Addictions: Willpower is Not Enough

Since the word addiction was first coined, there are has been much debate on what classifies as an addiction and what causes addiction. Some professionals see addiction as a character flaw, while others see addiction as a biological vulnerability. The biggest question that remains unanswered, however, is "why are we so vulnerable to addiction?" There are many factors that make individuals vulnerable to addiction. <Tab/>The first of these factors is …

…these traits and behaviors are carried over from the individual's childhood to their adulthood. Individuals who do not break the addictive cycle are doomed to carry the cycle over into their own lives and teach these patterns to their own children. Willpower is not enough to help these individuals recover from addiction. New behavior patterns and coping patterns must be learned in order to effective be able to cope with future problems when they arise.