I have felt and believed for many many years that the underlying issues need to be addressed, regardless of what is driving a person to become addicted to 'whatever' they are addicted to. Whether that be food, gambling, sex, chemical substances, relationships,workaholism, etc., whatever.
That takes a very honest, open look at oneself and figuring out what the heck is really going on. For some people it's stress. For some it's depression. Boredom. Lack of purpose and direction in life. There are so many reasons, really....unresolved past hurts, such as being abused as a child. Or, for example being violated in whatever form.
One of my in-laws is what I consider a 'serial addict'. What I mean by that is throughout her adult life she has had one addiction after another. When she quits one, she takes up another. Valium, cigarettes, food, overspending, videos, gambling, hoarding. I believe most of that behavior arises from her childhood in which there was a huge lack of security and at one point she and her siblings were all placed in foster care.
It's kind of a long story, but when she was a little girl before being put in foster care she literally did not know whether or not she would have anything to eat for dinner. I think that is one of the main things that led to the hoarding.