NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

ADDICTIVE



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HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this flaw will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events in your story might specifically trigger these feelings to generate compelling tension and conflict. Another idea is to give a supporting character a positive attribute that is an opposite of this flaw, which will get under the skin of both characters and cause friction in their relationship.
DEFINITION:
A predisposition to becoming unhealthily dependent on a substance, practice, person, habit, or other intangible

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
Genetics
Drug or alcohol abuse
Low self-esteem and insecurity
A mental disorder
An extreme level of passion
Poor coping skills
An unexpected trauma or devastating loss (losing one's family to a house fire, etc.)
Abuse

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
Calling in sick to work or school so one can focus on the object of one's addiction
Abusing substances (drugs, medications, alcohol, etc.)
Exhibiting a lack of common sense
Not knowing one's limitations
Wanting to be with someone (if the source is a person) all the time
Having no willpower or ability to resist one's addiction
Needing to be near the source of addiction
Blowing off important commitments or events in favor of activities featuring one's addiction
Being secretive or untruthful about how much one indulges in the addicting behavior or habit
Playing video games for long periods of time without breaks
Obsessively focusing one's attention on the source of desire and need
Exhibiting obsessive tendencies in general
Being impulsive and impatient
Taking foolhardy risks
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ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
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ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
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POSITIVE ASPECTS:
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NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
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EXAMPLE FROM TV:
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OVERCOMING THIS TRAIT AS A MAJOR FLAW:
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TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
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