How to differentiate between passion and addiction?

Question

Was Mozart addicted to music?
is the problem.

Answer 1

I think when you have a passion, it makes you creative. You want to try all the different varieties of whatever it is that you're interested in, always searching for the "best," or the "newest." It also gives you a positive feeling, like there's something to look forward to.

An addiction puts you into a rut. You're afraid to try anything new because it might take you away from your addiction. That's why it's called a "habit." You don't want to change anything; you worry that your addiction will change or go away. You wake up in the morning knowing it will be the same old, same old.

Mozart wasn't addicted to music. Music may have been what kept him going. He had enough other problems as it was. Listen to his music -- does it sound like he was in a rut?

Answer 2

When your passion for something interferes with your ability to do something else that you want to do then it is an addiction. That is you are no longer able to make rational decisions about the activity. It is possible to like something in an extreme way but still be able to reserve a small amount of time to take care of your 'essentials' whatever that means to you.

In the case of Mozart, he may well have been so driven by his music that it ruined his health and thereby it could possibly be interpreted as an addiction. Maybe it was the alcohol. Its hard to tell when two potential addictions are symbiotic.

Personally my opinion is that an obsession with music is not that dangerous as long as you remember to breathe and eat. Alcohol and drugs seem to be more dangerous for musicians and artists from many eras.

Answer 3

Well passion is more of a short lived, intense thing, while addiction is long term. It's kind of like the difference between lust and love. Don't know much about Mozart, so just apply my theory to Mozart and go from there.

Answer 4

Mozart's passion was music. If he had not lived with a full life of passion he would not have been able to create his beautiful works.
An addiction is something that interferes with you living in the full spectrum of life. It causes you to miss being in the moment with your family and work interactions because you are focused only on the addiction and letting it have hold of your choices.
Passion's influence is always to a point of action, its a driving force of all life.

Answer 5

Mozart was obsessed with making his father happy and that was what fueled his addiction to music.

Answer 6

Mozart was trained in music like Tiger Woods was trained in golf. It was his whole life and he embraced it while some people reject what they have learned as children. For instance I am the same age as Tiger Woods and started playing golf at about the same age, but you have never heard of me. I am no better now then when I started because I rejected it for being uncool and never practiced.

Answer 7

passion internal mind force-and addiction is to word objective-mozart having a mental tendany and abilty-

Answer 8

Passion and addiction are one in the same for me when it comes to the creative.

Answer 9

Passion just means you love and feel like you need to do something, addiction is when you really do need it or can't stop something.

Answer 10

Mozart was both Addict and Passionet about music.