However, not all scientists studying revenge-seeking behavior are convinced that revenge can become a true addiction. That means when someone slights you in a work meeting or cuts you off in traffic, “the brain registers that as physical pain,” says Kimmel. “They all thought of themselves as victims, and their reigns of terror were primarily motivated by revenge seeking.”Kimmel hopes that revenge addiction will soon be classified as a mental illness, a move that would likely inspire more research into prevention and treatment. Doing so, Kimmel says, allows the victim to feel validation—as well as the satisfaction of calling someone else to account. “We’re hardwired to forgive the same way we’re hardwired to seek revenge,” Kimmel says.