Idk if it's because of my ADHD or Depression but I struggled my whole life with finding a healthy balance to all these temptations that this world offers.
I'm 21 years old now (and a male) and I feel like this is now stronger than ever. It could be worse because these temptations might've become more and stronger or it's the fact that becoming an adult feels so overwhelming to me because of all the freedoms that come with all these responsibilities of managing and balancing/limiting everything yourself.
I find it so hard to restrict/discipline myself since there are so many temptations in this consumer oriented world. Even though I know that most of the stuff isn't good for me, it feels impossible to have the discipline to not go after it/escape it.
And often I have this inner conflict of not knowing what the right decision is and if I should do what my inner child desperately wants because it feels like it will easily give me the happiness that I'm seeking for my life and that I can't miss out on it (but it might as well be an illusion and will only make my life worse) or if I should not go after that to potentially become long-term successful/happy but with the big possibility of failing anyways (which is why I don't go after the second option most of the time since it seems like an unachievable illusion to me since I always fail anyways).
Idk if this has something to do with capitalism and wonder if it might be different in non capitalistic societies or if they have the same problem. Because it seems like everything in this world is designed to get people to buy/consume it. I feel like the world just sees me as a dollar sign and wants to milk every penny out of me without caring what this does to my health. Like a trap.
I know we're supposed to be responsible for our own actions but it seems that it is made so hard to the point where its almost impossible to do. I mean it is well known through insiders, whistleblowers but also the industry itself that these big companies hire psychiatrists and neurologists to make all these products such as social media as addictive as possible since engagement and attention span is key for them. And they are well aware about the downsides and affects to peoples health but they don't care cause they only care about the money. It's like they intentionally make us sick for their greedy benefits.
It's like there are all these doors for entering escapism, they're all around me and are screaming that I need to go in. And since I already feel so miserable it seems impossible to not enter the doors cause they're the easiest way of escaping the misery and somehow getting through the day.
It's so hard to get out and live a life outside off these temptations cause they're everywhere and give you this easy and fast pleasure that's craved by our simple primate brains.
There's constantly new stuff like addictive food, toxic media and technologies, new consoles, games and so on.
It seems to me that the world is designed to put us down instead of lifting us up. And it feels impossible to escape it since I'm too weak to overcome all these external things that are designed against me.
Am I the only one who feels like this? What are your thoughts on this? How much could this be a personal issue and how much could it be societal related?
So I'll start by saying I may just be wired differently. I have friends who struggle with severe ADHD and chronic depression, and I can confidently say I have neither.
There is definitely some component desire or temptation inherent to humanity. Every religion I can think of has at least sone sect that focuses on this. You could look at the snake tempting Eve in the garden of Eden or ascetic Buddhist monks that deny themselves the pleasures of the flesh. Often this is as much about people in power trying to control others as it is about anything else- a well-documented recent example would be the way the Islamic State used sexual denial to make their recruits more violent and less rational, using an afterlife of sexual reward as an incentive. It does not have to be religious, but when you dive into the history of most groups advocating for self-deprevation theres usually a strong religious component. Mormons don't drink, Jews have Kosher restrictions, Muslims have Halal restrictions, and smaller groups like the Millerites, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Scientists, 7th Day Adventists (like Kellog), etc. Heck, Alcoholics Anonymous was founded with absolutely zero science or academia- it's a 12 step program because Jesus has 12 apostles. And studies on its efficacy have had... Let's say mixed results. You also see groups advocating for moderation and balance, although I'm struggling to think of many examples at the moment.
On a personal note I have two approaches that have helped me. The first is to get in the habit of considering as much information as you reasonably can for your decision making. This is easier said than done, and decision-making fatigue is a very real thing. I'm an accountant, so for me it's about fully understanding the transactions I make. If I want to grab a beer, I'm thinking about not just how it will taste and make me feel in that moment, but how much it cost me to buy and how I'm going to feel the next day- my sleep will be worse, I will have consumed more calories and carbs so I'll be in worse shape, my eyes will probably be tired, my joints will be inflamed (look forward to aging lol). Plus opportunity costs- I have my own boundaries and rules that I follow for drinking (no driving, power tools, ladders, working, etc).
And it's not just drinking. If I get an ad for some neat gadget or doodad that I'm interested in, I'll start to think about how many hours of work it takes to earn the money to buy it. Where is that item going to live in my house? Does it need charged, and where is the charger going to live? How long is this going to last?
Which brings me to my second piece of advice: set yourself up for success. Proper sleep and nutrition are really important for fighting decision fatigue. That's why it's often a good idea to "sleep on it" before making decisions. Post-nut clarity is a bit of a meme but also has some validity. Don't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. If you're freshly trying to stop or cut back on something like alcohol, drugs, or playing a videogame, maybe you need to take a break from hanging out with friends who are doing that. Or ask them to do something else instead. Block ads or stop going to websites that are bad about that.
And also recognize that's it's okay to not be perfect. If you focus on the same of failure that can often lead to just a downward spiral. Moderation is often a lot healthier than cutting things out entirely. Just taking the time to think about your decisions is huge. Impulse buying and eating a chocolate bar when you're on a diet or a budget is bad, but planning ahead and saying "this Friday I'm going to treat myself to this nice chocolate bar as a bit of a break, a bit of a reward" can be fine. It depends on who you are and what you're dealing with: that may not be fine if you're 600lbs.