[secretagent]

I wonder about the body chemistry argument.

If I believe in voodoo and someone says an enemy got hold of my fingernail clippings and cast a spell, I might make myself sick, and mistake the sickness for the "spell".

This would probably correlate with a change in my body chemistry, and a "spell researcher" taking blood samples, might even show the "spell induced" change.

If you don't believe in voodoo and someone says an ememy cast a spell, you wouldn't get sick, and the blood samples wouldn't show a change.

The spell researcher could conclude that spells affect people differently, possibly due to different body chemistries.

"The reason why you didn't become addicted is because your body chemistry is different. some
people feel lightheaded after taking an Advil, others do not. There is a medical science to addiction,
not everyone who uses cocaine becomes an addict, but many do."

And to complicate this, a possible "voodoo effect". People who believe in the power of addiction might stay addicted longer, due to their belief in the power of addiction.

[truth_seeker]

"I wonder about the body chemistry argument."

Put some research and study into the issue, and you'll learn there IS a proven physiological component to addiction.

Researchers don't claim it explains any and all addiction; just that it is valid, along with genetics, and environmental aspects.

Finally, people with years of recovery (drug and alcohol free) will relate that they simply drank/used themselves into serious addiction.

The substances are addictive, after all. And the research shows that usage triggers physiological changes in the bodies of some users.