I believe it’s a programming thing, with stories one tells themselves.
“Had a great day. I’m celebrating”.
“Had a bad. Need to ease the pain”
It becomes a vicious cycle of stories we tell ourselves.
Very true, and I forgot about that part. For a good friend of mine, he realized that certain triggers would lead to him drinking (going to a certain place, seeing certain people, etc). Removing those triggers removed much of the issue.
I honestly suspect that addiction has more to do with how your brain is wired than anything else. My friend has an addictive personality. Once it engages, it is scary. Right now he is turned “on” by Game of War. He spends 30 hours a week on it. It used to be smoking, booze, or sex.