[PragmaticPulp]

> The tendency to link the 'addiction' tag to every undesirable human behavior is a common trend

It’s a subset of a common, but dishonest, technique of using false equivalence to downplay or exaggerate one thing.

In this case, the author points out similarities between drug addiction and some behaviors which are very much not in the same league as drug addiction. They may have a point that both are bad, but that does a disservice to readers who don’t really grasp just how much worse drug addiction is than, say, a pseudo-addiction to arguing with people on the internet.

> If there are no withdrawal symptoms, there is really no addiction involved.

It depends how you define withdrawal symptoms. Some people really do become anxious or angry or moody if they are deprived from their vices, whether drugs or habits. However, the addiction to drugs definitely runs deeper, given that they literally poke at the parts of your brain that inform it that you want more of something.

[mattbee]

> It’s a subset of a common, but dishonest, technique of using false equivalence to downplay or exaggerate one thing.

In the first sentence the author identifies as an "sober addict" - so not without authority, they're claiming a subjective equivalence between drugs and internet outrage.

I'm sure everyone's experiences of those things is going to be different.