Addictions and Aspegers: Im addicted to coke

Post Reply New Topic

Humor is a valid and very effective coping mechanism. And it is not just hard drugs that have addictive properties. Only Heroine on this chart and perhaps crack cocaine is harder to quit then Nicotine. Caffine is present in Coffee, Tea, Soft Drinks and Chocolate. Something that you may see added to this chart one day is sugar. It has been a sort of taboo up to now and there are many interests opposed to classifying it as an addictive substance. But the scientific studies that are being done despite opposition are tending to bear out that it is addictive.

I'm addicted to music. I cannot go a single day without music.

Both of these.

These are all things you like a lot. None of these qualify as addiction. It is over-focused on self, and disrepectful to the real battles that genuine addicts are fighting, to keep on with this.

I'm hopelessly addicted to nicotine and caffeine. I smoke 20 a day minimum, and down a couple of litres of very strong, very murky tea.
- n' they're just the addictions I'm comfortable talking about in polite company.


Still got all my teeth though. I reckon all of my habits combined are less harmful than a litre of coke a day.

I take issue with statements like this. Yes, an addiction to Coca-Cola isn't nearly as serious as an addiction to heroin, but the fact is, it's still an addiction. It is my belief that it is possible to become addicted to literally ANYTHING, at least on a psychological level. And while I can see why it could be disrespectful to downplay something like a cocaine or heroin addiction, I don't see how describing one's self as being addicted to something else is disrespectful. There are no "genuine" and "non-genuine" addicts. If you're addicted to something, you're an addict.

It is common for people to jokingly describe a great liking for something as an addiction, but I don't believe that that's what most of the posters here are describing. It's certainly not what I described in my posts, and it's not what the OP described in her posts either.

Take issue all you like. Your 'belief' that it is possible to become addicted to 'literally ANYTHING' is just that: your belief. Insisting that there are no objective categories or there is no objective knowledge, only 'beliefs' is a hugely dangerous path to tread. Because then if someone 'believes' that, say, people with AS or black people or gay people are inferior or unemployable, then they're right. If anyone can claim to be an addict because they view their preferences as an addiction, it is staggeringly dangerous if we accept that: it absolves ordinary people in ordinary situations of taking responsibility for ordinary things, and it downgrades objective knowledge to the level of the judging panel on Britain's Got Talent. Taking offence because someone else 'believes' your views are simply self-absorbed, unscientific, socially irresponsible gibberish seems a little over-wrought.

Describing yourself as genuinely starving when you're a bit hungry is direspectful to genuinely hungry people.
Describing yourself as genuinely poor when you can't afford a holiday is disrespectful to genuinely poor people.

There are genuinely poor people, and not genuinely poor people. There are genuinely starving people, and not genuinely starving people. There are genuinely addicted people, and not genuinely addicted people.

Liking music, chocolate or Coke quite a lot is fine. Bigging that up into a catastrophic psychiatric medical condition (which is what addiction is) is self-absorbed, self-promoting and does not correspond to the evidence we have about the world.

Me too! Going paleo freed me from a lifetime of terrible sugar cravings!

Sounds like you have blood sugar control issues, and your blood sugar is getting low without constant infusions of the massive amounts of sugar in Coca-Cola. The bad news? The soda and other sugary foods probably caused the problem and are making it worse. Try to cut down on the sugar in your diet gradually, increase the protein and veggies, and you might find that you can get off the soda. You also might want to ask your parents to have your blood sugar tested to make sure you aren't pre-diabetic.

There is caffeine in coke, and caffeine can be addictive.....so I would not be suprise if people are legitimately addicted to soda with caffeine in it. Also I am quite certain there are different severities of addiction.

Obviously someone being addicted to heroin is much more serious than caffeinated soda from what I understand, but I don't think anyone here is necessarily trying to down-play serious addictions like that. My brother read that book Nikki Sixx from motley crue wrote about his herion addiction...and yeah from what my brothers told me from that book it really is a terrible thing to be addicted to and trying to stop is literally painful in just about every way.

Even so I am certainly addicted to cigarettes, perhaps addiction was not the right word for those spicy cheetos but I get an irresistable urge to eat them sometimes regardless of the nasty consequences...but none of that would even come close to a serious addiction with horrid withdrawls that can potentially kill you so I certainly don't want to come off as not taking serious addictions seriously.

See, this is sort of what I'm trying to say.

Addiction is not just alcoholism or drug abuse. Addiction happens when a substance has effects on brain and body chemistry to make a person want more and more of it, and makes it difficult to stop consuming it.

Sugar and high fructose corn syrup have been shown to have effects on the brain that are similar to cocaine. This is why soft drinks can be highly addictive. Caffeine is also addictive. Other food additives that can have a very addictive effect on the brain as well. Food manufacturers know this and they take full advantage of it.

Addiction is not quantified by the severity of physical and psychological problems involved with a particular substance. Some substances are more obviously dangerous or destructive than others. But overconsumption of sugar or HFCS can also have serious health risks. Many people try to quit the sugar habit and find it is not easy to stop.

Quoted for truth.