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The Truth About Having an ‘Addictive Personality’

Impulsivity, novelty-seeking, and emotional instability may raise addiction risk, but experts stress that personality is not destiny.

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Have you ever heard of the term “addictive personality”? Many people claim that, despite not battling active addiction, some individuals are more prone to developing it down the line—as though their personality traits are issues to be monitored.

An addictive personality might describe a person who is more obsessive, impulsive, and compulsive in nature. However, it is not a clinical diagnosis, and it does not determine someone’s fate.

What Is an ‘Addictive Personality’?

First things first, let’s make this clear: an addictive personality is not a formal diagnosis. According to Niloufar Esmaeilpour, Registered Clinical Counsellor & Approved Supervisor and Founder at Lotus Therapy & Counselling Centre, “The phrase ‘addictive personality’ refers to a collection of characteristics (impulsiveness, novelty seeking, neuroticism, etc.) that increase a person’s........

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