I have a friend who is an alcoholic. He says, “I have an addictive personality.That’s just the way I am.”

OK. But that’s not really an excuse. I tried to sympathize by saying, “So you’re addicted to booze. That’s a bad addiction. But why are you addicted to booze? What does it do for you?”

The whole story came out about how booze made him feel better and how it made him feel strong and confident and happy. The more I thought about the dynamics of addiction it seemed to me that everybody has some sort of an addiction. We are all “addictive personalities” in one way or another and our American society is an addictive society big time.

Its just that some addictions are physically destructive. Some addictions are illegal. Some addictions are socially shameful. Some addictions lead to violence and crime and terror. But there are other addictions which are socially acceptable. In fact our society rewards some addictions. Geesh, we give honorary doctorates and all sorts of awards to some of our addicts.

Greed, unquenchable greed is a heady addiction just as much as any drug. Gaining and exercising power is a rush inducing addiction. Sexual conquest and sexual pleasure is an addiction. Materialism is an addiction. All of these things can enslave you.

As the Brits say when asking what you want for a drink, “What’s your poison?”

What are some other addictions: The addiction to the approval of others, the addiction to the love of our family and friends, the addiction to being right all the time no matter what, the addiction to being smarter than everybody else, the addiction to adventure and thrill, the addiction to someone else looking after us. The list goes on.

I’d say an addiction is anything we rely on other than God. Even your religion can be an addiction if it is a substitute for God.

There is only one antidote to the poison of your choice: The Divine Mercy.

Only the Divine Mercy can fill the void within you which you seek to fill with your particular poison. Only the Divine Mercy can miraculously cure you of your addiction. Only the Divine Mercy can complete you.