Behavioral addictions: what they are, and characteristics

When we think of an addiction, addiction to a substance usually comes to mind, such as alcohol or certain psychoactive drugs. However, addictions can go further, and the reality is that we can be addicted to almost anything.

Thus, addictions that do not involve a chemical substance are called behavioral addictions.

In this article we will talk about the most frequent behavioral addictions, such as addiction to gambling or new technologies. We will discuss its symptoms, its causes and its treatments (these last two aspects in a more generic way).

• Related article: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

What is an addiction?

Before learning about behavioral addictions, we are going to explain what an addiction consists of. An addiction is a psychological disorder that implies, for the person, a great need to consume a certain substance or perform certain actions.

When he cannot do so, he manifests the so-called withdrawal syndrome, a syndrome normally characterized by symptoms opposite to those produced by the substance or object in question. That is to say, if alcohol, for example, produces "depressive" symptoms (at the physiological level), the withdrawal syndrome at It will cause us the opposite symptoms: overexcitation, nervousness... but at a very annoying level of intensity for the individual.

Thus, broadly speaking, an addiction involves two basic symptoms: dependence on the substance or object in question (the person “needs” it) and excessive consumption of it. This consumption (or overconsumption) can be very harmful for the person, at the health level (especially if we talk about substance addictions).

In this way, and in a very generic way, we can differentiate two large groups of addictions:

• Substance addictions (usually a chemical substance, such as alcohol, cocaine, or tobacco).
• Addictions without substance (that is, behavioral addictions, such as addiction to shopping or sex).

In fact, the DSM-5 itself (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders) (APA, 2013), includes, to talk about addictions, the category of "Addictive and substance-related disorders", and within his chapter these two large groups mentioned are included (addictions with and without substance).

Behavioral addictions: what they are, and symptoms

Now that we've seen what an addiction entails, let's talk in more detail about behavioral addictions. Their main characteristic, as we have seen, is that they are addictions without substance. That is to say, what creates the addiction is not a substance, but an object, an action, a product, etc.

Let's see some of the most frequent behavioral addictions:

1. Internet gaming addiction

This first of the behavioral addictions is not yet considered an official diagnosis, and has been included in Section III of the DSM-5, in the section "Conditions for further studies in the future", with the name "Internet gaming disorder" or "Disorders due to gaming Internet". However, many researchers consider it an existing disorder.

It consists of the addiction to those virtual games on the network (gambling games are not included), which consume the user between 8 and 10 hours a day. Its prevalence in children and adolescents is very high (8.4% in men and 4.5% in women), especially in China and South Korea.

2. gambling addiction

Pathological gambling is another of the behavioral addictions, contemplated in the DSM-5 itself. This pathology, in the DSM-IV-TR, was included in Impulse control disorders, but with the arrival of the new edition of the Manual, It is now considered an addictive disorder (without substance), when observing its great similarities with addictions with substance (dependence, tolerance and withdrawal).

Thus, pathological gambling is characterized by involving maladaptive and persistent gambling behavior, together with symptoms of deterioration and stress in the individual's life.

In addition, other types of symptoms appear (which last at least 1 year), such as: cheating on one's own family to hide the degree of involvement with the game, concern for the same, attempts to recover the lost money the next day, failure to control or stop the game, restlessness or irritability when trying to stop the game, etc

This disorder appears in 0.2-0.3% of the general adult population, and its rates are higher in adolescents and university students.

• You may be interested in: "Pathological gambling: causes and symptoms of gambling addiction"

3. Internet addiction

Although Internet addiction (or addiction to new virtual technologies as a whole) is not included as a disorder in the DSM-5, Yes, it is true that, given the empirical evidence, we could consider it another of the most prevalent behavioral addictions in the present.

It is a reality that more and more children and adolescents (and also adults) are addicted to the Internet, social networks, new technologies, etc. This addiction translates into a constant need to consult the Internet and/or social networks., of not unhooking mobile phones throughout the day, etc.

In other words, there is an excessive consumption of new technologies and an associated concern about not being able to use them.

The most serious problem of this type of alteration is that other problems associated with said addiction appear, such as: family problems, conduct disorders, low self-esteem, eating disorders, etc.

Other behavioral addictions

We have seen some of the behavioral addictions (the best known), however there are many more, such as: sex addiction, shopping addiction...

Whether or not they are included in the DSM-5, it is an undeniable reality that these addictions appear in a large part of the population, or if not, addictive behaviors that could constitute a serious problem by interfering in the daily life of the person.

These addictions share common characteristics, such as excessive consumption, dependence, and discomfort. associated with the impossibility of consuming the object of desire / the addictive object.

Causes

Why do we become addicted to certain substances (in this case, objects or actions)? The causes will vary enormously from one person to another, although it is true that we can talk about some more typical causes than others: family problems, relationship problems, need to escape from reality, low self-esteem, poor impulse control, low tolerance for frustration, social isolation, harassment, bullying, illusion of control, etc.

In the case of behavioral addictions, logically, being addicted to sex is not the same as being addicted to shopping or the Internet, but many times the causes are similar.

• You may be interested in: "15 consequences of drug use (in your mind and in your body)"

Treatment

In relation to the treatment of behavioral addictions, each treatment must be adapted to each case in concrete, because each person will manifest their own symptoms, added problems, worries, etc.

However, we can speak, broadly speaking, of therapeutic options that are often used and have proven to be effective in the case of this type of addiction. Some of them are:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy: with techniques such as exposure with response prevention (widely used in pathological gambling).
• Cognitive therapy: with techniques such as cognitive restructuring, relaxation, etc.
• Pharmacological therapy: with the prescription of anxiolytics and antidepressants.

What is clear is that, in addition to treating the core symptomatology of addiction, the root of the problem must be treated, that is, its cause. The ideal is to approach the problem from a multidisciplinary and systemic perspective, which also works with the patient's environment.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th. Edition (DSM-5). Washington, DC.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
• cia, a. (2013). Addictions not related to substances (DSM-5, APA, 2013): a first step towards the inclusion of Behavioral Addictions in the current categorical classifications. Rev Neuropsiquiatr, 76(4):210-217.
• Echeburúa E, Corral P. Addiction to new technologies and social networks. Addictions. 2010; 22, 91 - 96.
• Echeburúa E, Corral P, Amor PJ. The challenge of new addictions: therapeutic objectives and ways of intervention. Behavioral Psychology. 2005; 13: 511 - 525.
• Riva-Posse, A.E. (2016). Addictive Disorders. Immanence, 5(1): 51-57.