The Addictive Personality Myth

Dr. Neill Neill, a psychologist and author, terms the notion of an addictive personality "a convenient myth." The idea of an addictive personality implies that a person does not have any measure of control over his or her addiction.

Addictive Personality Significance

• There is no scientific basis for the idea of an addictive personality.

  The notion of the addictive personality has no scientific underpinning nor does it have any real meaning. Some scientific evidence indicates some people are genetically predisposed to an addiction or a compulsion; however, it does not mean they have an addictive personality.

Underlying Problems

• Rather than an addictive personality, some people are simply compulsive.

  Dr. Neill believes that while the addictive personality is a myth, the underlying problem for alcoholics, workaholics, sexaholics and others is compulsion, a means to cope with an primary fear. It, too, can be a defense mechanism.

Excesses and Consequences

• Peele believes Americans can make anything "addictive" and thereby delute the real problem.

  Stanton Peele, a critic of addiction treatments, believes Americans make everything into an addiction---shopping, watching television, playing computer games---while failing to understand that real addition is about consequences, not about excesses in behavior. He believes the 12-step treatment method reinforces the addictive personality myth by telling people they are powerless to control their problems when, in fact, they can control their excessive behavior by substituting it for less consequential behavior such as coffee drinking for alcohol or exercise for sex.