Misery

 Addictions don't seem to respond to surgery or medication the way cancers might.  The medical world can do lots to be rid or put into remission lots of diseases and illnesses.  But addictions seem to need some spiritual steps.  Addictions can be quite cunning.  You may be able to survive an addiction with some program of recovery.  But if the addiction cannot seem to kill you, it just might settle for making you miserable.  So why go half-way and remain miserable?  If a surgeon said they would do a little surgery so we don't die, but will remain miserable, what would we say to that?  Yet so many addictive people do "a little," too little, and remain miserable.  Going to church once a week isn't going to make you very spiritual, and then you blame the religion for your misery.