Addictions

What causes people to become addicted???  Does ones obsession to live in the gym all day long differ from another's obsession to play video games non-stop?  What about someone who uses drugs on a regular basis?

In our digital civilization class we learned that Romanticism, a new way of thinking around the time frame of 1780-1850, gives people a sense of individualism.  Romanticism heightens ones perception of themselves so they see themselves as more enlightened, divine, thoughtful, and lastly, important to the world around them.

Addictions seem to stem from a common fundamental element.  That is they give people a false sense of worth about themselves.  The video game addict controlling their World of Warcraft (WOW) avatar gains their sense of importance by building up their profile, collecting virtual money, and interacting with other WOW players.  The dude without a neck in the gym gains his sense of worth by showing to everyone around him that he is indeed the alpha male of the group.  The drug addict gains a false sense of worth by the excellent "high" sensation they experience.  Life to them feels more enjoyable and that they can show to the world that they're unique and important.

This leads me to ask, is there a correlation between romanticism and addictions?