Behavioral Addictions: Causes & Treatment in Atlanta

While most who think of addiction generally think of drugs and alcohol, behaviors can also have addictive qualities. Thinking of behavioral addictions versus substance addictions someone may wonder how behavioral addictions can be harmful, and why they would need help to end the addiction.

Well, individuals who are struggling must first understand what behavioral addictions are, and then they would be able to see how these behaviors tend to be detrimental to their lives. Behavioral addictions versus substance addictions are about the thing that stimulates the person and causes them to compulsively use the behavior for gratification of some sort. These can include things like overeating, gambling, sex, or watching television.

There are 2 types of behavioral addictions, passive and active. Television would be considered a passive behavioral addiction, while gambling, shopping, and sex would be considered active. The difference between behavioral and substance addictions is that it is not a drug or drink that the person is using to achieve a sense of euphoria. The behaviors themselves are what create this euphoric, addictive feeling within an individual. 

Causes of Behavioral Addictions

There is no real definition to behavior addiction causes. There are many different factors that can feed into the development of addictive behaviors. However, there are similar environmental and social factors seen within those who do struggle with behavioral addictions.

A family history of mental health disorders or addictions can be a risk factor when it comes to addictive behaviors developing. The same holds true for those who experienced childhood trauma, childhood abuse, or neglect. 

Oftentimes, those who struggle with behavior addiction, also struggle with mental health conditions. Behaviors addiction causes an unrealistic sense that the mental health condition symptoms may be dissipating.

Behavioral addictions can take many forms, but they all involve compulsive behaviors that continue despite negative consequences. Like substance use disorders, behavioral addictions can interfere with your physical and mental health, relationships, work, finances, and overall quality of life. Understanding the different types of behavioral addictions can help you recognize the signs and determine when it may be time to seek professional support.

Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction comprises repeated problematic gambling behavior. The individual will struggle to control their gambling habits even if it is causing significant problems for their well-being and relationships.

Like many other behavioral addictions, gambling disorders frequently run in families with factors such as trauma increasing the likelihood of development. Men are more likely to develop problematic gambling behaviors in adolescence, with women more likely to start in later life. This disorder tends to affect a more significant percentage of men than women.

For gambling disorder to be clinically diagnosed, at least four of the following symptoms need to be met within the last twelve months:

• Spending an increasing amount of time gambling to achieve the desired ‘high’.
• Becomes irritable and restless if not gambling or trying to cut down.
• An inability to control, cut back, or stop gambling.
• Obsessive thoughts around gambling, such as reliving past successes, failures, or planning future gambling.
• Turns to gambling to repress difficult emotions, thoughts, and feelings.
• Habitually ‘chases one’s losses’ and returns to gambling after a failure believing they can control the situation.
• Lying and deceiving others about their gambling habits.
• Risking relationships, employment, or opportunities due to gambling.
• Needing help from others with financial difficulties caused by gambling.
• It is common to see those with gambling disorders go through periods where symptoms subside. There are also times where the symptoms are less severe. However, without treatment, individuals invariably return to their gambling habits.

Sex Addiction

Sex addiction can be defined as a compulsion to engage in sexual acts to achieve a ‘high’, ‘fix’, or as a coping mechanism for difficult situations, thoughts, and feelings.

Sex addiction is commonly understood to be in conjunction with another/multiple partners. However, excessive pornography, masturbation, or a desire to be in sexual environments are also indicative of this disorder.

Sex addiction is not as yet a clinically diagnosable condition. Instead, it is included in the DSM-5 as “other specified sexual dysfunction” and within the ICD-10 as “other sexual dysfunction not due to a substance or known physiological condition.”

It’s believed that a person with sex addiction will seek out multiple sex partners, though this in itself is not necessarily a sign of a disorder. Some report that it may manifest itself as a compulsive need to masturbate, view pornography, or be in sexually stimulating situations. Individuals are unable to control their behaviors despite the detrimental effects they may have.

An individual may be suffering from sex addiction if they show some of the following signs:

• Relations with multiple partners, even strangers.
• Secrecy and deception around sexual behaviors.
• An inability to control or stop the urges.
• Experiencing guilt or shame after engaging in sexual activity.
• Obsessive, chronic, sexual fantasies and thoughts.
• Finding that the sexual desire or action interferes with everyday life, work, and relationships.
• Finding themselves in risky situations.
• Like substance abuse, sex addiction can negatively impact all areas of a person’s life, including personal relationships, employment, quality of life, and physical and mental health.

“Thank you for giving me the courage to believe in myself again.” – Stephanie, Former Client

Shopping Addiction

Compulsive shopping, shopping addiction, or oniomania is one of the most socially acceptable addictions. However, that does not mean it is any less harmful. We live in a materialistic society where we are influenced by all forms of marketing that encourage us to purchase items and promise contentment and happiness.

This behavioral addiction is characterized by compulsive buying as a means to avoid negative emotions and enhance mood. Shopping addiction can become an increasingly problematic habit that can affect all aspects of someone’s life, leading to a loss of control and potential financial difficulties.

Food Addiction

Food addiction is highly comparable to substance addiction, involving addictive chemicals and ingredients that a person becomes increasingly dependent on. Certain foods, particularly those high in sugar, salt, and certain fats, trigger neurotransmitters in the brain with results similar to when a person takes cocaine or other illicit substances.

Processed foods and ultra-processed foods are the most problematic as they trigger the brains’ reward center releasing large amounts of dopamine, the pleasure hormone, into the body. The individual needs to consume greater quantities of the foods to achieve the same ‘high’.

• The substance you are reliant on
• The length of time you have been using substances for
• The quantities of substances you consume
• Genetic factors

Symptoms of food addiction include:

• Craving specific foods even when not hungry or full.
• Experiencing a lack of control around certain foods.
• Eating more than intended.
• Eating to the point of being overfull or feeling sick.
• Experiencing guilt and shame around eating habits.
• Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to change eating habits, lose weight, or stop eating certain foods.
• Eating in secret or hiding eating habits from others.
• Obsessively planning to eat certain foods and ritualizing the consumption from purchasing, unwrapping, to consuming.

Food addiction can cause severe physiological and psychological issues, including depression, anxiety, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Technology Addiction

Nearly 75% of households in the United States have internet access, and 58% of adults own a smartphone. With the ever-evolving range of technologies and online entertainment options at our disposal, it is no surprise that problematic behaviors around smartphone use, the internet, social media, and gaming are rising.

Studies have demonstrated that technology use, primarily gaming, pornography, and social media, triggers the brain’s dopamine receptors, sending powerful feel-good hormones throughout the body. However, excessive technology use leaves individuals with reduced levels of dopamine transporters. This means that it becomes harder to achieve the same feelings of pleasure, and so they need to consume their chosen technology for more substantial periods.

Technology addiction affects an individual’s relationships, work life, and social groups. They can also have severely detrimental effects on physical and mental health.

These individuals tend to avoid physical activity or time outside. As a result, they may suffer from ill health, as their activities increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It is also common for people to develop computer vision syndrome, which describes many eye-related problems, including eye strain and blurred vision.

Withdrawal symptoms, when abstaining from or cutting down on technology, are common and can be highly distressing for the individual. As technology addiction is an impulse control disorder, treatment focuses on modifying behaviors that decrease the time spent online or on devices to transform the urge to be online into more positive alternative actions.

At our rehab facility in Atlanta, we help clients and their families develop resilience and the power to reclaim their lives from behavioral addictions. Our behavioral addiction treatment in Atlanta, GA can help you recover both safely and effectively. Our personalized care and individualized treatment programs like dialectical behavior therapy support the client and their families on the journey to recovery and fulfilling their true potential. Contact us today to learn more about our programs.