Behavioral Addictions

Behavioral addiction or dependency, much like substance addiction , is the habitual drive to continue an action even to the detriment of health and happiness. Those with behavioral addictions continue to repeat actions that are harmful to their bodies or to the happiness of those around them, often losing their relationships, their jobs and their health in the process.

Common Behavioral Addictions

There are a number of behavioral addictions that are accepted in the medical community as serious problems when taken to an unhealthy level. They include:

• Bulimia
• Anorexia
• Gambling
• Internet
• Television
• Sex
• Shopping

Each of these activities is practiced on some level by almost everyone but they become addictions rather than recreation when it becomes an obsession that gets in the way of other healthy activities.

For example, an occasional trip to the mall is hardly an addiction. But when shopping comes before other activities like being with family and friends and the bills pile up to the point that bankruptcy is imminent and credit scores plummet, then it is an addiction and the person needs help through treatment and recovery.

Symptoms of Behavioral Addictions

Symptoms of behavioral addictions are just as obvious and physical as substance addictions. They include:

• Mood swings
• Gaining a feeling of euphoria from the activity
• Compulsive need to act out the behavior
• Obsessive thinking about and planning the behavior
• Allowing the behavior to take precedence over work, health, and family

A tolerance is built up in behavioral addictions just as in substance abuse. The more often that a person repeats the behavior the longer the person must indulge and to greater risk (i.e. more money spent shopping or higher bets placed per hand) in order to gain the 'rush' or 'high.'