The Most Common Addictions in America

America is largely a consumer culture, so addictions are prevalent in this country, whether those addictions are to particular substances or to activities that are less than healthy. Below are five of the most common addictions in America.

Many Americans are dependent upon alcohol, which is an incredibly addictive substance. Because the drinking age is 21, many teenagers begin drinking as a form of rebellion and become addicted. Bingeing is a particular problem on college campuses across the country. Others turn to alcohol to deal with depression and other psychological issues. While some are able to enjoy alcohol as an occasional addition to a meal, far too many Americans drink to excess, leading to health problems, domestic violence and many fatal traffic accidents involving drunk drivers.

Another addiction often seen in conjunction with alcohol abuse is addiction to tobacco. While aggressive campaigns warning of the dangers of cigarettes have cut down on kids beginning to smoke and the trend toward non-smoking restaurants and other public establishments forces smokers to reduce their habit at times, many Americans still smoke regularly, especially in the home. In its own way, cigarettes are as dangerous to innocent bystanders as alcohol, since second-hand smoke can be deadly, leading to lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses. However, once a person is addicted, it is incredibly difficult to stop smoking.

While not as immediately dangerous as addiction to alcohol and tobacco, food addiction also causes many health problems for Americans. At least in the case of this addiction, one person's consumption of food does not negatively affect another, except perhaps in the case of a child learning unhealthy eating habits early because of parents who eat the wrong kind of food and too much of it. Junk food abounds in America, and because this type of food tastes so good, many people continue to eat it in unhealthy quantities, particularly during times of stress.

One addiction that has little to do with physical health is gambling. However, this affects a person's well-being, since those who are addicted to gambling cannot bring themselves to stop and end up losing far more money than they should have been playing with in the first place. Gambling addictions feed on themselves because the more money a person loses, the more desperate he or she becomes to regain that money. Some people have lost their life savings and racked up huge debts in this way.

Finally, Americans are increasingly addicted to media in all forms, whether it's the television, the phone or the Internet. There is a constant need to feel connected, and while this helps make people more informed and allows them to keep in contact with other people, it can eat up hours of time with a person's realizing it, leading to poor sleep, decreased intimacy among friends and family and dangerous habits like texting while driving.

These are only five of the common addictions in America, but they demonstrate the ease with which people become addicted to different substances and activities to the detriment of themselves and others.