In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

Addiction is any repeated behavior, substance-related or not, in which a person feels compelled to persist, regardless of its negative impact on his life and the lives of others. Addiction involves:

compulsive engagement with the behavior, a preoccupation with it;
impaired control over the behavior;
persistence or relapse despite evidence of harm; and
dissatisfaction, irritability, or intense craving when the object—be it a drug, activity, or other goal—is not immediately available.