> if your life is so empty you have nothing to do but browse facebook, sure it's hard to quit, but it's not because of the strength of the addiction, it's because of the weakness of the alternative.
"Weakness of the alternative" is a large reason people get addicted to things in the first place. It goes hand in hand.
Of course. But the addiction supported by physiological mechanisms (like opiates, alcohol, nicotine, barbiturates, etc.) or powerful psychological one (gambling, risk) is much stronger than just "I am bored, why don't I browse Facebook".
"Weakness of the alternative" is a large reason people get addicted to things in the first place. It goes hand in hand.