Healthcare is often paradoxical. The more we get, the worse we feel. Why is this? Perhaps doctors don’t understand the pathogenicity and synergy of toxins and addictions, both of which are common, covert causes of sickness. So healthcare becomes a vicious cycle of sickness, toxins, addictions, and sickness, in which doctors unwittingly aggravate sickness by prescribing (toxic) drugs that aggravate addictive cravings, and thus create more sickness and more drugs. I call this all-too-common vicious cycle of sickness, toxins, addictions, and sickness the "Toxic Craving Cycle," and suggest it helps to explain many treatment failures. Here are some common examples of the Toxic Craving Cycle:

1) People, like farmers and exterminators, who work with pesticides (which are toxic) are prone to sickness and addiction, both of which are treated with toxic drugs that cause more sickness and addiction.
2) People with "silver" fillings (which contain toxic mercury) are prone to sugar addiction, which causes more tooth decay and silver fillings.
3) People who use recreational drugs (which are toxic and addictive) are prone to sugar addiction, which aggravates their drug addiction.
4) People who receive psychiatric drugs (which are toxic and addictive) are prone to more psychiatric problems and addictions.

Competing interests: None declared