Behavioural addiction, sometimes referred to as a process addiction or impulse control disorder, starts in much the same way as a substance use disorder.
If you have a behavioural addiction, you are likely to be addiction-prone.
When engaging in addictive behaviours, such actions can trigger your brain’s natural chemicals and neurotransmitters, meaning that you will likely experience a significant ”high” when engaging in risky behaviours.
Behavioural addiction versus substance abuse
Behavioural addictions follow the same trajectory as drug and alcohol abuse.
However, process or behavioural addictions do not generally receive the same acknowledgment or clinical diagnosis that one would expect in substance abuse cases.
Negative effects
Unlike drug and alcohol addiction, behavioural addictions do not cause chemical cravings or physical dependence like cocaine or opioids.
Still, people with behavioural or process addictions experience adverse consequences due to their addictive behaviour.
Addiction disorder
Much of the population participates in activities or engages in specific behaviours without getting addicted all the time.
However, those who might be vulnerable or have addictive tendencies may compulsively engage in behaviours like gaming or gambling and experience intense withdrawal symptoms when not engaging in such behaviours.
Intense cravings
If you have a behavioural addiction, you may experience intense cravings and urges to participate in specific actions at a profoundly unhealthy level.
Such compulsions can affect a person’s life, where their mental health and self-esteem get severely impacted.
Substance use disorders and behavioural addiction
Many mental health experts believe that behavioural addictions are complex conditions to treat since most behaviours related to these addictions generally get accepted in society.
Internet addiction
Internet addiction, for example, is profoundly challenging to treat and abstain from since most people spend a significant amount of their lives online.
In today’s social media culture, how does one ”give up the internet”?
Four distinct behavioural addictions
Addiction specialists have identified four types of addiction that get grouped as behavioural or process addictions – they include:
- Internet addiction
- Gaming addiction
- Sex addiction
- Gambling addiction
Signs and symptoms of addiction
Although behavioural addiction symptoms differ from alcohol and drug addiction, the mental and emotional symptoms are similar.
Signs and symptoms of a behavioural addiction include:
- Lying
- Denial
- Trouble sleeping
- Shame and guilt
- Self-neglect or lack of self-care
- Absence from school, work, or significant events
- Falling out with friends and family members
- Physical health problems
Physical health conditions
As well as the mental health consequences of behavioural addiction – people with gaming or internet addictions may experience physical health issues like headaches, back problems, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Likewise, those with sex addiction are at a higher risk of developing a sexually transmitted disease.
Withdrawal symptoms
Additionally, the withdrawal symptoms of behavioural addictions are similar to those witnessed in drug abuse.
For instance, a person abstaining from process addictions may experience:
- Anxiety
- Intense cravings
- Trouble sleeping
Diagnosis
Behavioural addiction and substance addiction get diagnosed in much the same way.
A process addiction gets diagnosed when a person experiences a compulsion to engage in certain behaviours despite any negative consequences and struggles to abstain from such behaviours.
Inability to stop
Essentially, a behavioural addiction gets diagnosed when a person cannot stop destructive behaviours and continues to engage in risky behaviours despite any adverse consequences.
Behavioural addiction and substance use disorders
A substantial body of evidence suggests that substance abuse and behavioural addictions are closely related.
Moreover, behavioural and substance addictions respond to the same treatment methods.
Your therapist may begin formulating a tailored treatment plan if you get diagnosed with a behavioural addiction.
The different types of behavioural addictions
There are several types of behavioural addictions.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has any of the following symptoms, you must speak to a mental health professional to get the proper support and treatment you deserve.
Early intervention
Getting help for addiction early on can prevent your condition from worsening.
Early intervention can also prevent other mental disorders due to your process addiction, such as anxiety, substance abuse, or depression.
Below are the main types of behavioural addiction:
1. Sex addiction
Many individuals feel compelled to seek out sex regularly.
And while sex can be an immensely gratifying, loving, and pleasurable way to express ourselves and the love we feel for our partner, an urge or desire to have sex constantly shouldn’t be considered healthy.
Sex addiction and engaging in healthy sex have clear distinctions – addictive behaviours are different from regular expressions of desire or love.
Seeking out sex constantly to obtain sexual or physical gratification repeatedly where such pleasure fades out relatively quickly can signify a sex addiction.
Thrill-seeking behaviours related to sex addiction
Most addictions like substance or behavioural have elements of thrill-seeking involved.
Whether you thrill-seek through substance use like alcohol, cocaine, or heroin, or perhaps you want to go beyond regular sex by engaging in highly promiscuous or taboo sex, the excitement or thrill can be addictive.
For many people, the excitement associated with promiscuous or risky sex is something to be sought after constantly.
There’s always the hope of a much bigger thrill, a more intense sexual experience on the horizon.
However, the constant pursuit of pleasure often leads to addiction.
Behavioural addictions are coping mechanisms.
Many mental health experts believe that sex addiction is a compensatory mechanism for mental health issues such as a lack of confidence, self -esteem or people seeking escapism.
2. Gambling addiction
The constant pursuit of risking large quantities of money or other assets produces intense emotional excitement for many people.
The effect such thrill-seeking behaviours can have on the brain’s reward centre makes a gambler want to gamble repeatedly, despite the odds of losing everything.
Rolling the dice
Although the excitement associated with gambling can be profound, any positive feelings linked to gambling are often short-lived, especially since the odds of losing are often higher than winning.
Mental spiral
The mental anguish of losing all your money or other crucial assets may send you into a spiral where you do all you can to get back what you’ve lost.
The above involves more gambling, betting, and risk-taking to recoup your losses.
Like illicit drugs, gambling can have a powerful impact on your brain, where winning and losing and the prospect of regaining your assets can quickly manifest into an addiction.
Gambling addiction is the only clinically recognised behavioural addiction.
Fortunately, gambling addiction is clinically recognised as an official process addiction and is the only behavioural addiction classified in the diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM – 5).
Gambling addiction is one of the most obliterating, destructive process addictions since it can potentially destroy a person financially, affecting their relationships and life circumstances.
A wealthy person with a gambling addiction can quickly become destitute, especially if they let their gambling problem spiral into a habit.
The key is to recognise that you have a gambling problem and seek help immediately.
3. Gaming addiction
Gaming addiction mainly affects young adults and adolescents.
Studies show that up to 41% of people who play video games do it to escape from real life.
Many experts believe that the emergence of technology is responsible for most video game addictions and may play a crucial role in the rise and prevalence of gaming addiction (Mission Harbor, Behavioral health).
Risks
Other studies show that male gamers with authoritarian parents, who believe they are more innovative at role-playing games than relationships, are the most likely to suffer from gaming addiction (Mission Harbor, Behavioral Health).
Additionally, multiplayer games or role-playing games get reported to be the most addictive.
Moreover, people who experience higher anger, aggression, and poor social skills are at higher risk of gaming addiction.
4. Internet addiction
Research shows that internet addiction affects 8.2% of European and North American adults.
Additionally, studies show that people who do not drink or smoke are more likely to develop an internet addiction.
How people with internet addiction behave
Women are more likely to have an internet addiction than men.
Internet addiction affects young adults and senior citizens more than other generations.
People with an internet addiction obsessively check their messages, emails, and social media or engage in substantial online shopping sprees despite adverse consequences.
How to treat behavioural addiction
Some people are surprised when they first learn about behavioural addictions, as process addictions defer from the stereotypical drug and alcohol addictions that get outwardly acknowledged in many communities.
Process addictions occur when a person becomes addicted to a type of behaviour, rather than an addictive substance.
Type of addiction
In all addictions, an individual gets compelled to repeat behaviour that inadvertently harms their physical and mental health and can also affect how they function at home, at work, or in the community.
Addictions can be familiar, which is often the case in substance abuse, or unfamiliar where there is little acknowledgment, understanding, or awareness, which is often the case with behavioural addictions.
No matter what form addiction takes, the consequences for those affected can be long-term and profound.
Therapy
Unfortunately, there is limited awareness surrounding process addictions.
However, mental health professionals can help people overcome their difficulties by cultivating healthier coping mechanisms and developing ways to deal with compulsions.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), talk therapy, and group therapy are effective interventions for behavioural addictions.
Co-occurring disorders
Many people with behavioural addictions also have other mental disorders known as co-occurring disorders or substance abuse.
Health professionals will usually diagnose and treat people presenting with co-occurring disorders while treating them for a process addiction.
When a behavioural addiction remains untreated, it can cause profound suffering and complications for the individual and their friends and family.
Generally, people with addictions usually have a compulsive nature.
It is not uncommon for addicted individuals to want to repeat a behaviour over and over, whether using the internet excessively, drinking large quantities of alcohol regularly, or taking illicit drugs.
Understanding the addiction cycle and getting proper treatment and support is crucial for those with substance and process addictions.
Contact a specialist today at Centres for Health and Healing and begin your health transformation.
