Most people can have a few quirks, but let’s face it, there are some people that are just plain weird in this world. Why are they weird, you ask? Well, for one, some people are addicted to things like drinking human blood. If that sparks your interest, read on! Here are some of the world’s weirdest addictions.
Sausages
Most of us love a good old British banger from time-to-time, but for one person, their love of sausages was getting out of control. David Harding, an accountant from Greenwich, SE London spends nearly a thousand pounds per year on sausages, eating up to 13 per day. He’s sought counselling to try and beat his addiction but has struggled and is now in recovery ‘with the occasional treat’. You can follow him on Twitter: @sausageaddict
The Internet
We suspect that this will become more and more of a problem, because we’re all a little bit addicted to the Internet, aren’t we? America has even seen treatment centres open across the country to deal with the growing number of people addicted to the web. Addicts find it almost impossible to leave their computers or mobile devices and the addiction can have devastating effects on their personal life. There have even been a number of deaths blamed on Internet addiction.
Body modifications
It’s all about the pleasure and the pain with tattoos and more extreme forms of body modification. Some people go to such lengths they are actually unrecognizable as their former selves. Costing often tens of thousands of pounds, these sorts of addictions can be the result of many things, including an impaired self-image and low self esteem.
Eyelashes
Some people, bizarrely, can’t stop pulling their eyelashes out. Known as trichotillomania, it is borne out of anxiety. Similar to biting your nails, it’s a lot more odd and more painful way of dealing with your problems. Olivia Munn, the model and author is a well-known sufferer of the condition.
Music
Most of us love music, but can you be addicted to it? Well, according to a Swedish court you can. A man there has won the right to receive disability benefit because he is addicted to rock and heavy metal music. He’s now legally entitled to listen to heavy metal at work and take time off to go to festivals and gigs. And, you think the British benefits system is crazy?
Ice
In a bar or restaurant, do you ever find yourself scooping out the ice and chewing it? Some people love to do this all the time, 2% of men and 16% of women if statistics from the USA are to believed. It’s even got a name, pagophagia and is a form of pica, which is a serious condition where people desire and eat non-food items that have absolutely no nutritional value.
Brushing your teeth
Katy Perry has lovely white teeth, doesn’t she? Well, she should do, as she’s addicted to brushing her teeth. Brushing them over 6 times a day and always have 20 new brushes to hand, is it a quirky habit or addiction? We’d go for the latter.
Animal hoarders
You might think that old lady down the road with the millions of cats is crazy, but she’s probably suffering from an addiction. Animal hoarding is a recognised condition where people feel the need to own as many animals as they can. This leaves too many of them living in unsuitable conditions and not being well looked after. Watch any TV program that follows the RSPCA or any other animal organisation and you’ll see that it is a very odd, but very common problem.
Coffee
If the popularity of coffee shops like Starbucks and Costa Coffee are anything to go by, then more and more of us are getting addicted to coffee. It’s not a serious addiction thought until you start doing things like Trina and Mike Elliott from Florida. Both so addicted to caffeine, they have up to four coffee enemas per day. Heating the coffee on the hob, they then insert a Vaseline-coated hose into their rectum and pump the coffee in. It means they get a huge caffeine hit and a feeling of euphoria. Don’t think we’ll see these being offered in Starbucks.
Tanning
Tanning salons have become hugely popular in the UK, and most high streets have at least one, and more often than not, several. The desire to be tanned is strong in a lot of people and it has been found that those people who tan regularly receive a ‘reward and reinforcement’ reaction in the brain every time they tan. Some people take it to extremes and Trisha Paytas from New Jersey in the USA has spent over £35,000 keeping her skin brown. She really is what is known as a ‘tanorexic’!
Funerals
Luis Square has a very unusual addiction. He’s addicted to funerals. He’s attended every funeral in his hometown for the past 20 years, and has even quit his job to help feed his bizarre habit. He’s actually become a bit of a local celebrity and he’s welcomed at every funeral he attends. We were wondering whether it’s not the funeral he’s addicted to but the post funeral buffet. Everyone loves a good buffet.
Lying
We’ve all lied in our lives and, if we’re honest, sometimes it feels really good, doesn’t it? It’s like you’ve gotten one over on someone, and you know something they don’t know. This can become and addiction to some people, even when they have absolutely nothing to gain from lying. Whether it’s chronic, pathological or compulsive lying, all three can lead to problems with friends, family and can even lead people to prison.
Drinking blood
We all know there are some weird people about, but imagine if you lived near Julia Capes of Pennsylvania in the USA. She’s admitted to drinking nearly two litres of human blood each and every month for the past few years. Blood drinkers describe their need for blood like a smoker’s need for a cigarette: A craving that has to be quenched.
Wigs
Usually women, there are an awful lot of people who are addicted to wigs. Dolly Parton is a well-known lover of wigs and even Esther Rantzen has confessed to being addicted to buying and wearing wigs. It’s so common, there is even a support group called Wig Addicts Anonymous.
Diet Coke
Claire Ayton of Pailton in Warwickshire had a serious addiction to Diet Coke that saw her drink four litres per day for 10 years. Releasing in 2011 that this was excessive, she used hypnotherapy to get over her addiction and has seen the benefits of stopping drinking it. She lost weight, saved herself over £1,000 per year and she has much more energy.