Addict. The word conjures up images of hopeless, desperate people, begging on the corner for a chance to reach that one fleeting moment of relief from whatever torments them. But this behavior isnt alien. In fact, nothing could be more human. These people simply suffer from a more severe form of the most basic folly of the flesh that we all adhere to.Scientifically speaking, to be human is to be prone to a cycle of craving for what we dont have. Seeking it, losing it, then craving it even more. This is what lies at the heart of all addiction, be it drugs, sex, love, TV or money. But why? Why do we crave what we dont or cant have, often at great cost to what we do have, and in the process risking our peace, happiness, safety, even our lives?The modern medical and recovery communities call this condition a disease, and in many respects it is, but the disease existed before the cycle of craving began. Dormant, waiting patiently for us to free it. So we see that our habit or addiction is simply a symptom of an underlying condition. But what makes this disease uniquely hideous is the fact that the symptoms exacerbate the original condition, creating an ever narrowing vicious spiral: tightening the noose with each cycle.Rise and repeat. Polishing the habit till it shines in our minds eye.For a long time this was considered a death sentence, but in more recent years, many have found a way out, a way to slowly loosen the noose and eventually slip their heads out. This recovery takes many forms, but all of them share two mayor factors: self-awareness and a willing to try and correct the errors that we find.Easier said than done. When trying to examine ourselves, at first glance, most addicts will look toward their habit. They ignore the original problem. The reason for the craving in the first place. Nine times out ten, the underlying conditions is something that some would call a spiritual sickness: an emptiness, a feeling of lacking somehow in love, peacefulness and understanding. But this, in and of itself, isnt unique to those of us with this disease. I believe that it is part of the human condition to be born with emptiness and a desire to fill it.But in my experience, for those of us suffering from this condition, we feel this desire, this need, much more acutely. And as a result, we end up following the great Western tradition of looking for love in all the wrong places. Pumping out water from a sinking ship. When I think of addicts, I dont see a group of broken people lacking morals. I see humans, a group of lovers, seekers and sinners, tragically being drawn to what appears from a distance to be meaning; value but ends up being a mirage.So what is the solution? I see my underlying condition. I see that my habit is the result of trying to fill an existential sense of emptiness. What now? This is the truly difficult part. This is life, what we were trying to take a shortcut around the whole time. And the fact is I dont know. But I do know two things: The first is that it sure as hell isnt where Ive been looking. The second is that this will be a different for each individual. We must look for what brings meaning and peace in our lives. And if you can find it, dont let go because that is the most important thing one could ever to find.If there is a central lesson to what I am saying, its this: the minds condensation of value is an error. Addiction is a neural and spiritual mistake, a distortion, an attempted shortcut to get more of what you need by condensing, what you need into a single one dimension symbol. In my case, the drugs stands for a cluster of needs: warmth, love, self-sufficiency, and meaning. But one thing cannot be all things, and thats why, in the in the long run, addiction does such a shitty job of filling those needs, if they ever do so at all.So what is an addict to do? There are only a few things that Ive seen work. Remind yourself that the imagined valve is deceptive, tune in to your own thoughts and motivations behind them, be self-aware. Your mind echoes with messages that can inspire victory or defeat. The negative ones cant be eradicated; even when you pull the noose off, it will always be hanging above your head. But new messages can be added. And addicts have to change many parts of themselves to hear them.Find the things that can bring real value or substance to your life. Fill your life with meanings rich enough at least to complete with, if not defeat, the well-worn patterns of imagined value. I believe this is the key to not only the pitfalls of addiction, but to the more general pitfalls of being human.