Behavioral addictions: what they are, and characteristics.

A summary of the main types of behavioral addictions that create dependency problems.

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 beyond that, and the reality is that we can be addicted to practically 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 addictionssuch as addiction to gambling or to new technologies. We will comment their symptoms, their causes and their treatments (these last two aspects in a more generic way).

What is an addiction?

Before learning about behavioral addictions, let's explain what an addiction is. An addiction is a psychological disorder that implies, for the person, a strong need to consume a certain substance or to perform certain actions..

When he is unable to do so, he manifests the so-called withdrawal syndrome, a syndrome characterized, normally, by symptoms opposite to those that would be produced by the substance or object in question. That is to say, if alcohol, for example, produces "depressive" symptoms (at a physiological level), the withdrawal syndrome will cause the opposite symptoms: overexcitement, 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 to the person's health (especially if we are talking about substance addictions).

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

• Addictions with substance (generally a chemical substance, such as alcohol, cocaine or tobacco).
• Addictions without substance (i.e. behavioral addictions, such as addiction to shopping or sex).

In fact, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders) (APA, 2013) itself includes, to talk about addictions, the category of "Addictive and Substance-Related Disorders" (APA, 2013), and its chapter includes the category of "Addictive and Substance-Related Disorders" (APA, 2013)., and within its chapter are included these two major groups mentioned (substance and non-substance addictions).

Behavioral addictions: what are they and symptoms?

Now that we have seen what an addiction involves, 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., etc.etc.

Let's take a look at some of the most frequent behavioral addictions:

1. Addiction to Internet games.

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 study in the future", under the name "Internet gaming disorder" or "Internet gaming disorders". However, many researchers consider it an existing disorder.

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

2. Gambling addiction

Pathological gambling is another of the behavioral addictions included in the DSM-5. This pathology, in the DSM-IV-TR, was included in the Impulse Control Disorders, but with the arrival of the new edition of the Manual, it is now considered an addictive disorder (without substance), as its great similarities with substance addictions (dependence, tolerance and abstinence) have been observed. (dependence, tolerance and abstinence).

Thus, pathological gambling is characterized as involving maladaptive and persistent gambling behavior, coupled with symptoms of impairment and stress in the individual's life.

In addition, other types of symptoms appear (lasting at least 1 year), such as: deception of one's own family to hide the degree of involvement with gambling, preoccupation with gambling, attempts to recover the money lost the following day, failure to control or stop gambling, restlessness or irritability when trying to interrupt gambling, etc.

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

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, it is true that, given the empirical evidence, we could consider it another of the most prevalent behavioral addictions today.

It is a reality that more and more children and adolescents (and adults too) 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, to not unhook themselves from mobile phones, to not unhook themselves from the Internet, to not unhook themselves from mobile phones.and a constant need to stay on their cell phones all day long, etc.

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

The most serious problem of this type of alteration is that other problems associated with this addiction appear, such as: family problems, conduct disorders, low self-esteem, eating disorders, etc.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 more so, addictive behaviors that could constitute a serious problem by interfering with the person's daily life.

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

Causes

Why do we become addicted to certain substances (in this case, objects or actions)? The causes will vary greatly from one person to another, although it is true that we can speak of some causes more typical than others: family problems, relationship problems, need to escape from reality, low self-esteem, poor impulse control, low frustration tolerance, low tolerance to frustration, low self-esteem, low self-esteem, poor impulse control.low tolerance to 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 often the causes are similar.

Treatment

In relation to the treatment of behavioral addictions, each treatment should be adapted to each specific case, because each person will manifest his or her own symptoms, added problems, concerns, etc.

However, we can speak, broadly speaking, about therapeutic options that are often used and have proven to be effective in the case of this type of addictions. 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 basis of the problem, i.e. its cause, must be treated. The ideal is to approach the problem from a multidisciplinary and systemic perspective, where the patient's environment is also worked with.

Bibliographical references:

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th. Edition (DSM-5). Washing- ton, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
• Cia, A. (2013). Non-substance addictions (DSM-5, APA, 2013): a first step toward the inclusion of Behavioral Addictions in current categorical classifications. Rev Neuropsychiatr, 76(4):210-217.
• Echeburúa E, Corral P. Addiction to new technologies and social networks. Adicciones. 2010; 22, 91 - 96.
• Echeburúa E, Corral P, Amor PJ. The challenge of the new addictions: therapeutic objectives and ways of intervention. Behavioral Psychology. 2005; 13: 511 - 525.
• Riva-Posse, A.E. (2016). Addictive disorders.Immanencia, 5(1): 51 - 57.