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Addictions have been around as long as excessive behaviors or habits have existed. From the minute that communication, conscious thought, and walking upright defined our species, we have probably had workaholic hunters, obsessive or compulsive gatherers, overeating cavemen and tobacco or drug abusers. Physicians, judges, the clergy, addicts, their families and the general public throughout history have been challenged by the task of defining the word addiction. Likewise professional people in fields such as medicine, …

…be easily identified no matter the context. Social and environmental issues are also important in nurturing an addictive behavior. Attempts to study this have been developed with great difficulty, but most suggest that addictive behavior is greatly influenced by peer groups and ritual. The extent to which non-biological factors or habits play an important role in developing addictive behavior is not well defined. As research continues, however, the complexity of addiction unfolds, and questions continue.