Getting Addicted to Gum?

I know it sounds silly, but I've had a few times in my life when I would chew 2 packs of the strongest mint gum out there a day. I remember that when I woke up the second day my throat was dry and I felt like a zombie, it was even worse than after smoking a pack of cigarettes. I remember that I was chewing even if I was drinking a bear, I was chewing before and after the meal, it simply helped me think. It an addiction I got rid of pretty hard, have you ever experienced anything like this?

I've heard of it before, I know a few cases and no I've never experienced it myself but I guess there is hope for you to overcome that. Gum isn't that bad but it may contain sugar and if you consume it a lot it may be bad for you and also your teeth because they are in constant movement and chewing. I would recommend you to try and cut it slowly.

I wouldn't exactly call that an "addiction" now, more of a bad habit. Chewing a small amount of gum after meals can be beneficial to teeth but too much can be extremely harmful.

I'm wondering if maybe some people don't know the difference between addiction, need, want, and bad habit. The lines get a little more blurred everyday. I have more bad habits than I can count, but have had only a few addictions. The bad habits are annoying but harmless. Addictions have done more damage to my self and my life than gasoline does to an anthill. I don't need chocolate, I want it. I don't want blood pressure medicine, I need it. I can't explain it so that people will understand the difference. Can anyone help me explain this?

Try and get out of that. Am sure that you have heard of the bad side. You better stop now as it will affect your life later.

True. I would call it a bad habit too so it's good to make a distinction since there's nothing that the brain finds addicting about chewing gum, but it may be a bad habit and I don't think of it as something hard to overcome.

There are a lot of alternatives that are still healthy, too. Crackers, fruit, all sorts of food. Or you can get your tongue pierced. That's fun to play with. A Ruebics cube.

I have heard of this kind of addiction before. At your current state, it sounds more like a bad habit regarding food. Try eating some healthy alternatives instead, such as small snacks. It doesn't seem to hard to get out of.

This is getting to be the time of year where you can get some home grown watermelons. That would be my strategy. In serious, too. No worries about dehydration, no worries about insane weight gain, the taste is wonderful!!

To be honest I have never heard of people being addicted to gum so this is interesting. I don't think its impossible to be addicted to it, people can become addicted to anything!

I've gone through a lot of different phases in my life where I got kind of addicted to certain things but they always went away pretty much naturally. Sometimes I would have to put in a bit more effort but luckily I guess my type of personality is one that gets tired eventually.

I, think chewing gum can be a addiction and also a person can use it everytime in the day and also they can think it is not a bad habit but the oral health can be affected and bad teeth as well. I think it can be a addiction as someone can want to eat or drink at odd times so may use gums to satisfy the desire which can be good or bad for the mouth. Trying to overcome, can be done by eating some fruits or some healthy food and fruit juices and water also as that can be good for the mouth and teeth as well.

I like them too! Not too much though but they're alright.

It's the way you always chew something that makes the addiction not the substance itself. It actually helps you focus and think better through times, so I guess that's another reason for the addiction.

I have never heard of this, but I guess you can become addicted to almost anything. I don't think this is very harmful unless you are taking it in excessive amounts, even then it may be better than many other substances. This may just be more of a really bad habit that needs to be broken.

Totally agree with you. It was a bad habit of mine back when I was a teenager. Chewing too much gum actually contributed to tooth decay, as they are sugary after all. It also altered the rate in which I digested food, which wasn't natural. Once my dentist alerted me to the negatives of chewing too much gum, I stopped immediately.

As missbishi mentioned, it shouldn't be called an addiction. more of a habit. Gum makes people relax because it deceives your brain that you are eating while you're chewing and when you eat you're in no danger so you keep calm while chewing gum.

I love chewing gum when all I want to do is chew on something but not necessarily eat something. I have never heard of gum addiction but I guess the sugar from the gum or just the act of chewing us what gets addictive.

I can relate, it took me a long time to get rid of chewing gum. While it's not something that dangerous I think you can really damage your teeth by chewing gum regularly, so I got rid of this bad habit slowly.