Bad Habits that You Will Most Likely Regret Over Time

Bad habits are common among everyone. I have been a nurse for over 28 years, and every day I work with patients who unfortunately have some type of bad habit that has contributed to their medical conditions.

Bad habits can take on many different avenues, and usually as people age they regret ever having started their habit in the first place. Here are some common bad habits that people ultimately regret:

1. Smoking

Smoking would have to be the number one bad habit of all time. Just ask any medical professional. Smoking may start off as an innocent social habit that many young people consider cool, but over the years, many older people regret smoking and the detriment it's caused to their overall health. Smoking not only takes a severe toll on every aspect of your body, but it can also have a devastating effect on other parts of a person's life, such as employment options.

2. Excessive use of Tanning Beds or Sunbathing

Many people, especially young women, often overindulge in the use of tanning beds and sunbathing for vanity reasons. Being tan has long been thought of as a summertime necessity. However, excessive tanning can cause many forms of skin cancer and, in some cases, even severe burns. It doesn't matter whether a person uses a tanning bed or gets their tan naturally from sunbathing; both can cause severe skin damage over time and raise your risk for burns and cancer. Tanning also causes wrinkles and age spots, and can damage your complexion. Young women, be forewarned -- tanning will not contribute to your beauty in the long run.

3. Tattoos

Tattoos have long been thought of as an art form. However, many young people have recently adorned their bodies from top to bottom with numerous tattoos. People nowadays often use tattoos to immortalize almost every aspect of their lives. Older people, however, often regret even one tattoo, so as a nurse I often wonder how many of these young people are going to feel once they become grandmas and grandpas.

4. Risk taking

People everywhere take risks every day. However, some people take unnecessary risks for the adrenaline rush that risk taking gives them. In many cases, a bad habit of risking ones life, such as participating in skydiving, is harmless, especially if all the safety precautions are adhered to. However, many people called "thrill seekers" often forgo all the necessary safety precautions and partake in risks to their lives, if not others. Often, thrill seekers can be found running white water rapids without life vests or mountain climbing without all the necessary safety equipment. This risk taking can unfortunately cause severe harm to a person if an accident happens, such as severe back injuries that they have to live with the rest of their lives. Unfortunately many thrill seekers never live past the first traumatic accident, therefore only survivors live to regret their risk taking habits.

5. Alcohol addiction

As a nurse, I see that many patients are often in denial of the lasting effects alcohol consumption can cause for their health. Alcohol can have a very detrimental effect on every aspect of a person's life, such as their ability to complete their normal daily activities. Alcohol can also cause irreparable damage to many vital organs in your body.

6. Attention span

Many times, people get in the habit of not paying attention, especially to things they are not interested in, such as school work, safety precautions, driving, etc. Although the inability to pay attention to many seems harmless enough, over time it can build and become a real problem. If a young person doesn't pay attention in school, it can result in not being able to graduate. If a person doesn't pay attention to safety precautions it can in many instances have deadly consequences.

7. Inappropriate Internet correspondence

The Internet over the years has become a social gathering place for many people, and for many young people the Internet has become a virtual playground with photo sharing, social sites such as Facebook, social role playing games and real time chat. The down side of inappropriate Internet correspondence can be highly detrimental to a person's life if the person is not actively cautious in their online activities. Many people find out that even something as simple as chatting online can cause unwarranted attention by employers, friends and intruders, who in some instances can use the data to commit identity theft. Placing inappropriate photos on the Internet can also years from now come back to haunt you.

8. Bad Personal Hygiene

Unfortunately, many people are not aware of the medical conditions that bad personal hygiene practices can have on their health. Even something as seemingly harmless as not properly washing can cause many bacterial infections, such as MRSA. Bad oral hygiene, such as not properly brushing your teeth, can cause many oral medical conditions, such as an oral abscess, erosion of your teeth, gum disease and even thrush. Over time, many people regret bad hygiene habits, especially if they have diabetes and lack of proper wound care causes them irreparable damage.

9. Bad Credit Habits

Unfortunately, many young people are completely unaware of the effect that not paying their bills has on their credit, and many times they shrug off creditors only to have severe credit problems, such as car repossessions. Eventually, however any credit issues over time can have a severe impact on a person's life. Usually a person first takes notice of any bad credit problems when they attempt to buy their first car or their first home. However, as any older person will tell you, including myself, by then it is extremely hard to correct the damage you have done over years of delinquencies and charge offs, so it's vital you take care of your credit.

10. Inactivity

Being inactive is a seemingly harmless habit for many people. After all, many jobs these days are office positions and keep a person almost tied to a computer all day. After they arrive home, many people have a full list of household and child care duties to attend to, such as laundry, dishes, getting kids bathed and in bed, etc. Over the years, lack of physical activity has become a real problem for not only many adults but also children. Obesity in America is at an all time high right now because of our lack of activity and abundance of fast food products. Years ago, I remember the only thing kids had to do, including myself, was to play outside. However, now with video games and computers in every home, kids have become complacent with no physical activity. Even adults such as myself have to push themselves to walk or go to a gym, because once we come home from our jobs, we are so mentally drained and there are so many household duties which have to be attended to.

Sources:

Jane Harrison, R.D., "It's Never Too Late to Break Bad Habits," MyOptumHealth.com.

"Breaking Bad Habits," About-Personal-Growth.com.

Jeanna Bryner, "Bad Habits: Why We Can't Stop," LiveScience.