Ice Cream Addiction?

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/23/10480896-can-you-get-addicted-to-ice-cream-maybe-study-shows

There is always the argument between something being chemically addictive and being addictive in the sense that with it comes addiction-like cravings and feelings. Would you say that it has a chemical dependence tied into it or that because of the addiction like feelings, it just seems like an addiction? Most addictions come with negative consequences. If it were classified as an addiction, what negative things could come along with it? What positive things could come with an ice cream addiction except for the obvious pleasure you get while eating it? Do you think an ice cream addiction could harm anyone close to the addict like that of a drug or alcohol addiction? Scientists say "as far as the brain’s circuitry is concerned, pleasure is pleasure." Does this mean that anything pleasurable has the potential to become addictive? If it is true like some scientists say, that means that pretty much anything is capable of becoming addictive. What would you say is the line between what is an addiction and what is not? Is it about how harmful something is, or something else completely?

e60 Wingsuit: Adrenaline Addiction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkgJndUtUsY

Is Jeb addicted to the actual sport or the feeling it gives him? Can people be addicted to fear or creating a sense of fear for themselves? Is an addiction a way out from deeper problems such as depression? Is he simply avoiding the real problem? Does his addiction escalate to more intense stunts? Has this resulted in an intolerance to fear? Is he looking for attention from his videos and could this be a sociological addiction as well? How does his friend's death affect his addiction? Did he alter his addiction because of the death? Do you think he's becoming more risky or less risky? Does being suicidal make someone more succeptable to an addiction?

Facebook Addiction

http://socialtimes.com/facebook-addiction-disorder-the-6-symptoms-of-f-a-d_b60403

How does an addiction to Facebook compare in severity to a gambling addiction or are the risks greater for either one? Is Facebook chemically addictive? How much is too much?Do you think this is a result of a techonological addiction in general? Do games on Facebook have any relation to a gambling addiction? Do you believe people actually recieve a high from getting messages and notifications?
Is Facebook a social crutch or more of a social stimulant? Does an addiction to Facebook cause people to be socially inept? Is being connected a good or bad thing? What age group do you think is more addicted to facebook? Why? Do people learn more about others from Facebook or from public social interactions like actually meeting in person? Are virtual dates acceptable in comparison to real life dates? Is there a link between addiction to Facebook and Twitter?

Eating Dryer Sheets and Being an Adult Baby

Part 1

Part 2


Is there a difference between being addicted to dryer sheets and being addicted to drugs and alcohol? Does the fact that fewer people are addicted to dryer sheets makes it a taboo? She is essentially doing things that smokers do; putting carcinogens in her body and using it to relieve stress. Is her addiction psychological or physical? Could there actually be chemicals in the dryer sheets that decrease her stress? Is it easier for her to seek treatment because she realize that it's a major problem?

Considering the rarity of dressing like a baby, do you think it's an addiction or a mental disorder? Do various events in her life, being bullied and being transgender, trigger the behavior? Why would she use something that is stressful as a coping mechanism for other problems in her life? Is she doing more harm than good dressing as a baby? Is the lack of experience of being a girl in her childhood a logical justification for her behavior? Do you think she will ever stop dressing as a baby?

Gambling Addiction

http://www.addictionsearch.com/treatment_articles/article/compulsive-gambling-addiction-and-treatment_17.html

Is gambling a physical or psychological addiction? Why do addicts feel the need to continue to gamble even after they have lost everything? Who are the main people at risk to get addicted to gambling? If there is no scientific reasoning behind the addiction then can it technically be classified as an addiction? Are people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol more likely to become addicted to gambling also?

Is it the casinos responsibility to cut players off, or should it be up to the gambler to know when it is time to quit? Should gambling laws become more strict in certain states to limit the increase in the addiction? Without casinos would addicts still find ways to gamble? How would a gambling addict recover from his disease? Should casinos limit the number of alcoholic drinks they serve to the customers?

When Shoes Become more that Fashion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XGKnpU-wdY

For the shoe addicts, are Nike shoes a need or necessity? What is so appealing to owning three pairs of the same shoe? Is it useful to the owner? Is there a certain class, age, race, or culture that are addicted to shoes? Do you think sports and celebrities are the causes of shoe addiction?

Does the violence that follows the release of new shoes compare to drug violence in that "gangsters" are jumping people that bought new shoes? Can you classify shoe addicts as junkies because they spend most of their income on shoes rather than expenses that are vital for survival? Are parents addicted to buying their kids Nike shoes? How would shoe addicts go through the process of therapy? Do you think it can be classified as an addiction or a fetish?

Exercise Addiction

http://www.brainphysics.com/exercise-addiction.php

Is it fair to say that having an exercise addiction also involves an eating disorder? Is an exercise addiction actually bad for you? Is it good to work out through pain or injury? How much exercise is too much exercise? Would you assume that this would be more prevalent in men or women?

How would you go about curing this addiction and what exactly would you do to suffice the need? Why do you think this lack of exercise would cause them to become depressed? What do you think causes this high that the person experiences while they are exercising?

How exactly could you classify exercising as an addiction? How much is too much? What do you think this would do to a person's everyday life?

When Cosmetic Surgery Becomes an Addiction

http://www.everydayhealth.com/addiction/recognizing-cosmetic-surgery-addiction.aspx

Do you think that body dimorphic disorder should be classified as a legitimate problem? Do you think that this disorder is being confused with a lack of self confidence? Do you think it would be difficult to diagnose someone with a lot of plastic surgery with BDD? Is there a problem with wanting to improve someone's physical appearance through cosmetic surgery? When does wanting to improve someones physical appearance turn into an obsession? How much plastic surgery is too much? If someone is never satisfied with how they look do you think they deserve to be diagnosed with a psychological disorder?

Should surgeons have a say in whether they perform surgery on someone who they consider to have BDD? What do you think a surgeon should diagnose BDD on? How difficult do you think it would be to diagnose someone with BDD? Should patients be required to have a psychological prescreening before they undergo cosmetic surgery? Should patients' families be contacted to find out about their psychological health before they are allowed to undergo plastic surgery? How do you think family members of someone with BDD would be affected by it?

Is video-game addiction a mental disorder?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19354827/ns/technology_and_science-games/t/video-game-addiction-mental-disorder/#.TyG-nmDU5l0

Do you think an addiction to video games can be a true addiction even if it isn’t officially classified as a mental disorder? If the signs of an addiction are there, does it make it a true addiction? If video games don’t count as an addiction because it isn’t truly classified, is something like a shopping addiction real? Does an addiction have to be classified by professionals to become a true addiction?

Does the obsession with the interest and other social media outlets have an impact on a video game addiction? Since now 90 percent of American children play video games what kind of effect do you think it will have on the future of the addiction classification? What kind of effect do you think this will have on the future lives of American children?

Do you think family life has an impact on whether or not a child becomes addicted to video games? Does a past family history with addictions better the chances of a child becoming addicted? Is a poor family life a recipe for all addictions in general? Is a video game addiction a gateway addiction to more harmful things in the future?

The Meaning of Scouting

The Meaning of Scouting

Glass Eating and Skin Bleaching

My Strange Addiction: Glass Eating and Skin Bleaching

What makes eating glass appealing to him? Do you think its addiction to eating glass or addiction to attention? Why haven't the health risks stopped him? Why does he continue to do it after the doctor proves it to be lethal? Is eating bullets a cry for help? Why does he only eat one type of bullet? Is he addicted to the risk of these addictions? What would happen if a bullet were to go off/ break apart inside him?

Why is it socially acceptable for girls to go tanning and not for girls to bleach their skin, when essentially they have the same goal of changing skin color? She puts bleach on her skin 20 times per day, it is even normal to put lotion on that many times a day? How must her skin be reacting to all this application? Does she realize how costly this addiction of lotion is?

Which addiction is more dangerous? Which is more relatable to you? Do you think addictions have to do with a struggle of self identity? How these people ignore the feeling of their loved ones?

The Link Between Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse

Do you think it is fair to say that the majority of people with eating disorders also have an addiction to substance abuse? Do you believe that once you have an addiction that you cure those addictions with future addictions? What do you believe are the biggest factors that lead to an eating disorder? Are addictions linked to your personality?

What is your opinion about a woman struggling with an addiction to an eating disorder for over ten years and being able to recover with only 3 months of treatment? Do you think that women are more affected by this than men?

Why do 35% of substance abusers have eating disorders, when 1/2 of individuals with eating disorders abuse drugs? Why do you think this is?

Addiction: International Edition

China Blasts US Over Credit Rating

This story is interesting for the fascinating issues it raises about the nature of addiction. What does it mean for China to declare the US addicted to debt? Is it a genuine effort to convince a neighboring country to make better choices? Or is it an attempt to make the American government seem immature and irresponsible?

Given the political climate, with so many formerly powerful and prominent Western nations now going through tremendous financial hardships, does this feel like an attempt to assert more power for the Chinese government? Or is it a terrible mistake to believe that this must be about one country trying to one-up America despite the fact that it would seem to be fairly sound advice?

Does it mean something different when foreign politicians tell us we are addicted to debt as opposed to when the message comes from domestic politicians? How does declaring American "addicted to" debt help China ease into the case for replacing the dollar as the world's reserve currency? What else might China (or any other political entity for that matter) feel compelled to do to deal with the problem of debt addiction?

Porn Addiction

Porn Addiction Helpline

Can one be addicted to something that does not have a chemical component? While many people undoubtedly develop unhealthy ideas about sex and sexuality from pornography, is addiction really the best way to think about this?

Does the fact that this is an addiction that seems to affect men far more often than women suggest that there are social and cultural factors at play that make the issue far more complicated than merely being about addiction? Are men addicted to pornography or the idea of limitless sexual conquests with no consequences (note the lack of STDs or unwanted pregnancies in mainstream pornography)?

Also, what is the function of the appeal to a higher power? On the one hand, it seems to suggest that this a problem that could face anyone and with the grace of God any sinner can be saved. However at the same time it suggests that people are powerless to make responsible or ethical choices once sexuality gets involved. Still, considering the sky-high rates of sexual violence against women in our contemporary society, perhaps we should be rewarding anyone who is making an effort to think about women as something other than constantly sexually available to any man who so chooses.