r/addiction • u/CisseBen • 1d ago

Venting I got hooked on chewing ice.

I got hooked on chewing ice. It started harmlessly during college. I would finish my drink and absentmindedly crunch the leftover cubes. Soon, I was buying bags of ice from the gas station just to chew. The sound, the texture, even the cold sting on my teeth gave me a bizarre kind of satisfaction. Friends joked that I must be a penguin in disguise.

It got weirder when I realized I craved it at odd times, like sneaking to the freezer at 2 a.m. or choosing restaurants based on the kind of ice they served. My dentist warned me I was destroying my enamel, but the urge was stronger than the pain. Eventually, I learned it was linked to low iron levels, and once I treated the deficiency, the craving faded. Looking back, it feels almost comical, but at the time it felt like a real addiction, one that made my freezer sound like a slot machine every night.

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u/KittensLeftLeg 1d ago

This is not an addiction but a compulsive behavior. OP I recommend checking if you have ocd or something similar. If you don't have it just have fun chewing ice. I heard its good for teeth health (but don't take my word for it I don't remember where and when I was told that, might be bs)

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u/krispy-cloud 1d ago

It's really common with iron deficiency, and like OP said, treating the problem stopped the craving. Any time people have a compulsion to eat weird things, it's a good idea to look into nutrient deficiency before assuming a psychiatric cause.

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u/KittensLeftLeg 1d ago

Good point, never even crossed my mind.

1

u/ferrett0ast 12h ago

similarly to how craving salt can sometimes indicate low sodium levels

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u/thrust-johnson 1d ago

Worst case, hydration.