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The 7 Things Post 50s Say They Can't Live Without

The 7 Things Post 50s Say They Can't Live Without
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Guest Writer

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From many accounts, post 50s are an addicted lot. The population's use of alcohol and illegal substances is on the rise. As a result, their number of visits to the emergency room also has hit record highs.

No doubt these sorts of addictions are serious business.

On a much more benign note, the ability to "binge-view" -- people who spend entire weekends watching "Breaking Bad" or "Walking Dead" or some other show du jour -- has created a lot of TV addicts among post 50s as well.

Other post 50s can't go an hour without a shot of sugar or caffeine.

Are boomers a more addictive bunch than other generations? The answer's not clear. But there are at least a few experts who believe post 50s grew up learning to cope with life's problems by trying to escape them -- and so ARE more prone to addictive personalities.

We had our Facebook fans chime in on the topic by asking them about their addictions. Many said they couldn't live without a favorite TV show. Others admitted to being hooked on several things at once.

"Sipping on beer on my days off... smoking cigs on the porch... 'The Big Bang Theory'... 'Breaking Bad'... 'Roseanne' and 'Golden Girls'," said Renate Lazzaretto. "Not to mention my love for watching foreign films!"

So what were the most popular guilty pleasures? Check out the 7 most-cited responses in our slideshow below. What do you think? Let us know in comments.

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Before You Go

7 Things Post 50s Say They're Addicted To
Cheese Puffs And Various Other Unhealthy Snacks(01 of07)
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A handful of people cited various snack foods, especially cheese puffs or anything else that might leave a neon-orange residue on their fingers. If you absolutely must partake, at least go with the very best. Check out this taste test of 9 popular brands of cheese puffs. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="13" data-vars-position-in-unit="17">Flickr</a>:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10506540@N07/7390405630" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="stevendepolo" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10506540@N07/7390405630" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="14" data-vars-position-in-unit="18">stevendepolo</a>)
iPhones, Kindles, BlackBerry Devices(02 of07)
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Not surprisingly, many post 50s say they are hooked on their iPhones and Kindles, creating an army of digital device widows and widowers. With Apple just unveiling a top-of-the-line "iPhone 5S" and other lines of iPhones, this addiction is likely to be around for awhile. (credit:AP)
Anti-Aging Lotions(03 of07)
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Not that this is a bad thing, but a few people said they couldn't go a day without applying their Oil of Olay or some other anti-aging cream. (And, yes, a few women specifically mentioned Oil of Olay.) That's hardly surprising. The U.S. market for anti-aging products is expected to surpass $114 billion by 2015. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="9" data-vars-position-in-unit="13">Flickr</a>:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25730352@N03/4239345153" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="WindyWinters" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25730352@N03/4239345153" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="10" data-vars-position-in-unit="14">WindyWinters</a>)
Words With Friends(04 of07)
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Several post 50s mentioned their passion for Words With Friends. If you still haven't heard of the popular game -- which would make you the only person on the planet who hasn't -- check it out here. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="5" data-vars-position-in-unit="9">Flickr</a>:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80634066@N00/5206099871" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Listener42" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80634066@N00/5206099871" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="6" data-vars-position-in-unit="10">Listener42</a>)
Cigarettes(05 of07)
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Despite all the health warnings, lots of post 50s still love their nicotine. (credit:Getty Images)
Facebook(06 of07)
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Although technology has, in many ways, brought us all closer together, some people say they've started checking Facebook obsessively -- too obsessively. For tips on how to overcome a digital addiction, go here. (credit:AP)
Coffee(07 of07)
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Several post 50s said they couldn't start their day without a few cups of coffee. Want to stop consuming so much caffeine? Here's some information on how to break the habit. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="1" data-vars-position-in-unit="5">Flickr</a>:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40245414@N07/9716464082" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Alex Gott-Cumbers" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb664eee4b052715308c481" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40245414@N07/9716464082" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="2" data-vars-position-in-unit="6">Alex Gott-Cumbers</a>)
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