Addictions are often referred to as diseases. That reflects the deeply destructive, often life-threatening, effect that an addiction has on a person. Addictions are the most extreme form of self-rejection and self-hatred. If you're involved in an addiction, you focus almost all your energy on one thing (drinking alcohol, overeating food, smoking cigarettes, gambling). The only thing strong enough to motivate anyone to make such an extreme effort is a powerful unmet need.