When "My Strange Addiction" first premiered, entertainment writers weren't sure what to make of it, or its quick success. For one, Mandi Bierly for Entertainment Weekly ventured the guess, "That's what's interesting about this show, right? Discovering the root of the addiction." On the other hand, the Us Weekly staff criticized "My Strange Addiction" early on for spending too much time making a sideshow out of people's behaviors and too little time helping them get treatment. "The afflictions are fascinating, but too much time is spent gawking at their odd behavior as opposed to treating it," they asserted. "Only in the final moments do therapists pay a visit, and they oversimplify things by suggesting exercise and journaling!"
Additionally, Michael Abernethy at Pop Matters reached a similar conclusion, writing that the premiere left viewers frustrated at what they were seeing. "While 'My Strange Addiction' provides details of the addictive behaviors, it does little to present their psychological make-ups, their contexts or their possible treatments," he explained. "More input from [the resident psychological expert] might help us understand what we're watching, and not just ogle bizarre spectacles."
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