What is the difference between love and addiction?

[Deathkingo]

If you cannot live without someone, it is called love. Yet, if you cannot live without, say, heroin, it is called addiction. Then, I ask you, what is the difference? I would imagine that "addiction" provided a negative sense to where little or no good comes from it. Yet, people can be addicted to reading, exercising, or (duh) video games.

So, what do you believe the difference between the two are?

 

[BonsaiK]

If you cannot live without someone, it is called love. Yet, if you cannot live without, say, heroin, it is called addiction. Then, I ask you, what is the difference? I would imagine that "addiction" provided a negative sense to where little or no good comes from it. Yet, people can be addicted to reading, exercising, or (duh) video games.

So, what do you believe the difference between the two are?

Actually I wouldn't define love like that at all.

I would define obsessive behaviour like that. And yes, that is an addiction, of a sort.

 

[Neonbob]

If you have a great amount of devotion for something, I would say it goes as follows.
Inanimate thing = addiction.
Living thing = love.

I do believe it is that simple.
To me, anyway.

 

[Kasawd]

If you cannot live without someone, it is called love. Yet, if you cannot live without, say, heroin, it is called addiction. Then, I ask you, what is the difference? I would imagine that "addiction" provided a negative sense to where little or no good comes from it. Yet, people can be addicted to reading, exercising, or (duh) video games.

So, what do you believe the difference between the two are?

I can't, honestly, say there's much of a difference after substance versus mentality but even that's shaky.

They both have the same cause and effect. Both can be survivable with and without.

Hmm...

A sharing of personality and the thrill of the criteria hunt?

 

[Puzzles]

I think you can love an inanimate thing, or an idea.

I think it is addiction is only applicable when the person describing the 'love' does not approve.

Alternatively:

When you like something, but can't stop your like/love of it, then it is an addiction. Say you love reading, but have no reason to stop - it is a love of reading. If it is hindering your life in some way (and you want to stop it), frequently, then it is probably an addiction.

The second way is how I'd define it.

 

[Spiner909]

Love= being in a human relationship
Addiction=drugs or games

 

[Wayte]

Trying to make sense of love is pointless. It's an arbitrary thing; what's romantic from one person is creepy from another.

 

[Deathkingo]

Trying to make sense of love is pointless. It's an arbitrary thing; what's romantic from one person is creepy from another.

I agree with you and your bear calvary. Yet, I find it interesting to see what people think.

You know, those people that have the ability to think..

 

[Kollega]

I think you can love an inanimate thing, or an idea.

When you like something, but can't stop your like/love of it, then it is an addiction. Say you love reading, but have no reason to stop - it is a love of reading. If it is hindering your life in some way (and you want to stop it), frequently, then it is probably an addiction.

The second way is how I'd define it.

This one. Love is not limited to romance with someone else, and it becomes addiction to something or someone when it hinders your life in a significant way.

 

[Wayte]

Trying to make sense of love is pointless. It's an arbitrary thing; what's romantic from one person is creepy from another.

I agree with you and your bear calvary. Yet, I find it interesting to see what people think.

You know, those people that have the ability to think..

Carry on

/bearsalute

 

[mugetsu37]

Love is to desire what is good and beautiful that one does not have and to desire that which is good and beautiful that one has forever. This is not to say beautiful in the sense of physically attractive as it is usually understood in English, rather that something is attractive because it is inherently virtuous. This is what defines love from addiction, for one is shamed by their addictions, not by their loves. One feels shame in front of their loves because of ills, such as addiction.

I just finished reading/taking an exam on Plato's Symposium, which is what the above rant echoes, it really helps to put love in a different perspective. I would recommend it.

 

[Dark Knifer]

Love is to desire what is good and beautiful that one does not have and to desire that which is good and beautiful that one has forever. This is not to say beautiful in the sense of physically attractive as it is usually understood in English, rather that something is attractive because it is inherently virtuous. This is what defines love from addiction, for one is shamed by their addictions, not by their loves. One feels shame in front of their loves because of ills, such as addiction.

I just finished reading/taking an exam on Plato's Symposium, which is what the above rant echoes, it really helps to put love in a different perspective. I would recommend it.

This sums up my opinion pretty well, and if I run out of things to read I might look this up (if I remember).

 

[Lullabye]

Love= being in a human relationship
Addiction=drugs or games

Love=chemicals
Drugs=Chemicals

difference=perception

 

[lenneth]

I think you can love an inanimate thing, or an idea.

When you like something, but can't stop your like/love of it, then it is an addiction. Say you love reading, but have no reason to stop - it is a love of reading. If it is hindering your life in some way (and you want to stop it), frequently, then it is probably an addiction.

The second way is how I'd define it.

This one. Love is not limited to romance with someone else, and it becomes addiction to something or someone when it hinders your life in a significant way.

And it is possible to become addicted to a person, hence Stalkers and Restraining Orders

 

[Thaius]

Love is the willingness, even desire, to give everything for someone.

Addiction is an insatiable drive to give everything for something, even if you don't actually want to.

 

[ninja steve]

SEX!!

 

[Jekken6]

If you have a great amount of devotion for something, I would say it goes as follows.
Inanimate thing = addiction.
Living thing = love.

I do believe it is that simple.
To me, anyway.

This

 

[sauerkraus]

Love is when you wake up the next morning with a smile. That is all.

Hangovers, heroin crashes, losing sleep while stalking people, an empty wallet, all from addictions.
Eating pancakes, pwning nubs, getting a kiss, remembering what happened, all from loves.

 

[Candidus]

Love is not "being unable to live without". Nor is it "waking up the next morning with a smile" or simply being devoted to somebody. Love is defined: "a profoundly tender, passionate affection for a person."

A love of objects or things is defined: "a strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything." (for example: Candidus's love of video games.)

Addiction is a whole other kettle of crabs, a completely seperate issue. Put in simple terms, you have reached addiction when you are "unable to take the decision to stop". At this stage, you're addicted whether you continue to enjoy the particular (e.g WoW, cocaine) or not.

I myself am not an addict to anything, but I've been there with substances `and` with games. As for love, that's my business. =)

Edit: In before "QQ, love has its own meaning to everyone!". If you're not the wish granting sort of be-winged little sparkle-folk, then *do* hush.

 

[silverhawk100]

And I joined to add my two cents in here too!

Yes. Addiction is a compulsion to perform the action you are particularly in vice with. There is no if's and's or but's. If you do not take a drug you are addicted to, you will not feel normal or right. You will feel like very bad. Not only that, prolonged exposure to drugs and other scientifically addictive behaviors will change your brain in ways that a. make it harder for you to just use willpower to stop and b. to be able to feel good about anything else.

While certainly, love exploits the same pathways of your brain that make drugs also feel good, it is a 'controlled' rush that your body and brain have evolved to be able to protect itself from the bad physiological side-effects like loss of free will. You have not evolved to be able to handle excessive amounts of cocaine for long periods of time. Imagine the difference between having an orgasm for 10 seconds and having one for 4 hours. Sure both feel good and more of feeling good is better, right? Except, you won't be able to function and you won't be able to stop it because it is just a biological condition.