Inside the Logic of Addiction & Optimism Bias

There’s also a powerful psychological tendency toward redefining what “addiction” means by comparing oneself to more extreme cases. As long as they aren’t using constantly, or as long as they can point to some area of life that still functions, they conclude they don’t fit the label. Optimism bias strengthens this by adding a forward-looking illusion: not only am I not that bad now, but I won’t become that bad later. It turns denial into something that feels like foresight.