Dr. Mark Griffiths is a psychologist and professor at Nottingham Trent University. He has done extensive research on the causes of addiction. His conclusion: “There is no personality trait that predicts addiction and addiction alone.” Griffiths writes about what he calls “the myth of the addictive personality.”
With two colleagues, Dr. Griffiths did extensive research. They examined data from 83 large-scale studies. They found that 47 percent of the U.S. adult population suffers from maladaptive signs of addictive disorder over a 12-month period, and that it may be useful to think of addictions as due to problems of lifestyle as well as other conditions. But they did not find a pervasive “addictive personality” as a predictive factor in addiction.
In order to find freedom from your addiction, you have to take responsibility for your recovery. And in order to take responsibility for your recovery, you have to take ownership of your disease. Quit the blame game. Drop the “I’ve just got an addictive personality” line.
Recovery Step: “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (Psalm 105:4).
