Simply put, addiction is a pattern in our thinking and behavior. It can be defined as any behavior that we repeatedly engage in, losing control over our will to stop, which may result in negative outcomes—whether mental, physical, or harmful to any aspect of our world.
Such behavior becomes compulsive for the time we are engaged in it. This compulsion is often fueled by anxiety, which is itself generated by chronic fear and a host of negative emotions that persist within individuals who harbor trauma, resentment, anger, sorrow, jealousy, greed, shame, and more.
An addict is exposed to the behavior and tends to mimic it from its initial source, often adopting what they have seen or heard from others around them.
The correlation between addiction, mental illness, and brain damage is complex and varies based on the specific conditions and substances involved. Generally, there is a significant overlap between addiction and mental health disorders, a relationship often described under the concept of "dual diagnosis" or "co-occurring disorders."