TRANSCRIPT 🔗
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Most people fail this addiction quiz, will you? Before you
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even get out of bed, before drinking water, before saying
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good morning to anyone, your first instinct is to grab
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your phone. But have you ever stopped to wonder why?
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Is it just a habit or is it something deeper?
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Something shaping your brain more than you realize? Addiction isn't
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just about substances, it's about patterns. Behaviors repeated so often
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that your brain begins to rely on them. When you
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feel stressed, bored, or overwhelmed, your mind searches for relief.
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And if something, whether it's scrolling, binge-watching, or snacking, gives
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you a moment of comfort, your brain remembers. It reinforces
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the habit, making it harder to stop. And the more
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you repeat it, the stronger it becomes. That's how addictions form.
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Not as a conscious choice, but as an automatic response
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wired into your brain. So really, addiction isn't something you choose.
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It's something that happens through repetition, often without realizing it,
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until it becomes the default response to stress, sadness, boredom,
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or even joy. This quiz is not about shame. It's
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about self-awareness. Could your everyday habits be warning signs? Let's
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put them to the test. Keep track of your score
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as you go. And by the end, you'll see whether
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your habits are just routines or something far more controlling.
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All right, let's begin. Keep track of your scores as
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we go. Do you often turn to things like daydreaming,
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social media, or binge watching shows to escape reality? A,
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all the time. I use it as my main escape. B, sometimes,
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but I can pull myself back to reality. C, not really.
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I prefer to deal with things head on. Two, do
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you tend to make quick decisions without thinking them through?
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like impulsively buying something or indulging in unhealthy habits. A, yeah,
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I act on impulse a lot. B, occasionally, but I
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try to be mindful. Or C, no, I usually think
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things through. Number
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three, when life gets overwhelming, how do
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you cope? Do you turn to habits like overeating, alcohol,
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or spending time online? A, I shut down or turn
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to unhealthy habits. B. I try to manage it, but
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sometimes I struggle. C. I use healthy coping strategies like
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exercising or talking to someone. 4. Do small things affect
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you deeply, leading you to distractions or soothing habits to
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cope with the emotional intensity? A. Yeah, I feel emotions
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intensely and struggle to manage them. B. Sometimes, but I'm
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learning to regulate my emotions. Or C. No, I usually
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have a good handle on my emotions. Number five. Does
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your family have a history of addiction, whether to substances, alcohol, gambling,
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or other behaviors? A. Yes, multiple family members have struggled
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with addiction. B. I know of a few relatives with
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addiction problems. Or C. No, not that I'm aware of.
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Number six. Do you get bored easily and feel the
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need for constant stimulation like scrolling, multitasking, or seeking new entertainment? A. Yes,
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I often need stimulation. B. Sometimes, but I find ways
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to stay grounded. Or C. No, I'm usually content with
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what I'm doing. Number seven. Do you often prioritize others'
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needs over your own, even when it leads to burnout
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or unhealthy coping? A. Yes, I always put others first. B. Sometimes,
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but I try to balance it. Or C. No, I
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take care of myself too. Number eight. Do you often
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seek instant gratification through food, online shopping, social media, or
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other quick rewards? A. Yes, I constantly seek instant gratification. B. Sometimes,
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but I can delay gratification if needed. Or C. No,
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I'm usually patient and can wait. Tally up your scores
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and here's what they could mean. Seven to 10 points,
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low risk, in control. You appear to have strong self-awareness
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and healthy coping strategies in place. Good job. While no
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one is completely immune to addiction, your habits suggest you
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found effective ways to manage your emotions and maintain balance. Still,
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mental health isn't static. Even with a low score, it's
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worth remembering that life stressors or emotional dips can shift
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habits over time. Keep checking in with yourself, especially during
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moments of change. 11 to 16 points. Moderate risk. Stay mindful.
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You may carry some patterns that under stress or emotional
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overwhelm could lead to addictive tendencies. This is especially common
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in people who live with anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders,
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where self-soothing becomes necessary just to function. Sometimes it's not
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about pleasure. It's about dulling the noise, numbing the pain,
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or just getting through the day. People with mental health
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conditions often have either heightened or lowered tolerance to emotion
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and reward. This makes them more likely to seek relief
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through fast external means. You're not broken, but these are
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patterns worth watching out for with compassion, not shame. 17
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to 24 points. High risk. Be gentle, but honest. Your
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score suggests that certain habits may be taking deeper root
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and that you could be leaning on them for emotional regulation, relief,
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or survival. This is especially common if you've experienced trauma,
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unmanaged stress, or undiagnosed mental health conditions. Many people with
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things like ADHD, anxiety, or PTSD report feeling too much
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or not enough. and use behaviors like scrolling, eating, spending,
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or substance abuse to soothe the extremes. Sometimes it's about
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feeling nothing. Sometimes it's about feeling something. Either way, the
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pattern can become a lifeline that quietly becomes a trap.
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But again, you're not broken, weak, or beyond help. These
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patterns formed because you were trying to cope. And if
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you recognize it now, you're already beginning to heal. And
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you don't have to do it alone. So now that
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you know where you stand, the real question is, what
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comes next? Your score is not a label. It's a
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starting point. Whether you're in control or need a reset,
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small steps can make a big change. And if you've
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been self-soothing or self-medicating to cope with emotional pain, mental
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health struggles, or just trying to feel okay, please know
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this is more common than you think. You're not bad
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for developing habits that helped you survive. You just deserve
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more than survival now. So where do we start? Take
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a moment to reflect. What triggers these habits? Is it stress, boredom,
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emotional overload? Try experimenting with coping strategies that support your
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nervous system, like moving, journaling, or human connection. And if
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you feel stuck, reach out. Whether it's a friend, a therapist,
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or a support group, you don't have to figure this
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out on your own. Addiction doesn't always look dangerous. Sometimes
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it just looks comfortable. But the real question is, who's
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in control? You or your habits? Whatever your score, this
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quiz is here to help you understand your wiring, not
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judge it. And the best part? You can change. You
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can grow. You can begin again, one small decision at
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a time. So who's in control? You or your habits?
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Think about that next time you reach for your phone. Small,
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intentional choices every day can help you rewire your patterns
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and build a life free from unhealthy dependencies. Maybe start
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with something simple, put your phone in another room before bed,
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or take just one hour away from screens today. Just
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see how it feels. At Psych2Go, our mission is to
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create thoughtful, compassionate mental health content that helps people understand
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themselves and feel less alone. We believe that healing begins
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with knowledge, and even small moments of insight can spark
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real transformation. If this quiz resonated with you, let us
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know your score in the comments. And if you're making
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even one small change today, we're proud of you. You're
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not alone and you're never too far gone to begin again.