Even though Beth often uses pills in order to alleviate the stress she feels while playing in tournaments, this section illustrates that Beth doesn’t actually need them to survive. However, the comfort she gains in knowing that they’re there, in her toothbrush holder, shows the mental dependency she has developed on them, even if she doesn’t take them. This shows that addiction is as much a psychological disease as a physical one, making people’s brains dependent on a given substance.