‘Addiction’ is a concept that is in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but not a diagnosis. There is substance abuse and dependence, which carry the concept, but there are things that one can be ‘addicted’ to that are not drugs or even substances.

Whether it can be ‘diagnosed’ as a medical desease or not, it is a problem. Some are glad to have a name and label such as ‘alcoholism’, others feel replacing the idea of ‘sinner’ with a label that has stigma like ‘alcoholic’ can be just as damaging to one’s identity (Prentiss, 13). At least if one is a ‘sinner’ they can claim they are also a ‘saint’ and filled with the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ by his grace and nothing they have done. However, understanding the problem is complex, can be biological, genetic, imbedded in family dynamics, and involved some things out of one’s control…