Addictions, or lack of.

Click this pic to hear more about the whacky craze spawning all over YT
Jenna Marbles does a weirdly awesome version on her channel

1. Beauty Products

This one is especially directed at the Ladies, although I can't prejudice and suppose that men do not use beauty products from time to time, even if it is just a moisturiser or grooming tools, however the fact is applying make up becomes ritualistic and a 'can't live with out' for most women on a day to day basis. I believe that application of make up etc. can become an addiction to the extent that an individual cannot so much as pop to the corner shop with out a full coverage of face art. Reapplying make up throughout the day is not a foreign concept in the western world, whether it be discreetly during lectures, pruning in the office or simply a slight touch up trip in the public toilets, you can never go too far with out catching someone checking them selves out in a mirror.

The same convention goes for tanning. They say UV rays affect our brains in a way which supplies us with a release chemicals that promote feelings of wellness. (Of course every one loves a holiday in hot climates) Yet again, this process can also become obsessive. So if you must have an all year tan then I highly recommend using self-tanning mousses and sprays, as opposed to spending potentially harmful amounts of time under sun-beds and our great star itself. Admittedly I have tried and tested sun-beds once. I went in and the first thing they asked me to do was to sign a declaration, as part of their policy states that they will not cover certain aspects of your health under the supervision of using their equipment. They will not be held liable for you under their insurance if you obtain an illness due to using their services. There is some mention of the risks of sun-beds during the registration, anyhow it is not their priority, they are a business designed to make a profit from your aesthetic needs, not to protect your well-being.

Click the pic for some super cool SIMS mods on an enthusiasts forum

2. Video Games

We all loved playing PC/Console games as kids. From original Nintendo, Super Mario and The Pokemon series, to The SIMS and in recent generations, Call of Duty and League of Legends. I recall Windows ME and PlayStation 2 very affectionately, it was a pastime I couldn't imagine not having for many years although as I grew older, the evolution of the genres and platforms of gaming changed to Wii Fit and XBOX One with motion technology, it is not surprising that the virtual world storms the real world by far. Given that, it is a great shame that a large proportion of men, women and children are affixed to screens for the majority of their lives.

On the contrary games are interactive and provide a place for all kinds of people to converse and share mutually felt emotions and sentiment when it comes to playing a very much enjoyed game. Personally, I have only just got back into online games, for the sake of my mental health, of all reasons. I spend at the most 2 hours a day on a game I played with my Dad for a wonderfully nostalgic effect. I tenderly remember learning how to navigate famous Lara Croft around various maps on PC and PlayStation, and I built a genuine relationship and attachment to the fictional character. First person RPGs especially, bring the human mind into the perspective of the protagonist, therefore creating a bond to the virtual reality. When video games become a priority over human interaction then there begins an issue, but a healthy moderation of gaming time does a lot of good for every one, in my opinion.

3. Shopping

Referring back to my Material World article, it is understandable that in a capitalist society that we all like to have things... Whether that is technology, home-wares, fashion, travel gadgets, leisure items. The internet has allowed business to expand rapidly online and on the high street, and even during the recession a few years back, some people would take advantage of the sales and stock markets. We are always buying stuff and the west are truly guilty of that. Nonetheless it is granted after many hours of work that we should reward ourselves with items we've spied in our favourite retailers.

Besides whilst we keep buying new clothes, books and things for the house, together we help legitimate people stay in jobs of their own; the hundreds of thousands of staff who run the shops and care for the shopaholics and infrequent spenders alike would be lost with out custom. I have noticed that young people suffer the pressure of having current trends such as phones, cars, garments and even body-modifications. I do not advertise the handling of credit cards and store credit, as this can easily accumulate unnecessary and clumsy debts. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to afford your mortgage and go away on breaks from work twice a year? The same goes for ridiculous smartphone contracts and other small loans. Long term, they aren't worth the value that you pay for them in the first place, as a result you can then pleasure your self to other commodities such as experiences or a pet.

Body Modifications in itself is another somewhat dangerous fascination. Once upon a time, tattoos were seen as trashy or thuggish, but in the last decade they have become a populist and artistic compliance in today's society. I know from first hand experience, in addition to piercings, that this practice consists of an addictive quality. I am contemplating having my latest tattoo removed, since the line work and measurements are rough and unbalanced. The tattooist obviously didn't consider me enough as a human being with a life to live to produce a proper piece of art, rather than just another fly by customer. I realise that there are thousands of terrible tattoos out there, but when you go to a renown parlour you would expect better service. Anyway I can accept that for some people, tattoos perform as a medium of therapy, and the imagery itself is usually very personal and not just a fickle fad.

4. Travelling

Once you have visited a country outside of the UK, you will be compelled to go more often and further afield. The most distance I have trekked outside of little old Nottingham is Corfu; I filled in a space on a friend's summer holiday after someone had to drop out of a group booking. Furthermore after I left my ex-boyfriend, I decided to visit Paris and Amsterdam on my own because it was on my bucket list, so I finally got around to doing it because I felt unchained from another person and more able make my own choices (at the time).

If you are one of the lucky people who manages to find discounted flights and budget hotels then you are already very smart. It will become a sort of lifestyle, to go away as often as you can, and you may discover that you do not miss the typical standard of modern Brits. It will open so many doors into different cultures and the people you meet abroad are priceless.

5. Exercise

I don't mean to suggest that all the people who seem to live at the gym are addicted fitness fanatics or meatheads. There is something called body-dysmorphia (an anxiety disorder that causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look) Without apprehension I reserve an opinion that any human being is allowed to do what they will with their own body, and if they so wish to preserve it in a certain way then that is in their right to do so. I totally advocate regular sessions at a local club or fitness group; it doesn't have to be a vigorous or challenging spin class every time, even Pilates is categorised under exercise nowadays and that is a contemporary development. It is important to raise the awareness of the perils of excessive exercise. I for one have lived this awful passing. At first I was attending the gym to boost my strength physically and psychologically; post-relationship depression and a motivation to improve my self for my self (!) Partly in spite of being dumped, still primarily in an attempt to recover from the grief of the past - not appreciating my body and having consumed an uncountable amount of recreational drugs, I assumed that the regime would somehow reverse the effects of my participation in these acts.

I have been going to the gym on and off for some years now, and my newest advancement on the matter has only revealed to me that my body is not only capable of incredible things, but it definitely requires some TLC outside of strenuous movement. I will advise that in theory as tested, that exercise is certainly beneficial for all organs and operations of the body. Blood circulation is good for the regeneration of new cells and therefore healthier bodies inside-out. The more the body has to work to carry more oxygen to the heart and brain definitely makes the functioning of the spirit 100% better. The body is a vessel to transport the soul to its destination (just a creative idea) Why any one wouldn't desire its best health is a mystery to me. As I described in my Material World article, the middle way in Buddhist thought exemplifies the rationality of balance in all aspects of living.