Behavioural Addictions
About Behavioural Addictions
It is the compulsive nature of the behavior that is often indicative of a behavioral addiction, or process addiction, in an individual. The compulsion to continually engage in an activity or behavior despite the negative impact on the person’s ability to remain mentally and/or physically healthy and functional in the home and community defines behavioral addiction. The person may find the behavior rewarding psychologically or get a “high” while engaged in the activity but may later feel guilt, remorse, or even overwhelmed by the consequences of that continued choice. Unfortunately, as is common for all who struggle with addiction, people living with behavioural addictions are unable to stop engaging in the behavior for any length of time without treatment and intervention.
Behaviour addictions can trigger the release of dopamine in the brain, which is related to pleasure and reward. Dopamine can create a positive link between the stimulus be it sex, shopping, gambling, gaming, food , and emotion, and well-being . When a person is addicted to the stimulus, the stimulus itself can act as a drug.
Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction may be caused by underlying stress linked to a difficult time in your life, whether work, relationship or financially related, as well as having an addictive personality prone to compulsive behaviour. There are also fundamental emotional reasons which can contribute to the development and vicious cycle of compulsive gambling, including:
Overcoming social isolation by visiting betting shops or casinos
To feel a rush of adrenaline and dopamine as a ‘happy’ brain chemical release
Numb, unpleasant feelings and problems which cannot be easily resolved
Boredom and a desire to pass the time
Relax and unwind after a stressful day
While these emotional factors may contribute to a gambling addiction, the following may be more visible signs of a gambling problem in either yourself or someone that you care about:
Loss of control and being unable to manage impulsive urges to gamble even when the odds are against you
Problems within the workplace which could include an increased workload, absence from work or general lack of concentration which makes it difficult to complete tasks sufficiently
A preoccupation with gambling and loss of interest in other hobbies and ignoring family responsibilities
Increasing the quantities gambled to recoup lost bets or to experience the same thrill
A negative impact upon relationships with those closest to you
Concealing the amount of money and time spent betting from family members
Stealing money in order to gamble
Denial that you have a problem
You may also suffer from physical symptoms. These symptoms include anxiety, irritability, headaches, stomach upsets and stress-related symptoms
A good resource is National Gambling Helpline Freephone 24-7 National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
Video Game Addiction
Addiction to the fantasy and escape provided by video game play as a growing phenomenon. Graphics are getting better all the time, new games are always coming out, and the ability to communicate with others via headsets while playing the game with people who would otherwise be strangers from all around the world is uniquely interesting to people who may have a hard time connecting with others in person. Similarly, taking on the role of someone else and living a virtual life can also be alluring. As compared to a substance abuse addiction or even to other process addictions, video game addiction may seem relatively harmless, and certainly many people can play video games on occasion without ever developing a problem. However, compulsive video game play can interrupt a person’s ability to connect positively with others and have healthy relationships, maintain responsibilities at work, and make choices that support their physical and mental health (e.g., eating regularly or healthfully, going to the doctor, etc.). Ultimately, those who don’t get treatment may end up completely isolating themselves from the real world, losing their ability to function, be with family, and achieve any goals outside of the video game world.
Food Addiction
Though we all have to eat, and many people are prone to overeating on occasion or eating out of boredom or for pure enjoyment, people who struggle with food addiction cannot control their compulsive eating behaviors. They tend to crave foods that are high in fats, sugar, and/or salt and often describe feeling “high” while engaging in the activity. Additionally, people who are addicted to food may develop a tolerance for food, as is characteristic of people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. That is, they require more and more of their favorite foods in order to experience the “high” they seek. People who struggle with food addiction may be obese, but people who have a normal BMI may also struggle with the disorder. Damaged relationships, issues of self-esteem, and other health problems may also result.
Food addiction is more biochemical in nature, creating a dependency on a physical reaction resulting from the consumption of certain foods.
I do not treat eating disorders such as Bulimia nervosa and Anorexia nervosa. A good resource for eating disorders is the National Centre for Eating Disorders.
Shopping addiction
The following are all signs that you, or someone that you know, may be struggling with a destructive shopping addiction.
Behavioural/social symptoms of shopping addiction:
• Shopping on a frequent and ongoing basis, either in person or online
• Shopping for items not because you necessarily need or want them, but because you experience an overwhelming compulsion to do so
• Setting yourself a budget for your shopping sprees, but regularly exceeding this
• Experiencing a sense of happiness and euphoria immediately after making a purchase, followed by feelings of shame and guilt about how much you have bought and how much money you have spent
• Trying to conceal your shopping and spending habits from friends and family e.g. by hiding new purchases or lying about where things have come from
• Continuing to shop even when you don’t have the money to do so, or if you’re already in debt
• Trying but failing to limit how often you go shopping or the amount of money that you spend
• Finding that you are unable to stop thinking about when and where you will be able to shop next and feeling as though shopping has taken over your life
• Being unable to curb your shopping habits despite the negative impact that your compulsive shopping has had on multiple areas of your life
• Losing interest in activities, hobbies or responsibilities that were once important to you
• Experiencing relationship problems as a result of your constant spending
• Withdrawing from loved ones, leading to social isolation
• Denying that you have a problem, both to yourself and others
Psychological symptoms of shopping addiction:
• Building a psychological tolerance to shopping due to the ‘feel good’ chemicals that are released when you make a purchase
• Experiencing psychological withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety and irritability, when you are unable to going shopping or buy something
• Using shopping as a way of boosting your mood or coping with difficult emotions such as stress
• Becoming angry and agitated if someone challenges your shopping habits or asks you to cut back on the amount that you are spending
• Inability to focus or concentrate at work, due to wanting to go shopping, or spending your time shopping online whilst at work
• Exacerbation of any existing mental health problems