Why do so many people refuse to take care of themselves?

Why do so many people refuse to take care of themselves?Why do so many people refuse to take care of themselves? The CDC says overweightness and obesity in America is now a pandemic. And though smoking is on the decline, alcohol abuse and drug abuse is rising. I don't understand. Wheather you are religious or not, you have to know that you only have one shot at life on this planet, so why do so many abuse their health and bodies? Even with scientific evidence and proof without a doubt, people still eat too much, smoke too much, drink too much and abuse drugs. Every one of which is a CHOICE. Why do people CHOOSE to destroy their health, bodies and minds?

LanEvoX
All those choices pay off in the short term, and for that reason alone, many people are willing to trade that with long term health.

It takes a certain level of maturity in order to look past the present and into the future, to take into account what consequences will arise from your actions 5, 10, etc years down the road.

wondering in michigan
Maybe they don't care enough about themselves to want to take care of themselves. Maybe they don't know how to take care of themselves - especially if their parents didn't take care of themselves; how would they know how to? (unfortunately). Or perhaps they are just plain lazy and just do not care about doing so.

logrhythmic
I've often wondered that myself. To see a really fat person using an electric ride-on shopping cart amazes me. "Why don't they take care of themselves?", I always ask myself.

I can speak to some situations. For years, I was depressed and didn't give a ___t about myself. I blimped up to 215 (I'm 5'11") and was miserable, became diabetic, and almost died. After a stay in the hospital, I decided to do something about it. Now, after a year of success, I wonder why more people don't follow me. I'm 172 now and am having the time of my life. Read more about my story at:

http://www.geocities.com/seabulls69/AntidepressantThatWorks.html

rebellious
I don't think it's because people want to destroy their health, it's just that smoking is a bad habit, drinking is a bad habit, and over eating is bad also, but it always seems to be the bad things people continue doing, even when we know the consequences, becoming accustomed to these bad habits are very hard to break unless we our selves have some sort of health scare, which dosent always work anyway.

shirishbhate
Addiction develops with abusive use of anything, even tea coffee. LIfe appears dull. What is the use of living 120 years with a plain fruit juice diet, and you do not get any material pleasures. Perhaps people feel that even a short life is OK with pleasures.

There is some psychological disorder OCD what they call. People become obsessive to obtain certain pleasures! excess of anything leads to distruction.

Interesting natural reasons (diseases out of affluence) for this state are discussed at:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ayurvedaonline/message/5491

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