I was a problem drinker for years and I often drunk alcohol against my own will. I believe it's a combination of factors that drive addictive behaviours.

I drank to numb the pain of past trauma, and also to get me through each stressful day. I used alcohol to numb myself, which is actually very logical - it's illogical to not drink when not drinking results in mental and emotional pain. I had therapy last year, which has resolved the root cause of emotional pain to a large extent. If cravings are strong, it's often because the root causes have not been addressed.

But also, humans are hard-wired to chase after things that bring pleasure - our ancestors developed this trait over thousands of years. So breaking this habit is extremely difficult - that's the impulse driving you to the store to buy alcohol. Maybe some people have this impulse less, but in the past, these people would not have survived so well - it's the 'addictive' personality people that would have been more successful becasue they have the drive to go out and find those pleasurable things, risking their lives for honey or meat for example. It's the modern world of abundance that messes up these types of people because all pleasure is instantly available now.