There are two items I could easily find addictive. In fact one is worryingly close to becoming an actual issue. As opposed to a vritual issue.
The first is Weight Watchers Chocolate and Vanilla Mousse. These are awesome. They taste good. Like really good. And they are about as low fat/calorie as you can get for a dessert. As long as I can keep these to one a day, I think I'll be OK.
The more worrying addiction is Night Nurse. This stuff was recommended to me by a friend when I had a cold or flu 2 years back (give or take). I had never taken it before. The stuff is weird. It really knocks you out. I have no idea how much it helps with the actually cold/flu, but it does let me sleep, which when you're ill is a godsend. Granted you wake up really groggy, and disorientated and confused, but it lets you sleep.
Now here is the problem, I have trouble sleeping. So when I start getting better I have to resist taking the stuff. And I'm not entirely sure that I don't suffer withdrawal symptoms as I come off the stuff, as I've been buggered if I can get a decent nights sleep this week. Last night was hell, just lying half awake, unable to fully shut down. I spent the whole night with this half awareness of being awake. Trying to resist the urge to get up and pop two pills to help me sleep was akin to the same urge I need to resist when I want a cigarette.
Worse is the temptation to take them when I'm not ill at all, just to sleep. Hell I'm sure there are better drugs to help you sleep, but those are sitting in my bathroom, and when you have insomnia, you'd sell your soul for some decent sleep never mind worrying about taking the wrong meds. Anything will do. So far I have resisted.
I have an addictive personality. It really doesn't take much for me to get addicted. Coca Cola, Smokes, Coffee. In fact my reaction to girls isn't that dissimilar on occasions either. It's a bit of a worry.
It has been pointed out that if I am going to have an addiction, then coke is much cooler.
1. Destructor
Disoriented! You wake up disoriented!
2. Adrian
I do? How do you know?
3. abi
the “coke is much cooler” comment was a little tongue in cheek, as i’m sure you realised!
anyway, you don’t sound like are at risk of getting addicted to me. you know what that would entail and you’re steering clear of it.
and the occasional nip won’t do you any harm, go for it, it’s great! /ahem/
4. annie
note to self Must buy Night Nurse ;-)
5. Coop
Have to try this Night Nurse stuff. I have absoloutely no trouble sleeping, but it might be cheaper than getting pissed and then waking up feeling groggy - easier to pop a few of these and hey presto, same effect.
If you’re feeling a bit crap from cold and flu then take large doses of Calpol and alcohol. Make you feeling awesome with a slight buzz.
6. Damo
If you want to try something to get off to sleep, try Valerian root - non-addictive, natural and does do you the power of good, or at least it works on me.
7. Gordon
I’m currently fighting off a growing addiction for Apple Strudel Muller Rice… when lightly heated they are gorgeously delish.
Only problem is they are a limited edition thing so if I don’t wean myself off them soon I’ll have to go cold turkey when they pull them from the shelves!!!
8. Adrian
I never quite got the rice as a desert thing.
9. matthew
Valerian root does get you to sleep, but it tastes like shit.
10. Chris
I know exactly where you’re coming from with the insomnia thing. I tried all the usual tricks - “sleep hygiene”, warm drinks, herbal thingies, even over-the-counter stuff, and none of it worked.
The trick, I found, was to learn to not stress about it. I know this is like telling a depressed person to cheer, but I’ve found that if I realise I’m going to have a hard time sleeping, the best thing to do is just accept it, not get worked up over it and then try and think about something else. I still end up not dropping off until 2 or 3am, but it’s considerably better than the entire nights of sleeplessness I’ve endured in the past.
11. Adrian
According to dad, I’m safe. My kidneys will pack in before I become an addict.
12. Lori
What a helpful father you have. And what a tasty sounding dessert. Must buy some. I feel groggy enough in the mornings without Night Nurse, so I’ll let that one go.
13. SM Esquire
Hmmmm, seems a bit conterproductive to use pseudoephedrine is in Night Nurse. Aaahh, looks like the pseudoephedrine is only in Day Nurse. The paracetamol is still going to fuck your liver though.
14. loving night nurse
Night nurse totally rocks. You are right you do wake up feeling crappy but nothing beats that “being put to sleep” feeling. aaaaaah if only it didnt taste so shitty cause the capsules just dont work as well!
15. fred
disorientated is the right word! disoriented is the nasty american mis-spelling - like color and aluminum!
16. Destructor
Orientation is the act or process of orienting. It is not the act or process of ‘orientating’. Disorientated is a bastard word used by fools and has no place in the language.
17. Lyle
Applause
Mind you, you can say the same for most Americanisms…
Aluminum is the one that consistently annoys me, but there’s plenty of others.
18. rob
I’m almost three years late, but I have to comment. I can relate to Adrian’s initial thread. I too liken the craving to night nurse to that for a cigarette (and for girls! or a broken heart, is perhaps more accurate). Anyway, I have the first two cravings now, hence my googleing of ‘night nurse addiction’! the anthropic principle is at work… I always take it when I have a cold, but it does hit a spot & I’m about to take it now just as a homeostatic treat.
top of a slippery slope? well, I’ve tried almost everything else & come through, so how bad can it be? :)
R