Maggie's Farm

I tend to think that addiction is a both/and. Partly genetic susceptibility (or possibility some acquired physiological susceptibility--it can be triggered, for example, by being put on the wrong psych meds. Or some theories now explore links between gut bacteria and mental health: see this study and others like it investigating links between gut hormones and addiction/obesity and myriad bad habits. https://www1.imperial.ac.uk/departmentofmedicine/divisions/brainsciences/psychopharmacology/ghaddstudy/)
But there is clearly also a moral and spiritual element. AA, loving friends, responsibility for family, patriotism, church, having a cause bigger than oneself are part of recovery. It's a long painful slog. And idealism and altruism heal better than any pill.

I'm still inclined to think that there are basic physiological differences in addict's brains, not just character weakness. After all Alexander the Great and Winston Churchill were probably alcoholics yet they did great things.

Also, even the most ardently recovered addicts tend to develop substitute addictions in recovery. Sometimes to AA, sometimes to therapy, often to food, sometimes gambling or overspending, sometimes exercise. Their reward centers in the brain aren't normal. They need more, more , more. Many struggle for years in recovery feeling like empty shells, like living dead. Ordinary people should count their blessings.

This does not mean giving a free pass to sloppy drunks and relapsing slobs who abandon their responsibilities. But addiction is complicated. My own metaphor for addicts in recovery is rescue dogs. I like rescue dogs. Own one. Still, most people prefer pedigreed retrievers who are a known quantity, look good, behave well. Rescue dogs are traumatized, unreliable, need patience because they have a lot to heal from. They bark and snap at first. Are anxious and needy. But they become faithful loyal and true, shown love, guided back to civilized life.