Behavioral addiction

[precious007]

This is a different type of addiction unlike being hooked on nicotine or any other substance .... I found this interesting and though I'd post this...

Here's a quote from Wikipedia...

Behavioral addiction (also called process addiction[1] or non-substance-related addiction [2][3]) is a recurring compulsion condition whereby a person engages in a specific activity despite harmful consequences to the person's health, mental state, or social life.[4][5] Behavioral addiction is considered harmful or deviant if it results in negative consequences for the person addicted and those with whom they associate.
The type of behaviors which some people have identified as been addictive include gambling, food, sex, pornography, computers, video games, internet, work, exercise, spiritual obsession (as opposed to religious devotion), pain [6], cutting and shopping.
The applicability of the word "addiction" to these conditions is controversial, and there is not a universal consensus as to the most appropriate phrase used to describe these conditions as a class.
Behavioral addictions has been proposed as a new class in DSM-5, but the only category included is gambling addiction. Internet addiction and sex addiction are included in the appendix.[7]
The term soft addiction was coined by Judith Wright to describe activities, moods or ways of being, avoidances, and things-edible and consumable but which do not pose a grave health disease risk - rather, they have the most effect on personal time and productivity. [8][9] These behaviors were profiled in a 2007 ABC News story titled Bad Habits.[10]

I understand gambling, food,pornography,video games and spiritual obsessions but I don't yet understand ... how sex,work,computers or the internet could have something to do with behavioral addiction .... Computers and the internet are a vast part of most people's life these days....... does that mean they're all addicted somehow?

Sex ... can't be an addiction, anyways in my opinion ....I guess most people lack sex these days due to the heavy schedules.......... and several other issues....

Any thoughts?

[Rattlesnake]

From the urban dictionary

1. addiction 365 up, 42 down

buy addiction mugs, tshirts and magnets
a compulsive habit that people obtain through repitition.
Eric: Why can't people stop smoking. It isn't that hard. They should have some self control.

Mark: Eric, if its that easy then stop masterbating!!!

Eric: (silence)

[nicodude]

I have come to think that, aside from the nicotine, I am addicted to the act of using tobacco in itself. I'm not saying that i'm not addicted to the nic, just that sometimes when I am not needing any nic, I will still have the desire to use tobacco in some form.

[visiON]

Sex ... can't be an addiction, anyways in my opinion ....I guess most people lack sex these days due to the heavy schedules.......... and several other issues....
Any thoughts?

Anything that makes the brain release dopamines can become an addiction, sex does that.

@nicodude:
I have the exact same thing, when I have tobacco I'll use it like I was addicted and needed the fix so bad every 2 hours, but when I don't have it I don't even crave it..

[Rattlesnake]

I have come to think that, aside from the nicotine, I am addicted to the act of using tobacco in itself. I'm not saying that i'm not addicted to the nic, just that sometimes when I am not needing any nic, I will still have the desire to use tobacco in some form.

I agree, I can have a big fat pris in, just taken a sniff of snuff, and 3 minutes ago smoked my pipe. But when I get in my Jeep I still want a cigarette (habit) is all it is.

[Mykislt]

There are many theories about how people get addicted. The behaviourists would say that people associate pleasure or removal of displeasure with an action. People get addicted to the internet, because it makes them feel good, same with work and sex, and anything that has pleasurable aspects.

I don't know how Wikipedia got something from the DSM-5, I don't think it's published yet.

[precious007]

Anything that makes the brain release dopamines can become an addiction, sex does that.

I guess it's that....

I've heard heavy gamblers say that gambling makes them feel better than sex sometimes....

but on the other side ... after loosing a fortune you can see them deeply depressed, mad, anxious and so on ....

[russki]

While I could see these different things as being addictions, I think people throw the word addiction around way too much. If you do anything anymore you can be or are addicted to it... its lost its meaning. The other thing that rubs the whole thing the wrong way is that everyone is addicted to something, whether they know it or not...The only difference between someone who smokes and someone who is addicted to gratification or selflessness (i.e. helping others, having children) is the level of 'harm', and I use that term lightly, associated with it. Not only that, but the perceived level of harm. Before smoking was known to cause cancer, most people saw it as simply an activity of enjoyment. Also, the 'addictions' everyone has differ in moderation as well.

I know a lot of people will disagree with my assessment completely, which is fine.

[precious007]

While I could see these different things as being addictions, I think people throw the word addiction around way too much. If you do anything anymore you can be or are addicted to it... its lost its meaning. The other thing that rubs the whole thing the wrong way is that everyone is addicted to something, whether they know it or not...The only difference between someone who smokes and someone who is addicted to gratification or selflessness (i.e. helping others, having children) is the level of 'harm', and I use that term lightly, associated with it. Not only that, but the perceived level of harm. Before smoking was known to cause cancer, most people saw it as simply an activity of enjoyment. Also, the 'addictions' everyone has differ in moderation as well.

I know a lot of people will disagree with my assessment completely, which is fine.

I partly agree..... but I doubt people weren't aware that they were actually hooked on smoking cigarettes .... (even when they were not known to cause cancer)

The actual rush to light up or the urge to smoke would show them that they were addicted.....

Anyways, the thread is strictly referring to behavioral addictions lets not mess them up ...... substance addition is way too obvious these days..... ranging from alcohol to psychiatric drugs .... and cocaine or heroine...... they're all highly addictive.

[russki]

I partly agree..... but I doubt people weren't aware that they were actually hooked on smoking cigarettes .... (even when they were not known to cause cancer)

The actual rush to light up or the urge to smoke would show them that they were addicted.....

Anyways, the thread is strictly referring to behavioral addictions lets not mess them up ...... substance addition is way too obvious these days..... ranging from alcohol to psychiatric drugs .... and cocaine or heroine...... they're all highly addictive.

My apologies, simply wanted to point out their similarities.

I do have to agree with Mykislt though, there are many theories on it, and I believe behaviorists are on the right path in assuming the association with pleasure after addition/removal of a specific behavior leads to the 'addiction'. It seems only natural as we are all 'animals' in the most basic sense. Then again, maybe I am biased as it seems so easy to objectify human beings knowing the kind of people I deal with on a daily basis

[precious007]

It seems only natural as we are all 'animals' in the most basic sense. Then again, maybe I am biased as it seems so easy to objectify human beings knowing the kind of people I deal with on a daily basis

+1

I guess it would have been wise to make a poll on this thread as well.

Do you guys agree that sex, internet, work, TV could be behavioral addictions?

I mean I know quite a few friends that are mad about driving all day long........ would that be an addiction as well ?

[russki]

I mean I know quite a few friends that are mad about driving all day long........ would that be an addiction as well ?

This is the exact type of logic that defies the whole basis for defining 'addictive' behavior...When things such as this are taken into account, it becomes impossible to have a specific definition as to what addiction is, specifically with regards to behavioral addiction. I suppose the problem stems from our different perspectives, either way the line between 'addictive' behavior and what is considered to be 'normal' behavior is, if at least, very thin. This is especially so when trying to define even normal behavior.
I do, however, think that there can be an addiction to some degree to those specific behaviors, I suppose I would simply define them in a different way than what is the medical standard (DSM-IV), such as an impulse with negative/unwanted consequences, as opposed to simply saying an addiction.

[Rattlesnake]

Don't laugh!!!!!! I was addicted to disel(how the heck do you spell it then) fuel exhaust fumes when I was a truck driver. One or two days away from the truck and I started getting nervous and anxious to get back in the truck no matter what, if only to crank it up.

[precious007]

I do, however, think that there can be an addiction to some degree to those specific behaviors, I suppose I would simply define them in a different way than what is the medical standard (DSM-IV), such as an impulse with negative/unwanted consequences, as opposed to simply saying an addiction.

I guess so ... so would I .... but ... if you've heard of Allen Carr and read his books .... (he's a quit smoking GURU - well known world-wide) .... he used to say ...

I love lobsters .... they're tasty .... but I don't go about hanging lobsters around my neck just because I like them....

or... I love going to the cinema but don't like it to the point that I would spend the rest of my life in a cinema.....

As a conclusion I guess overdoing something .... is called a habit ... and becomes and addiction (I wouldn't call it exactly an addiction though)......

It's quite interesting though ... I guess behavioral addictions are somehow mental issues .... if you know what I mean....

There's this guy ..... and a girl .... that both have mental disorders I think they're either paranoid or schizophrenic .... not sure....

(I guess they're also both OCD sufferers because they always come and stay in front of my house on the same bench for hours........... if it's not the boy it's the girl and so on ............ they never sit anywhere else ..... they just stay there and stare at the horizon ............. I think that is a real behavioral addiction and it's highly linked to OCD.... )

If anyone watched Serial Killers ... there was this girl that used to kill in threes .... meaning she had some sort of addiction that made her kill in threes ....... (each and every killing had something to do with number 3) ..... killed three people..... killed with 3 gun shots..... killed on third floor ..... loool ...

[nicodude]

I am addicted to speeding, lol. Its actually really hard to stop, I have several citations (including one I am about to send in now) and a driving record covered in points and violations. I lucked out this past time as the previous points on my record had been removed after two years, but I just got another ticket for 5 points, I am going to court but by now they won't do much for me. My first ever ticket was 8 months after getting my license at age 18, for doing 96 in a 55.

Every time I get a citation I try to stop speeding, and I do for a while but then start again, whenever I drive slow I get really anxious and aggressive, I just feel like I am wasting time by going the speed limit. A friend of mine seems to think that the adrenalin rush I get from speeding is what I am addicted to, IDK but he is probably right, I have to have a portion in at all times when I drive or I go nuts, lol.