I have been wondering if drugs, cigarettes, food, sex and other things people overdue to the extreme making them sick is some form of mental illiness. They released Lindsey Lohan from jail and took her straight to a mental facility with NO drug rehab center in it whatsoever. She will just be getting mental help only.
I think it's a mental thing because she for instance has been in actual rehab seven times with little to no results, the same with Charlie Sheen and countless others.

These people know they could die from what they are doing and still continue to do it. I am no better at times, eating foods not good for diabetics or weight loss. It's like playing Russian Roulette in the mind, with our very lives.

You bet the drugs are what's causing their problems. Alcohol is
a drug, too and Charlie from 2 and 1/2 Men gets into that
with gusto!

IMO life is difficult enough, without blowing your mental processes into distortion. The world can be scary without any
outside help!

I definitely think there is such a thing as an addictive personality. We know that babies born to an addicted mother are born with that addiction (alcohol fetal syndrome, heroin, etc) so we know that some of it is passed genetically. I don't have stats, but know first-hand many alcoholics who had alcoholic parents.

I also believe that eventually the drug takes over and takes control, whether it be hard drugs, alcohol or nicotine (or caffeine or even the adrenaline rush of gambling) so that when you're trying to deal with the person inside, you can't really reach them until the drug is out of their system. Until then, you're just talking to the drug, which won't be reasoned with because all it knows is that it wants more.

From what I have learned and experienced there is definitely an addictive 'personality' although these days many professionals call it an addictive gene. They know that if a parent is an addict the offspring are 4 times more likely to be one also, even if raised by someone else in a household where no drug/alcohol abuse is present. I found out late in life that my father was an alcoholic, he died from it when I was too young to realize what was going on.
Also, in the field they talk about 'cross-addiction', giving up one addiction for another. An addict is an addict no matter what their current addiction is. At least that is what we were taught in rehab. It was certainly true with me. I didn't run into trouble with alcohol until I had gastric bypass surgery and couldn't eat - but I could sip wine all day. Fear of cross-addiction is why I never let a Doctor prescribe any type narcotic for me. I've never, ever abused them but my experience in going from food to alcohol makes me extremely cautious about ANY mood-altering substance.
EagleHeart you are so right about it taking over. When someone is actively using you are talking to the drug, not the person. And the drug is only concerned with being sure there is more on the way! The person is only concerned with finding more and not interrupting the supply chain!

Food for thought re. addictive personality.
Think of an inventor or a scientist keeping looking for a solution..that too is his/her personality..do we only see the personality type as harmful when it does ourselves harm?
also a compulsive cleaner...taken too far she/he may have ocd..all things is moderation may be a state to aim for.

I was in a ward when an alcoholic was admitted..he could not tell the medics what he had injested just that he had pain....valuable time was spent waiting till he sobered up..it saddened me that some Mothers son was in such a state..
educating people to what is too much may be an answer..

*
the man had a burst ulcer..had not been eating well and took longer to recover..The medics saw his alcohol issue as an illness and so do I.They are the loser if they could only see this.

If anyone had addictive parents, I can put up my hand. My mom
drank booze and smoked while carrying me. After she screwed me
up, then she left me to fend for myself. From age 25 months,
I've been fighting an uphill battle. But I won't give up.
I will succeed. I will be happy. And the devil can go to...you
know where!!!!

You have succeeded. You are happy. You are a fighter. You beat your mother a long time ago, jabber. You are a winner if I have ever seen one.

Wow, Anno. That made my eyes tear up. What a sweet thing to say.
I'm feeling lower than a frogs tummy, lately. So your words
touched my heart. Prayers and blessings,

I only speak the truth!!