Anything can be an addiction. I grew up in a home that was addicted to food, whereas I eventually adopted that, and expanded my addictions to television and video games. I know people who are addicted to unhealthy relationships, and others who have become dependent on gambling.  I once saw a special on “My Strange Addiction” where a young man was addicted to working out so much that his low body fat content put his life at risk. Addiction is not only drugs and alcohol, and all addictions are illnesses. The core definition of an addiction is a “chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain. It is considered both a complex brain disorder and a mental illness”.