I should clarify I didn't reveal my life story details before anyone here takes it that way. However I did cite the details of relationships of people that I know. My experiences mostly stop at verbal abuse. I already know what my problem is so my questions were more rhetorical than actually looking for answers.

Why would anyone take anything? Because like you said, they loved them. Sometimes that love does wind up being rewarding by being persistent. Sometimes it leads to an unending downward spiral. Alcoholism/Drug Abuse is a common one that describes the latter that can leave you with a mess that you can destroy you despite your best efforts.

I was not describing the initial attraction as a drug. I was describing love as a drug, which is a cliche' dynamic you hear about anywhere. Love is rarely a managed emotion made by using rational decisions and calculation.