Specific addictions vary from culture to culture, nation to nation.
Whether or not the United States is one of the most addicted nations in the world, we certainly have our share of vices.
This from msn.com.
In a new report from Go Smoke Free, the United States came in at No. 5 for most addictive personalities, based on factors like alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and screen time.
Translation: Americans have fewer addictive personalities than only four other countries: France, Australia, Latvia, and Romania, which came in at No. 1, if this study is to be believed.
Experts say statistics suggests Americans’ three greatest addictions are:
Illicit drugs,
Video games, and
Work.
Psychologist Daniel Glazer told Newsweek:
We have to acknowledge the U.S. appears to have a deeply rooted cultural affinity for excess, whether alcohol, food, media consumption, or other outlets.
Instant gratification and constant stimulation shape societal values and expectations. Coupled with lax regulations around substances and pervasive advertising, Americans face a uniquely temptation-steeped environment.
In the report, while Romania and Latvia saw excessive alcohol intake and Australia was deemed the most “sex-addicted country,” the United States was notably the top country for coffee intake.
The U.S. imports 2,185 tons of coffee yearly, and many Americans drink several cups per day.
But the United States has some other vices:
– America consumed 9.6 liters of alcohol per capita in 2019, making it relatively high compared to some countries, especially those outside Europe. While many European countries report higher amounts of alcohol consumed in a year, America might contend more so with a prevalent binge-drinking cultural problem, experts say,
– Additionally, roughly 20 percent of Americans aged 15 and up use tobacco products, according to the World Health Organization,
– Noticeably, when Americans use drugs, they die at especially high rates. The United States had one of the worst amphetamine-use-disorder death rates in 2019, with 1.27 per 100,000,
– For cocaine deaths, the rate skyrocketed to 2.31 per 100,000, and
– Add the opioid crisis, which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says kills roughly 110,000 people each year, and one can make the case for a deeply addicted, concerning American culture and society.
Q: What keeps us coming back to our vices?
A: Psychologists say high stress levels and easy access to addictive substances exacerbate addiction, especially in a culture that normalizes heavy drinking and other behaviors.
NOTE One: Studies have determined there are three routes to addiction. The first two involve “Nature vs. Nurture.” To explain: Nature is genetic predisposition to addiction. Nurture describes addiction as a learned behavior. And the third: Involves consuming an addictive substance too much, too often, for too long and changing the chemical balance of your brain.
NOTE Two: Mental illness and mood-altering substance consumption have a direct two-way connection. Explanation: 1) Mood-altering substance consumption causes mental illness by way of altering chemical balances in the brain, and 2) Chemical imbalances in the brain are often wrongfully treated by consumption of mood-altering substances.
Americans’ addictive personalities can show up in ways other than drugs and alcohol:
– For instance, the U.S. saw an average of 7 hours, 11 minutes lost to screen time each day.
– And what is also revealed is a hyper-prevalent obsession with work—America has one of the highest average number of hours worked yearly at 1,811, falling just behind countries like Korea and Russia.
– Video games can also prove to be addictive. According to the Cleveland Clinic, between 1.7 and 10 percent of the U.S. population is addicted to video games.
Finally, there is an economic component to addiction, too.
A statement from a spokesperson for Go Smoke Free:
Many of the top ten countries are high GDP countries, suggesting that those with higher incomes are able to afford to fuel their highly addictive behaviors, and are therefore more likely to become hooked.
Final thought, two questions for each Def-Con News reader: 1) Do you consider yourself to have an addictive personality, and 2) If so, has this article touched on one or more of your addictions?
