What Are Behavioral Addictions?

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When most people hear the word “addiction,” they usually think of substance use disorders involving drugs or alcohol. But did you know that there’s another type of addiction that revolves around compulsive behaviors instead of substances?

Behavioral addictions, like gambling, binge eating, and internet addiction, can follow the same destructive patterns as substance addiction, negatively impacting a person’s life and well-being.

This guide will explain behavioral addictions and their types, how they differ from substance addictions, signs to watch out for, and what to do if you or a loved one has this type of addiction.

What Is a Behavioral Addiction?

Behavioral addiction, also known as process addiction or non-substance addiction, refers to a persistent, intense desire to engage in a specific behavior. A person with this form of addiction may find it difficult or almost impossible to stop their actions despite negative consequences.

Like other addictions, behavioral addiction interferes with normal brain functioning. It floods the reward system with dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in pleasure and motivation.

While it’s normal to want to engage in feel-good behaviors, like eating, shopping, and exercising, people with behavioral addiction feel a compulsive need to perform the activity to gain a psychological reward or feel “high” at the expense of their health, family, and work.

In some cases, people can experience withdrawal symptoms, like negative emotions or cravings, when they’re not able to perform the activity they’re addicted to.

Behavioral Addiction vs. Substance Addiction

Behavioral addiction differs from substance addiction in that an individual is addicted to a certain kind of behavior, not a substance, and craves the feeling induced by acting out that behavior.

Plus, behavioral addictions don’t produce the same physical symptoms as substance addiction.

However, the two are similar in the way they impact the brain and respond to treatment. In both forms of addiction, people struggle to resist their own urges, feel pleasure when indulging in them, experience feelings of guilt or shame afterward, and may try to hide or lie about it.

This can result in relationship issues, poor performance at work, and financial challenges.

Treatment methods used for substance addiction, such as therapy, medications, counseling, and support groups, can also be helpful in treating a behavioral addiction.

What Causes Behavioral Addictions?

Although there’s no single cause behind the development of a behavioral addiction, there are several factors that can increase the risk of a person having this condition, such as:

• Genetics and gender
• Mental health conditions
• Family and home environment
• Friend groups and social circles
• Trauma and life stressors
• Culture and social media
• Personality traits like impulsivity and low self-esteem
• Lack of coping skills and stress management techniques
• History of having another addiction

Signs and Symptoms of a Behavioral Addiction

Engaging in pleasurable activities, like shopping and video games, doesn’t necessarily signal a behavioral addiction. However, if it largely and negatively impacts a person’s daily life, it can be a red flag that needs urgent care and attention.

Each type of behavioral addiction has its own signs and symptoms, which may include:

• Spending large amounts of time engaging in the behavior
• Using the behavior as a way to cope with unwanted emotions
• Continuing the behavior despite physical and/or mental problems
• Finding it hard to cut back or completely stop the behavior
• Feeling shame or embarrassment after performing the behavior
• Needing to increase the behavior to feel the same highs as before
• Doing more risk-taking and impulsive activities for the thrill
• Engaging in the behavior while using drugs and alcohol
• Neglecting family, school, or work responsibilities
• Minimizing, lying, or hiding the behavior from other people
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms, like irritability, anxiety, restlessness, and depression, when trying to quit the behavior

Common Types of Behavioral Addictions

Here are some common behavioral addictions that can disrupt a person’s life and well-being:

1. Binge Eating Disorder or Food Addiction

People who struggle with binge eating disorder (BED) or food addiction find it hard to control their compulsive eating behavior. They usually experience cravings for feel-good foods high in fat, sugar, or salt, and associate the act of eating with a sense of comfort and joy.

Since food activates the brain’s reward centers, some may use it to self-medicate for conditions like depression or eat to lower their stress and anxiety. It’s possible for individuals to develop a tolerance to food over time, and feel the need to eat more to become satisfied.

2. Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction, also called gambling disorder or problem gambling, is an uncontrollable urge to gamble or to risk something of value in the hopes of winning something better in return. People with this addiction continually chase losses, create debt, and fall into financial trouble.

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recognizes gambling disorder as a behavioral addiction. It resembles substance addiction as it stimulates the brain like drugs or alcohol, and can lead to withdrawal symptoms.

3. Sex Addiction

Sex addiction is an addiction to sexual acts, and continuously engaging in them despite negative consequences. It may involve various problematic behaviors, like viewing pornography, visiting strip clubs, having multiple partners, and seeking risky encounters.

A person may use the sexual activity as a form of escapism from real-life stressors or mental health disorders. Symptoms include spending lots of time and money to fuel their addiction, and feeling depression, fatigue, and other withdrawal effects when attempting to quit the activity.

4. Video Game Addiction

Gaming addiction involves a repetitive, compulsive desire to play video games and the absence of control over it. Symptoms can include spending hours playing each day, losing interest in other enjoyable activities in favor of gaming, and failing to fulfill responsibilities because of it.

Many types of games trigger a feeling of accomplishment in the brain, and people can get addicted to this feeling, or use it to avoid real-life responsibilities. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers gaming disorder as a mental health condition.

5. Shopping Addiction

While shopping addiction, sometimes referred to as retail therapy, may seem harmless, the irresistible impulse to buy things can be detrimental to a person’s finances, occupy an unhealthy amount of their time, and take a toll on their personal health and relationships.

People may use shopping to fill a void in their lives or distract themselves from unhappiness. Many end up in debt because of their excessive spending. Experts sometimes group shopping addiction with other obsessive-compulsive or impulse control disorders.

6. Internet Use or Social Media Addiction

Nowadays, people are constantly on their laptops and smartphones using the internet to browse content. Social media keeps people in an endless loop of scrolling, watching, and commenting, so it’s not a surprise that many can become addicted to it.

Signs of behavioral addiction to internet use or social media include using them to boost mood, escape anxiety, or disconnect from the real world. Struggling individuals are often advised to limit their screen time, block recreational sites, and seek help from a mental health professional.

7. Exercise Addiction

Physical fitness is important in maintaining a fit and functioning body, but when exercise becomes a compulsive and all-consuming activity, it can become harmful to your well-being. Exercise addiction is an unhealthy obsession with exercise, workouts, and bodily movements.

It’s characterized by intense, exaggerated training and loss of control over how much you exercise. While over-exercising may not necessarily sound like a bad thing, exercise addiction can cause injuries, fatigue, malnutrition, relationship issues, and emotional distress.

What Are the Treatment Options for Behavioral Addiction?

Many of the treatments used to help individuals overcome substance addiction have also been successful in treating behavioral addictions. An effective behavioral addiction recovery program may include therapy, medication, or a combination of both.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common forms of therapy used to treat behavioral addiction. It focuses on identifying thoughts and emotions that trigger compulsive behavior and learning to reframe and cope with them to live a healthier lifestyle.

Other treatments include family or group therapy, one-on-one or couples counseling, and peer support groups like Spenders Anonymous and the Shopping Addiction Support Group. There are also treatment facilities that treat behavioral addictions and their underlying causes.

Live Free From Behavioral Addiction: Start Your Treatment Today

While living a life free from behavioral addiction may seem challenging and out of reach, true recovery is always possible with the right treatment. The first step is to acknowledge unhealthy behaviors that are taking over your life and to seek help from those you can trust.

If you or a loved one is struggling with behavioral addiction, Live Free Recovery Services offers multiple levels of care, from diagnosis to relapse prevention, and evidence-based behavioral therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, holistic therapy, and more.

Our treatment facilities in the beautiful state of New Hampshire offer a safe, comfortable, and peaceful place to start your recovery from behavioral addiction. Call us today or visit our contact page to learn how you can live free from addiction today!