Habits To Avoid If You Have An Addictive Personality

Shopping To Better Self Esteem

Whether it is in America or other countries where a strong economy is a point of national pride, few pastimes are more popular than shopping. However, excess shopping, particularly when it is used as a temporary boost to our self-esteem, can quickly lead to troubling outcomes, not the least of which is a shortage of funds or even excess debt. For many individuals, this can result in damaged credit scores and extreme anxiety when unpaid bills begin to mount up.

While we might look great in that new outfit, it's healthy to take a step back and ask whether we really need what we're shopping for. Everyone needs a wardrobe for work and personal activities, but a closet full of clothing we'll never use can worsen conditions such as anxiety or depression, leading to a vicious cycle in which we spend money to feel better and then crash when the 'high' of shopping session wears off, leading to another bout of spending and regret. For these reasons, shopping for better self-esteem may be an activity better left on the shelf!

Portraying Gambling As An Accomplishment

Whether it's being portrayed as a glamorous activity in James Bond films or simply the 'in' social activity among friends, it is difficult not to be drawn in by the allure of gambling, especially when we are winning and feeling the rush of short-term financial success. And indeed, who does not want to boast at their skill at poker or of their big financial win when it happens, particularly when society often idolizes the figure of the high roller? Like all myths, the image of the big winner at the casino is just that, an idealized character. In fact, while we are busy portraying gambling as an accomplishment, it's likely we're also ignoring our losses.

For many individuals, gambling can lead to a host of financial and personal issues that can be extremely difficult to extricate oneself from. Excess credit card debt, financial needs such as house payments and electrical bills going by the wayside, and rocky relationships are just a few of the signs that we've taken gambling from a regular social activity among friends to something much more unsettling. As the old saying goes, pride comes before a fall, and so it is with taking excess self-regard in our gambling endeavors.