Even for people who are addicted to ideas, or people, or fantasy, they are not wholly involved. As a former bulimic and recovering alcoholic, I know about that mystifying urge to repeat again and again the action that will only lead to despair. I used to think that addictions tear us from our best selves, but it now seems that we have no selves at all when we are addicted. Addictions tear us from ourselves. Addiction is a loss of individuality, the inability to live real life, to have our own life.
Addiction sounds like hell.