We all know what addiction is. It is something we are attached to so much that sometimes we understand that it is bad for us, but still we either can’t control the urge or we deny and convince ourselves that it is okay, and find an excuse that makes it okay. Sometimes we do both at the same time. However, that is just an addiction. There are many but only some can be ‘strange’. Calling something like an addiction strange can be very subjective. What is strange to you may not be strange to me; actually that very fact makes it a strange addiction.
Many of us have a strange addiction in common. Many can call our attachment to this platform a strange addiction. Think about it; hive is a social network that has very little reach. The entire network can be equivalent to a small facebook group. It has more drama than it is really worth. Yeah, it does have a card game that is mildly interesting, but there are many card games like that elsewhere. But hey, it pays for whatever we write as shitposts, which 50 people read (or not, most of it on auto-votes), but hey we get paid for it. First we thought it was magical internet money, but many of us have now converted that magical internet money to real money! And boy, that feels good!! That is crack cocaine! Money! We can make money writing any crap we write and get paid for it. Why doesn't everyone do it? They don’t because they think it is impossible. When something is too good to be true, it probably is. So we can’t convince them, and after a while we stop trying. Why not? Because we are making good money anyways!
So making money is an addiction. Especially if you can show others that you are making it easily, then it is even better. Here is the show off part of this addiction comes in. It is better if others say it is cool! We can buy the next new motorcycle, a new computer, even a new car for hive earning! Yes we can. We show it to people and we attain the next higher level of intoxication! Hell yes! We say out loud and we feel like we are the master of our universe!
Isn’t that a perfect high!
https://allpoetry.com/the-perfect-high
Addictions, both strange and ordinary; are wonderful things. The satisfaction of diving into these little pockets of happiness, even if some may not be so beneficial to oneself, is something that only the addict can explain, and honestly, the feeling can't be compared to any other.
Like many others, I too have addictions littered around like packets of crisps on the floor. From buying flavoured teas to collecting old books, I am addicted to doing a lot of things, but the one that I can truly call strange, comes in the form of reading.
Now, now, before you cross your brows and try to argue that reading can't be an unusual thing to do, just hear me out. Cause what I like to read, isn’t really considered as a form of literature to many out there. Because what I'm addicted to reading is....fanfictions.
While most might let out a hearty laugh after hearing this, those who know how real fanfictions work will understand what I'm on about. The ones I read aren’t the usual reader X "some celebrity I could care less about", but the kind where writers take the characters I love to a whole new adventure.
To anyone who dont know, fanfictions come in various forms. Sherlock Holmes has tons of fanfictions written by many others. And that's the kind I run after, where there's a new tale written about my favourite people, with breakdowns of characters in a way the original writer never thought of doing.
The reason I do this is because of my fascination with the whole what if scenarios. I like to think about how things could be played out and what could have been done better. And my thirst is somewhat quenched by the different settings I get to visit through this form of writing. I would be lying if I said that all of the fanfictions out there are good, but there are a few treasures I managed to find in my quest, and I hold them as close to my heart, just as I hold many of the original novels I read.
If I look closely, it's the feeling of assurance that keeps me going back to reading these stories. Because at the end of the day, most of them are written by amateur writers like me, who go on with their day to day life while writing about something they care for and long to see. I've already read through more than two thousand of these "novels", most consisting of more than 100k words. But it's not something I'm ashamed of doing.
Because, the first time I picked up a pen to write a story, was because of a fanfiction I read when I was Thirteen, and the way I write now, is also because of one I read not too many days ago.
In the end, it's not really about the unusual things you do. People love a lot of things, do a lot of things without reasons. What matters is doing things that make you happy, and doing them because they make life bearable, even just a little bit.
The strange addiction I want to address isn't really strange as it has affected nearly all people all over the world, perhaps the biggest addiction there is (after sugar of course) but it is strange in a sense that largely it isn't considered an addiction at all. I'm talking about porn addiction. Everyone with an internet connection watches porn—says Edward Snowden, the whistleblower. And that ultimately lead to complications in the healthy sexual and emotional life of many people of all age.
It's been shown that like other drugs, porn too illicit a sense of tolerance. If someone is watching porn to masturbate, over time they seek out more and more explicit ones. Now, if you surf through porn sites, you will come across some very questionable themes. The way pronstars act/perform is not how real sex among real people is. Sex is often very violent and dominating in porn films and constant exposure to them ultimately affects the viewer negatively. There is guilt, shame, self-loathing, fear. Some also believe they are required to perform the same kind of acts they see in porn movies because talking about sex is still taboo and porn is their primary source of sex education—which is very sad and regrettable. Not to mention a lot of porn shows relationships quite unthinkable in societies. Granted, they are performed dramas but since they are not openly talked about, their influence on the individual cannot be brushed aside.
How do we cope with this? Most people wouldn't take it seriously and will laugh or smirk watching someone else talking about it as a serious addiction. I'm quite positive, you the reader, twitched a bit as well. So the people who suffer from this, are left to deal with their issues all by themselves. However, wheels are turning bit by bit, some social activists are giving lectures on this and more people are willing now to give it the same importance as other addictions. There's hope for us yet.
Here, take a look at this Ted talk. - 
Everyone wonders where he goes
After the office
He disappears like a shadow
Even the mailman changes his course
Every now and then
Wind blows, rain pours
But he goes somewhere, just around 7pm
People asked, he never answered
Silence gave birth to awkwardness
Silence called the storm
Storm calmed everything down
Its like clockwork
He would hop upon the lift at 7.01
Buy a bouquet of flowers from that old but friendly store
Nothing fancy, some white rose
Blooming like there is no tomorrow
He would light up a cigarette
And start walking
Like there's no turning back
There is no tomorrow
The security guard would greet him nodding
He would smile gently
A calmness would seize his face
He would walk through the aisle of the graveyard
He knows this place like the back of his hand
He would take a deep breathing
Stare towards the Pine tree
And mourn in silence
Silence would call the storm
It's been going for 20 years
When the clock ticks past 6
The adrenaline rush he gets
The urge he feels
The urge to break free
And meet a dead soul
Its nothing less than any addiction
What a sweet loving addiction!
*-@hushbutton *
I wonder how it will pan out! Let's see what I could pull out of my memory bucket. The Weirdest addiction! Seriously! But surprisingly the first thing popped in my mind listening was someone from my closest friends called T! (Pseudonym); a childhood friend of mine. I met her at college and T said she had a super addiction of eating clay pots. Literally! You've read it right.
I don't clearly remember how that discussion started but it was like a storm at the small Tea Stall we were gossiping around. It was daily pastime. Okey, I think I should continue.
I don't no from innocence or whatever played the role of courage; I dared ask her how it tastes! She simply said that every soil type has different tastes and you can see the difference in their colors and smell as well.
I don't know why she was so naive to me to answer such stupid questions!She also mentioned generally soils has a bit acidic or sour taste! Instantly, I asked her among them which one is the best? Then the most astonishing thing happened, she was like existed telling us about a type of clay pot which only comes from a certain part of the country literally tastes sweet. And it is a bit red in color.
I was like what the...! But then I realized oh no! Did I made fun of her. I should think it with different perspective. However, as we were too young it is obvious that we have zero idea about the health issue; or ignored; that should be the much concerning fact for such kind of weird addiction.
However, we two are still good friends. Blink! Blink! Even now whenever we talk I don't miss the chance to ask her what new type she discovered! Ha ha ha!
It gives me some kind of a good vibe to embrace the feelings of others and see the scenario through a different point of view. Whatever it is!
But, if you ask what about mine?
Yes, I have the weirdest one of all. I think I am the laziest person in the world. Laziness is my addiction. Yes it's the very truth. I have tried thousands and thousands of ways to cover it up. But you know or I guess you can guess the rest......
- Toushik
People can be addicted to anything - literally anything that gives them comfort. So physically, when a person takes too much of something within a certain period, they become addicted, causing their body to become dependent, and when they try to stop, they face a kind of departure.
This kind of addiction is more understandable, and therefore it is a less strange addiction because you can crave it physically and feel quite bad without it. Still, mental addiction is much harder to explain, though. Any mental addiction can be almost a habit that the brain has created in response to an activity or action; it brings happiness.
Over time, the brain begins to associate that action with pleasure and good feeling hormones, and it wants more. But human addiction to certain things is deadly strange. I don't know if there's any strange addiction in me, but I haven't noticed much in my research. Still, I have a strong addiction to many things, not to mention, but I just remembered that there was a person I knew who has a kind of addiction that is included in the strange addiction.
When I was in my first year of college, I had a classmate who was often seen eating dirt. I read some articles on Google and found, those who deliberately consume dirt, soil, or clay have geophagia. So one day, we friends were conversing, unexpectedly, that classmate joined us. One of us asked, "Can you pick up the soil from here and eat it now?" And as soon as he said that, he picked up a handful of soil from his feet and started eating. It was so disturbing to see that I quickly left.
