When building a character, giving each character a genuine flaw or two makes them more believable and sympathetic. Some flaws are overused, such as being an alcoholic or a smoker; others are under-explored. While drug addiction is close to being overused, there is a lot of untapped potential in exploring such a flaw with more specificity than most writers have done.
One of the best examples of exploring this theme can be found on television with the character of Dr. Gregory House on House, MD. As a character addicted to prescription drugs – mainly vicodin – his specific addiction adds depth and interest to his character.
Another side-theme that hasn’t been explored with enough depth is a character who has been through drug rehab. Not many characters have been through this, and those who have are usually little more than 12-Step cliches. This is an area ripe for exploration by talented writers.
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