Why “Addiction” is being discussed
The most recent Hacker News stories and comments contributing to this topic's mentions.
Honestly, this company is uninvestable if you have even a shred of morality.. but, even if you lack morality, you must see the writing on the wall re: their lingering risks. Met…
by SecretDreams · Oct 21, 2026
Meta will surely appeal, and will likely get the fine reduced to like 10% of that. But for comparison, in the recent multistate settlement over social media addiction by 47 stat…
by notfried · Oct 21, 2026
Nicotine addiction isn’t the problem though, you’ve just shifted the goal posts. A nicotine pill is not giving someone lung cancer.
by kortilla · Oct 21, 2026
Nicotine addiction has not been 'solved'. Tobacco consumption still causes about one of every five deaths in the United States each year (439k). That number won't start going do…
by lkey · Oct 21, 2026
That’s a model of addiction as a “habit” with a loss of self-control. But the other definition of addiction is really more like “continued use of the substance is required to el…
by throwaway173738 · Oct 21, 2026
Awful drug. They're seen as "safe" by doctors... because you can't OD easily like you can with barbiturates (very narrow window between an optimal and a dangerous dose). But the…
by zombocomvibes · Oct 21, 2026
Interest
Proportion of Hacker News items mentioning "addiction" over time.
Mentions
Total number of Hacker News items mentioning "addiction" over time.
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces an immediate psychological reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repeated substance use produces long-lasting changes in brain networks involved in reward, executive function, stress reactivity and mood. These changes underlie both the intense drive to use a substance and the reduced capacity to control that urge. It is therefore understood as a brain disorder arising from a complex mix of psychosocial and neurobiological factors. Read more on Wikipedia