Originally Posted by
steve11694 
Jazzman,
Say a person is using alcohol to mask and alleviate emotional pain and the underlying issues can be remedied. I understand a great deal about addiction, perhaps too much.
Regards
What I'm suggesting is that once an addiction takes hold, the underlying cause (if applicable) becomes a mute point. A great many recovering addicts will tell you they are only one drink, puff, hit, (etc) away from from full blown addiction again.
Here's an example, I was addicted to nicotine. I quit three times. The first two times I went for several months, thought I had it licked and figured what the hell I'll just buy one pack if cigarettes... then boom! The last time I quit was three years ago and I
know I'm only one puff away from full blown addiction.
In this example I had no underlying reason for starting smoking, I became addicted to a highly addictive drug. This is the point I'm trying to make. An underlying condition is not a requirement to develop an addiction. Surely it DOES happen, but it doesn't have to.