To download a printable version of this transcript, click here.
 
 
iQuestions Faculty, Dr. David Eckman 
 
 
Question: 
 
Is a particular addiction a genetic condition? 
 
Answer: 
 
A lot of research has gone into the issue of whether there is a genetic 
predisposition towards addiction. A lot of anecdotal evidence, a lot of 
scientific evidence points in that direction. 
 
But there is something much deeper genetically hard-wired into us 
that we must never forget, and it’s more crucial than genes— and it’s 
this: the heart hates pain. It has a genetic predisposition against pain. 
 
When pain occurs, the person will do two things. They will try and get 
rid of pain first, and then they’ll try and get rid of pain two different 
ways. One way is to shut it down, to ignore it, to pretend it’s not 
there, and the other is to drown it in pleasure.  
 
That’s where addiction comes in. Because the heart genetically hates 
pain, people tend to go in the direction of addictive behaviors to kill 
the pain in their life. There’s a simple equation: pain plus pleasure 
equals addiction. 
 
When that equation takes over, a person is in danger.  
 
That’s why it’s so important to deal with the pain in one’s life. It’s 
much more important than knowing genetics. It’s knowing how the 
human heart works. 
 
 
 
We hate pain. How are we supposed to address pain? Through 
relationships, and if it’s physical pain, through medicine. But we’re not 
supposed to rot in our pain, because we’ll never do that. We’ll look for 
a way out, either by suppressing it or by drowning it. Either way, it’s a 
dangerous way to go. 
 
Pain needs to be addressed, and typically it needs to be addressed 
relationally. 
 
To download a printable version of this transcript, click here.