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What the E?

Welcome to The E Word.

I am just a college junior who has more thoughts than my dog and boyfriend can handle listening to. This isn’t a space for creativity or any of that junk. It is a space for me to write out all the thoughts that are in my head and for you to read if you find it interesting.

If you can’t tell by now, I am a realist and tell it how it is. If you are looking for someone to sugar coat anything than you should start looking elsewhere. If my opinions offend you, I’m not sorry.

So if you are still along for the ride, welcome!

Coffee Addict

Are you addicted to the caffeine or the creamer?

I am someone that enjoys my hot coffee every morning that I work at 8am which is about twice a week. As I was making my coffee this morning, I wondered if people are addicted to the caffeine or the creamer they put in their coffee? Speaking for myself, I think I am addicted to the creamer in hot coffee and the caffeine in iced coffee. I am to this personal conclusion because when I order iced coffee I get black with two packets of splenda, but when I make myself hot coffee, I add quite a bit of sugar free creamer and stevia.

Now, I was going to do include some research on which one is more addicting, caffeine or sugar, but I believe that once you read a “fact” your mind is made up on what you believe to be true. By this I mean, if I were to say that according to fakewebsite.com, people are more addicted to the sugar in their coffee than the actual caffeine, then you would go about your life actually believing that you are addicted to sugar and not caffeine when it could go either way, or both. Are you still following me?

Instead I believe in self evaluation and reflection. So below I am going to include some symptoms of addiction and tips to determine if you have an addiction to whatever in your life you are concerned about.

Straight from https://www.marrinc.org/signs-and-symptoms/ here are some physical, behavioral, and emotional signs of addiction:

Physical:

  • Over-active or under-active (depending on the drug)
  • Repetitive speech patterns
  • Dilated pupils, red eyes
  • Excessive sniffing and runny nose (not attributable to a cold)
  • Looking pale or undernourished
  • Clothes do not fit the same
  • Weight loss
  • Change in eating habits
  • Unusual odors or body odor due to lack of personal hygiene

Behavioral:

  • Missing work/school
  • Work/school problems
  • Missing important engagements
  • Isolating/secretive about activities
  • Disrupted sleep patterns
  • Legal problems
  • Relationship/marital problems
  • Financial problems (e.g. always needing money)
  • Conversations dominated by using or drug/alcohol related topics

Emotional:

  • Irritability/Argumentative
  • Defensiveness
  • Inability to deal with stress
  • Loss of interest in activities/people that used to be part of their lives
  • Obnoxious
  • Silly
  • Confused easily
  • Denial
  • Rationalizing – Offering alibis, excuses, justifications, or other explanations for their using behavior
  • Minimization – Admitting superficially to the problem but not admitting to the seriousness or full scope of the behavior or consequences
  • Blaming – Placing the blame for the behavior on someone else or some event
  • Diversion – Changing the subject to avoid discussing the topic

And of course because I know I would do it myself, if you completely skipped over all those bullet points here are the three C’s of addiction:

  • Loss of control over the amount and frequency of use
  • Craving and compulsive using
  • Continued use in the face of adverse consequences

Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form and expert on addiction or have any qualifications to assist anyone medical in anyway.

If you believe you have a serious addiction, please seek medical attention.

Thanks for sticking with me this far, catch ya on the flip side.