There are many different reasons for addiction, and individuals will often develop an addiction through a confluence of these reasons.
There is evidence at the genetic/heredity level that seems to indicate predisposition. This means that certain genetic traits are shared among people who have addictions that do not appear in other segments of the population. These traits may allow for certain aspects of a person's physiology to be more prone to developing dependence. This can be seen in certain variations in how different individuals process or produce neurochemicals in their brain. This also has to do with how receptor sites on brain cells operate.
Environmental factors also play a role. A person's level of self-awareness and feelings of self-worth would necessarily play their part. Situations which may arise early on in a person's life may create a distinct lack of value that one may normally develop for themselves. This can open the door for the need to supplant actual feelings of self-love and satisfaction with what ephemeral and external sources can provide.
Addictions come in many forms, from chemical substances which elicit physiological and psychological effects such as euphoria or detachment, to actions such as sex or shopping or gambling. While they all are unique and have numerous, complex beginnings, they all pretty much boil down to an individual seeking to create within themselves an environment of happiness and contentment that they feel they lack, especially when seen in comparisons to others around them.
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