Signs of a Behavioral Addiction
Medically reviewed by Stephanie Hartselle, MD
Behavioral addiction describes addictions to pursuits like gambling, social media, or sexual behavior, rather than to substance use that leads to dependency, like alcohol or nicotine.
The symptoms of something like Internet gaming disorder may not always be as obvious as those of a substance use disorder (like opiate abuse) but they disrupt quality of life and can have negative consequences for your personal health and relationships.
This article explains behavioral addiction, how it differs from substance addiction, signs to watch for, and what to do if you or someone you love has a behavioral addiction.
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What Is Behavioral Addiction?
Behavioral addiction is also known as a process addiction. Researchers have long demonstrated the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine in addiction and its effects on the brain’s reward center. As with other addictions, it plays a role in behavioral addictions like compulsive shopping or binge eating.
While many of us feel compelled to engage in feel-good behaviors like sex, shopping, and exercising, only some will develop an addiction. The difference is when a habit becomes an obligation or you continue an activity like internet use at the expense of well-being, interfering with work, family, or friendships.
DSM-5 Classification
To date, the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5) includes gambling disorder in its section on substance use disorders. Discussions on whether or not to classify behavioral addictions as mental disorders continue.
Behavioral Addiction or Substance Addiction?
Research suggests that behavioral addiction and substance use addiction work in the brain in similar ways. While they both have some overlapping diagnostic symptoms, such as continued use despite consequences or lack of any benefit, there are also differences.
Behavioral addictions differ because they do not produce the same physical signs as drug addiction.
Takeaway
Addictive behavior is any behavior that a person compulsively engages in and has difficulty controlling or stopping despite negative consequences. Addictive behaviors cause problems to a person's life as their brains prioritize their addiction.
Signs You Have a Behavioral Addiction
There are differences between behaviors like overeating and a full-blown behavioral addiction. Knowing the warning signs can help you to tell the difference between a behavior you may feel particularly drawn towards, an increasingly problematic behavior, and a behavioral addiction.
Major warning signs include:
Prioritizing time spent engaging in the behavior, thinking about or arranging to engage in the behavior, or recovering from the effects of the behavior
Becoming increasingly dependent on the behavior as a way to cope with emotions and feel functional
Having difficulty changing your behavior despite shame or embarrassment about it
Continuing the behavior despite attempts to stop
Neglecting or avoiding work, school, or family to engage in the behavior or hide its effects on your life
Denying, minimizing, or hiding the full truth about your addiction
Experiencing unpleasant feelings or sensations when trying to stop (withdrawal symptoms)
Increasing the amount or frequency of the behavior, or its risks, to meet your need
Types of Behavioral Addictions
Aside from gambling addiction, the following types of behavioral addictions are not listed in the DSM-5.
Binge Eating Disorder/Food Addiction
Binge eating disorder (BED) and food addiction are when a person becomes addicted to the chemical reactions that occur after consuming highly palatable foods (often high in fat, sugar, and salt).
Food activates the same reward center as drugs do, which is why some may use it in an attempt to self-medicate for other disorders like depression. Binge eating can involve:
Eating too much at once, or in a short time period, especially alone
Eating to reduce stress and lower anxiety
Weight loss and gain, with trouble keeping the weight off
Hoarding food to eat later, typically when no one will know
Exercise Addiction
Like other addictions, exercise addiction involves dependency on exercise (often disconnected from reality in terms of how much you need or already do) in order to meet emotional needs. Its effects can include:
Tolerance to the activity (you need to up your physical activity to get the same “feel-good” effects as before)
Withdrawal or negative emotions in the absence of the activity
A lack of control around the activity (you can't cut back your workout length or intensity)
Other activities or people are being neglected
Continuation of activity in the presence of negative effects, including injuries
Some studies find exercise addiction linked with purging and other eating disorder behavior. It's also been linked with financial, social, or medical problems in people experiencing it.
Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction or gambling disorder is a clinical diagnosis with criteria that include signs of addiction, such as:
The need to gamble more and more to feel desired effects
Withdrawal symptoms like restlessness and irritability when trying to stop or avoid gambling
Repeated efforts to stop or control behavior
Lying to others about behavior
Risking losing family, friends, career
When Can Gambling Addiction Start?
Symptoms of gambling addiction can begin as early as adolescence (especially for men) or as late as older adulthood (especially for women).
Internet Addiction
Problematic computer use or internet addiction has been discussed since the 1990s. It’s been defined in research by:
Changes in mood
Preoccupation with the internet and digital media, and the need for more
The inability to control the amount of time spent using digital technology
Withdrawal symptoms when not engaged
Continuing behavior despite negative effects with family, friends, school and home
Plastic Surgery Addiction
Plastic surgery addiction can happen to anyone, but it’s much more typical in people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). People with BDD obsess over perceived flaws to the point of it negatively impacting their life.
Whereas someone who gets plastic surgery once may be thrilled with the results, someone with an addiction will be already looking to the next surgery for their next “fix.” Some experts have seen an increase in seeking cosmetic surgery in the era of Zoom and other technologies.
Generally, a cosmetic surgery addiction often involves:
Seeking multiple procedures
Having an irrational sense of being ugly or unworthy
A history of trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder
Related: Spending More Time in Nature Can Help You Feel Better About Your Body
Porn Addiction
Pornography addiction is defined as a person continuing to watch or listen to pornographic content despite negative consequences. The person may be:
Watching porn in inappropriate spaces like work
Keeping it secret from their partner
Feeling guilty, ashamed, or depressed after viewing
Having difficulty moderating usage
Continuing watching despite risks and consequences to career, family, and community
Related: Can Porn Contribute to Erectile Dysfunction?
Sex Addiction
Sex addiction is considered an addiction to engaging in sexual acts, but the sexual activity itself may also be seen as a form of escapism. Its symptoms can include:
Multiple partners and risky encounters
Seeking novelty (especially in males)
Increasing amounts of time and money devoted to sex addiction
Depression, fatigue, and other withdrawal effects when curbing activity
Like other compulsions, sex addiction can lead a person into situations that can threaten their relationships, career, and physical, mental, and sexual health.
Shopping Addiction
Shopping addiction, sometimes called “retail therapy,” may sound harmless, but the lack of control that accompanies the compulsion can be seriously detrimental to a person’s livelihood and relationships. Shopping addictions can include:
Buying things to boost self-esteem, and avoid depression or other negative moods
Buying things to feel connected to others
Financial and legal problems with debt, and not being able to pay bills
Disrupted relationships (family, life partner, friends)
Social Media Addiction
Social media keeps people engaged and scrolling, so it’s no surprise some can develop an addiction to it. While harder to spot in the highly digital world, signs of problematic behavior to watch for include:
Reaching for social media for a mood boost
Using social media to disconnect or “zone out"
Compulsive connection because you feel scared you’re missing out
Developing a tolerance for, or feeling withdrawal symptoms without, social media
School, work, and relationship problems
Sleep disruptions
Social media is not yet defined as a diagnosis and its effects are not fully known, but research has shown a clear association between social media use and other conditions including increased depression.
Related: Real-Life Support Is Better for Your Mental Health Than Social Media
Video Game Addiction
Video game addiction includes absence of control or compulsive use of video games despite it causing problems. While the research is still inconclusive, there is mounting evidence to suggest video games can be harmful, increase aggression, and be addictive.
Anywhere from 1% to 16% of video gamers have met the criteria for addiction in studies. These criteria vary across organizations, so the most important takeaway is to ask how the behavior affects the person’s life. It can include:
Spending hours each day (30 hours per week or more) playing video games
Loss of interest in other activities in order to be gaming
Symptoms of tolerance (needing more) or withdrawal effects when trying to stop
Negative impacts on job, school, and relationships
Lying about or hiding the amount of time spent gaming
SAMHSA Helpline
If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Treatment for Behavioral Addiction
Treatment for behavioral addictions may involve one or more of the following.
Cognitive behavioral therapy: This type of psychotherapy is used for addiction to help a person understand and change the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Identifying false beliefs and triggers and coming up with alternative, healthier behaviors as a way of coping with feelings are central to the process.
Group therapy: Group therapy for behavioral addictions offers peer support that helps a person feel less alone and connected to a community. There are 12-step recovery groups for addictions like shopping (Spenders Anonymous), and others including Shopping Addiction Support Group.
Medications: There are no approved medications for treating specific behavioral addictions, but some research suggests selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI antidepressants) may have some benefits for addressing addictive behaviors like sexual addiction.
Other treatments: Other methods, including couples or family counseling, may be additionally helpful to address and resolve problems contributing to or enabling certain behaviors. You may also consider talking to your healthcare provider about the potential benefits of lifestyle changes for behavioral addiction.
Is Addictive Behavior Genetic?
At least half of a person's susceptibility to addiction can be linked to genetic factors. This means that addictive behavior is genetic, but there's more at play than genetics (nature) alone. For example, your environment (nurture) plays a role, too. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new treatment method.
Related: What Is Genetic Testing?
Coping With Behavioral Addiction
Coping with behavioral addiction is a daily pursuit. Some days will be more challenging than others, but every day is a recovery day.
You can recover from behavioral addiction. Honesty with yourself about how you feel, what you need, and what you want from recovery are of utmost importance. In addition to healthy lifestyle changes like an improved diet, you can try:
Improved sleep hygiene (habits and environment changes to improve sleep)
Summary
It is possible to experience addictions to behaviors such as shopping, eating, gambling, playing video games, sex, watching porn, and going on social media. People with behavioral addictions will spend increasing amounts of time thinking about and engaging in the behavior to the detriment of their well-being and their relationships, finances, and future goals.
A compulsion to continue the behavior despite consequences and efforts to stop makes behavioral change difficult, but not impossible. Treatments are available, including different types of therapy and lifestyle changes.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
