After much consideration I have noticed that there is a relationship between addiction and capitalism. In the United States many individuals have dreams of climbing the corporate ladder until they are President of the company. Unfortunately, it is unrealistic that believe that a person will be promoted to president on their first day, they need to work hard to be the president. The pressure of working over forty hours a week can take a toll on an individual. When an individual cannot keep up with their employers demands they can turn to abusive substances. Individuals can turn to illegal substances like speed and cocaine to give them the energy to stay awake for that extra hour or day so that they could finish their work. Besides illegal substances individuals can even turn to dangerous substances that can find in your cabinet or even grocery store. Every grocery store has a whole aisle that is devoted to substances which are geared to staying awake. Thousands of people are addicted to caffeine pills and energy drinks so that they can still be able to perform normally. One of my friends started taking caffeine pills so that she could work full-time, attend school, and study for upcoming exams. Her original plan was to only take one pill for a couple of months until she did not need them anymore. She was sadly mistaken. She started taking, as many as four to five, pills a day because her body developed a tolerance to the pills. She started to wake up in the middle of the night shaking because she was suffering from caffeine withdrawal. She finally had to see her doctor because she thought that she thought that she doing to die. Her doctor told her that she could never take another caffeine pill ever again because her blood pressure was so high and if she was not careful she could truly have a heart-attack. With the help of her doctors and friends she was able to break her addiction of caffeine pills.
I do admit that I have been sucked into an addictive system through my old drinking habits. Both myself and my boyfriend and apart of Greek Life back in Cleveland and when there was nothing to do we drink whatever alcohol was available. Whenever a fraternity around campus would have a party all you would do is play beer pong or flip cup. If an individual did not drink than there was no point of attending the party because they would have no fun. I remember about a year ago myself and several of my boyfriend’s brothers finished all of our exams at 10:30 in the morning and we wanted to celebrate. We could have left campus and went to the movies, out to eat, or even done back home and go back to sleep but we didn’t. We all walked downstairs to the restaurant / bar and started drinking. By noon we were all pretty drunk and did not care. While I was in Cleveland I used to be able drink with the best and I considered it a badge of honor. About a year ago my doctor diagnosed me with Acid Reflex and that I had to change eating and drinking behavior. It was such a culture shock that I’m forced to be the sober person at parties and I wish that I could have a beer even though it will make me sick. Now that I’m a little older and I look at all the drunk little nineteen year olds walking down High Street and I’m so happy that I’m not nineteen and drunk anymore.
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