Licking Your Lip Balm Addiction
You Really Can Be Addicted to Lip Balm
The young student sat in front of me, her lips literally triple coated in her lip balm. The application was so thick that the natural shape of her lip was slightly misshapen. As I graded her paper in front of her, she waited for her test results and reached into her pocket where she applied yet another coat of lip balm.
I set the paper down in front of me.
"Would you like to make a perfect grade?" I asked her.
"Yes!" She exclaimed.
"Would you be willing to give up lip balm for a month?"
"I am addicted to it." she replied plainly.
I graded the paper, she barely passed, and I began the social experiment that shaped the way I think about addictions to this day.
Psychologists say that addiction is when something-whether a drug or activity or any substance that begins as enjoyable occurs and the use of the drug,substance or activity becomes a compulsion rather than something that is solely pleasurable.
I called a friend of mine who is a psychologist and asked if a person could be addicted to lip balm.
"Absolutely. It is a very tactile interaction. From reaching for the container, dispensing it, rubbing it on the lips, reapplying it all day, the exact same motions are repeated over and over. I don't see why it would not be considered an addiction,especially if the person can no longer get through their day without the product."
Getting Over Lip Balm-Step One-Get Some Help
Articles elsewhere will address the aspect of whether or not lip balm is good for your lips or not. I will not get into that issue. I think that lip balm can be a valuable tool if used correctly.
If you think that you are addicted to lip balm, ask yourself these questions:
- Can you go any amount of time without lip balm being around you?
- Do you need to have lip balm with you where ever you go?
- Do you become angry, sad, irrational or unpredictable if you do not have your lip balm?
- Have friends and family come forward to talk to you about your lip balm?
There are many other signs of addictions, but if you are constantly applying lip balm over and over again, you may have a legitimate problem.
The first step in getting past any addiction is to really admit that you have a problem.
Speak to someone else about your problem and work on a plan to get free of your addiction. Be honest with who ever you choose to tell. Make sure that they understand that you are serious.Lip balm addiction may not be a serious topic to some people, but if it is impacting the quality of your day, you may need to end or cut back severely on the amount that you use the product.
Steps to Stop Using Lip Balm Excessively
The only person who knows how much lip balm you are going through is you. Be honest with yourself about how much you are applying it everyday.
Resolve at the end of your internal score keeping of usage to reduce your amount of consumption by half.
In the social experiment that I conducted with my students, lip balm addiction was far more prevalent than what I imagined.
My students, either themselves or knew someone who applied and used lip balm abnormal amounts. As a class, we took a vote and decided that at the beginning of the day, after meals and before bed were normal times to apply lip balm. Anything past that was something that needed to be considered and reviewed, with the exception of someone who has dry, chapped or windburned/sunburned lips.
At the end of your first week of diminished use, cut your use down again by half until you are at the normal amounts that I just mentioned. If you are unable to do this, determine why that is. Certain times (flu,cold, windy weather, sun or skiing) are factors that will contribute to high usage and that is normal.
Keep cutting down your consumption and don't forget, YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!
Lessen Your Lip Balm Use Actively
When you start cutting back on lip balm, the first thing that you will notice is how much you want to be able to touch your lip balm.
Stop carrying your lip balm with you. If you need to carry it, moisten a cotton swab with enough for one application only and put that into a plastic bag. Place the plastic bag into a pocket or purse that is not in the normal location that you store your lip balm.
Leave your regular lip balm at home. If it is not with you, you can't use it. If you are still having problems with excessive use when you are at home, ask someone else to hold your lip balm when you are home.
About Me
I love writing hubs and lip balm addiction is very serious! If you liked my hub, vote me up!
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2013 Dixie