What is Behavioral Addiction?
“Behavioral addiction is a silent struggle, where the chains are not made of substances but of compulsive actions, tightening their grip on one’s life.”
Behavioral addiction means repeating compulsive behavior patterns that have adverse effects on one’s life. Unlike substance addiction that involves drug or alcohol use, this addiction typically involves certain activities or behaviors. It can be gambling addiction, food addiction, shopping addiction, and many more. Despite the negative consequences it has on their health, relationships, and overall wellness, individuals with behavioral addiction find themselves unable to control their impulses.
“Feel-Good” Factor
One key aspect of behavior addiction is the role of reinforcement through the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine. Dopamine, known as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, is associated with pleasure and reward. When we consume any substance or indulge in any addictive behavior, such as drugs addiction, our brain releases dopamine, which makes us feel euphoric. This euphoric feeling increases the desire to repeat it.
Types of Behavioral Addiction
“Whether it’s the temptation of a slot machine, the constant desire for perfection in work, or the ever-scrolling timeline of social media, behavioral addictions can silently grip lives, weaving a complex web of craving, compulsion, and consequences.”
Behavior addiction is a type of addiction that takes many forms, and those suffering from it may develop compulsive actions that affect their lives negatively. Following are examples of common forms of behavioral addiction:
Gambling Addiction
People with a gambling addiction are unable to control their need to gamble, even if they are losing a lot of money. They are prepared to put something worthwhile at risk in the hopes of receiving a greater payoff. Gambling addiction can have major consequences in all aspects of life.
Internet and Social Media Addiction
The more time you spend on the Internet, social media, and playing games online, the higher the chances you may develop an addiction to the Internet. People abandon their real-life relationships and duties to stay on the screen most of the time.
Gaming Addiction
Gaming addiction is a condition in which a person becomes so obsessed with playing video games that it starts interfering with their everyday activities. This leads to symptoms like those of substance withdrawal in non-playing gamers who may neglect social ties, professional responsibilities, and studies.
Shopping Addiction (Compulsive Buying Disorder)
People who are addicted to shopping do compulsive and extravagant shopping, which leads them to incur large debts. It may be comforting to shop when experiencing emotional distress, but it can also have harmful future consequences.
Work Addiction (Workaholism)
When someone starts ignoring their partner, health status, and some personal things for a job, they are considered to be workaholics. Individuals who fall into this category rarely leave their workplaces and become uneasy in the absence of work.
Food Addiction (Binge Eating Disorder)
Binge eating disorders are a type of addiction characterized by a person’s habit of eating a huge amount of food in a short period of time or regularly. Some people binge eat as a way to cope with their emotional stress, thus could cause health complications and emotional problems.
Sexual Addiction
Sex addicts often seek out new partners or resort to high-risk sexual activities because of their addiction. This behavior may cause them legal problems and interfere with their interpersonal relationships.
Compulsive Hair-pulling (Trichotillomania)
Trichotillomania involves the pulling out of hair by an individual, causing severe loss of hair, followed by psychological and emotional stress.
Compulsive Skin-Picking (Dermatillomania)
Dermatillomania is the act of picking the skin aggressively, a behavior that often results in cuts and infections. Deaddiction therapy helps people overcome the causes that contribute to dermatillomania.
What Are the Causes and Effects of Behavioral Addiction?
Although no single factor explains why some individuals develop compulsive or addictive behaviors, various social, biological, and psychological influences increase their susceptibility to these behaviors.
Causes of Behavioral Addiction
Genetic Factors
Research suggests that a genetic predisposition exists for addictive behaviors in humans. This means that individuals with a history of addiction may be at greater risk of developing non-substance addictions like gambling or sex addiction.
Brain Chemistry and Neurotransmitters
Mainly, addiction is influenced by the brain’s reward system, particularly the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine. Activities associated with behavior addictions can trigger substance withdrawal symptoms such as a surge in dopamine, reinforcing the behavior and leading to a desire for repetition.
Psychological Factors
According to some studies, mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, or PTSD can result in behavioral addiction. People switch to these harmful behaviors to handle their feelings.
Personality Traits
Two personality traits that may increase the chances of developing behavior addictions are impulse control and a need for excitement. These characteristics could result in involvement in a lot of dangerous activities.
Social and Peer Influence
Any type of addiction may be accelerated by peer pressure or social norms. If everyone in someone’s social group is doing something addictive, they are likely to do it, too.
Effects of Behavioral Addiction
Compromised lifestyle
Similar to drug addiction, behavioral addiction can impact relationships with others, hinder day-to-day functioning, productivity at work or in the classroom, overall productivity in the personal life, and such.
Financial Consequences
Financial ConsequencesExcessive spending or losses associated with the addictive behavior can cause significant financial problems tied to other behavior addictions like gambling or compulsive shopping.
Health Issues
Based on the type of addiction, individuals can have problems concerning their physical health. Excesses in workouts can cause injuries just as too much may result in obesity-related health issues.
Relationship problems
Behavior addictions affects relationships with family, friends, and partners. At times, there can be neglect or even severe conflicts between family members due to addictive behavior that affects them at physical and psychological levels.
Emotional Distress
Behavioral addictions can result in emotions like guilt, shame, anxiety, and depression. This lack of control over addictive behaviors might exacerbate these emotional challenges.
Isolation
Sometimes, people with addiction prefer isolation rather than interdependence because of their obsession with addictive behaviors, or they isolate themselves just to overcome the latter. The rehab center places more emphasis on feelings of reduced isolation.
Decline in Self-Esteem
Behavioral addiction can result in reduced self-esteem and self-worth, which creates an endless cycle of further behavioral addiction.
Causes and Effects of Behavioral Addiction in India
Gambling addiction
There was a report by The National Library of Medicine that suggested increased gambling opportunities, in particular through lotteries and internet-based gambling, as well as weak laws around gaming with relaxed legislation, are significant factors leading to rises in the number of gambling addicts.
The lottery, a monopoly of the state of Kerala, has as its primary goal the generation of revenue for the government through sales that benefit several authorized agents exceeding 35 thousand and a network of more than 100,000 retail sellers, with Rs. 557.69 crores revenue and Rs. 92.02 crores as profits.
Gaming addiction
A study from India has shown that many people living in urban areas have a penchant for involving themselves in Internet games, hence regarding them as an essential form of recreation. India registers among countries with high numbers of internet-connected young citizens, thus being one of the most promising gaming markets.
India has around 300 million online video game players. Each of them typically spends 42 minutes playing mobile games daily; this can be extrapolated to 300 million minutes each day. As per the UNICEF report (2018), it is evident that one-third of these Internet users are minors or adolescents aged 0-17 years who may be minors or may be adolescents under the age of 18 years. Furthermore, there is an issue being raised about whether gaming disorders could take over addicted kids whose experience is similar to drug addiction.
Shopping addiction
Some of the reasons for addictive shopping include changes in India’s market environment, the availability of several goods, discounts, offers on sales, and multiple shopping channels. Our shopping pattern is changing just as everything else is changing. Excessive marketing leads people to addictive shopping, which can lead to regrets and a waste of money.
Government Efforts to Control the Impact of Behavioral Addiction in India
Based on a report from the Indian task force, the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) feels that India has a lot to offer in terms of reasoned opinions about dealing with various addictive behaviors among Indians. The Task Force has been instructed to develop a white paper that will be handed over to the Government of India as part of measures to enhance health intervention programs for different addictions.
The key takeaways and recommendations from the task force report are as follows:
- India requires a national alcohol policy consistent with WHO’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. Moreover, all health matters concerning alcohol, drugs, and behavioral addiction should be relocated from their respective departments to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare according to the new alcohol policy.
- Telemedicine rules and guidelines should make it easy for doctors to handle problems related to addictive behavior and the use of substances.
Where can you get the Right Resources in India to Understand and Prevent Behavioral Addiction?
There are many resources available in India that can help understand and stop harmful actions and behaviors. Here are some places that can provide help.
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS)
NIMHANS, situated in Bangalore, is India’s premier mental health institute. Necessary resources, research, and guidance for understanding deaddiction therapy and managing behavioral addiction can be understood from them.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
In India, the MoHFW can provide information on programs and rehab center for mental health, rehabilitation, and other behavioral disorders.
National Health Portal (NHP)
The Government of India’s NHP initiative provides information on different health issues and sometimes includes information about drug addiction.
Telemedicine and Online Counseling Platforms
With platforms that are credible, deaddiction therapy, counseling, and support for addictive behavior are offered through online and telemedicine services. Reputable platforms that link people to licensed mental health practitioners are a possibility.
International Organizations
Global perspectives and resources on behavior addiction provided by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Psychiatric Association can be applicable in the Indian context.
Behavioural Rehabilitation Centres in India
Treatment facilities for behavioral addiction are crucial to treat different types of addictions in India. It can be alcoholism or internet pornography viewing. In these centers, each struggling individual gets personal care. It includes medication, therapy, and counseling sessions by a team of experts. In summary, facilities in India that provide treatment through behavior modification are essential because they help people get better, improve their brains, and enable them to return to their normal lives.
