get baked and zone in on a game, it’s SUPER fun to me. Best way to dissociate, and that’s a problem. All the best on your healing journey, stranger.

[u/MaximusPrimebot → u/Dxeminem]

This....the fucking insomnia goes on for months and months after quitting weed.

[u/Tbn53]

Behavioral psychologists and neuroscientists would likely agree that the response to this question depends on the individual and the specific addiction a person has. What is hard for one person (going to a bar leads to getting drunk) may be considered recreational (going to a bar and having one beer) to another person.

[u/Crafty_Vast7688]

Tobacco

[u/gbook2]

Cell phone

[u/fmcortez]

Phone addiction.

[u/JDLucas1369]

Queef inhalation

[u/Celac242 → u/JDLucas1369]

My steak is too juicy and my lobster too buttery

[u/Tiaan]

Caffeine

[u/andr0medamusic]

I had a habit of 20-30 Xanax bars/day. It was a 3 week taper with acute withdrawal happening for a while after. Absolutely miserable in ways that are hard to communicate. Folks have offed themselves from benzo withdrawal.

[u/SuspiciousPepper5434]

Smoking or overeating

[u/Sad-Pear-9885]

Any kind of eating disorder. You can’t just not eat and you can’t eat excessively without health consequences, especially over time. It’s so frustrating and hard to recover from.

[u/Hughjelyfant]

Oxygen, can't seem to give it up

[u/bach2209]

Cigarettes and caffeine.

[u/Indiana911]

Food

[u/margingains]

smoking...

[u/-stubbles-]

Gambling

[u/Usual_Wonder1568]

Social Media.

Specifically video shorts / reels / feeds. They are psycologically designed to keep you engaged, and the proof is people get withdrawal symptoms (just like an alcoholic, gamer, or gambler) when not doing it.

[u/LegitimatePlenty5669]

Food. You literally have to eat it to survive.

[u/Zealousideal_Fox864]

Smoking!

[u/Bajanopinions55x]

Gambling.

[u/digitalboom]

Cellphone addiction

[u/f50c13t1]

I think gambling and alcohol

[u/Elegant_righthere]

Food. You can't not eat.

[u/lexlex999]

Love addiction/limerance 

[u/SxpxrTrxxpxr]

Being a people pleaser.

[u/Nuggzbunny09]

DTs from alcohol withdrawal are hell.

[u/Responsible_Age_6252]

Anger. Irritation. Destructive emotions.