Other Potentially Addictive Behaviors

In addition to gambling disorder, disordered eating, Internet gaming disorder, sex and love addiction, hoarding, compulsive spending, and non-suicidal self injury, other potentially addictive behaviors in the literature include: Internet addiction, social media addiction, food addiction, exercise addiction, and tanning addiction.

INTERNET ADDICTION

DIAGNOSIS: Internet addiction is not diagnosable according to the DSM-5. Further research is needed to determine if the Internet is a unique addiction or if it is the forum for other addictions to occur, such as gaming, shopping, gambling, social media, etc. “IA may be considered an umbrella addiction in that it overlaps with other comorbid process addictions (Luo et al., 2015). For example, someone who is addicted to Internet gaming and Internet pornography would have diagnoses for both of these disorders, as well as a separate diagnosis for the umbrella, i.e., Internet addiction” (In Carlisle, Carlisle, Polychronopoulos, Goodman-Scott, & Kirk-Jenkins, forthcoming in 2016).

PREVALENCE: Some studies have found large prevalence statistics for Internet addiction, but culture appears to be a variable. In the United States, prevalence ranges from 3.7 to 13 percent; in South Korea up to 10.7 percent; but in Norway the range is 1 to 5.2 percent (Fisher, 2015). “Differences amongst assessment tools related to theoretical foundation and diagnostic criteria affect consistency across prevalence studies, making comparison between studies problematic” (Carlisle et al., forthcoming in 2016).

INTERESTING RESEARCH: In Asian countries like South Korea and China, governments have become involved in the problematic behaviors associated with Internet addiction. The Chinese government has attempted to implement controls to prevent IA in its population, i.e., closing Internet cafés and imposing laws on adolescent Internet gaming (Young, 2009). Fisher (2015) cites a recent documentary, Web Junkie, which estimates that there are more than 400 Chinese Internet-addiction rehab ‘boot camps. Other such boot camps exist in Korea, as well (Chulmo,Yulia, Choong, & Hea Young, 2011).

SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION

DIAGNOSIS: Social media addiction is not recognized in the DSM-5. The interpersonal aspects of social media addiction, as well as Internet gaming disorder, exacerbate the breadth and depth of these behaviors when they become problematic.

PREVALENCE: Social networking is the fastest growing activity on the Internet. Social media use has increased at over twice the rate of other Internet use in general during similar time periods (Baughman, 2010; Glickman, et al., 2012; Raacke & Bonds-Raacke, 2008).

INTERESTING RESEARCH: Research supports that males and females interact and use social media differently (Haren, 2013). In addition, children and adolescents’ social media use may put them at greater risk for Internet predation. 52% of teens have given out personal information online to someone they do not know offline, and one in four (25%) have shared personal photos and/or physical descriptions of themselves, twice as many girls as boys (McAfee & Harris Research Institute, 2009).


Please visit the following IAAOC Webinar for more information on Internet Addiction and Social Media Addiction, along with Internet Gaming Disorder:
Carlisle, K. L., Haren, E., & Richardson, E. (October, 2015). Technology and compulsivity: Practical interventions and case studies [Webinar]. In IAAOC Webinar. Retrieved from https://iaaoc.webex.com/iaaoc/lsr.php?RCID=d0acaaabb9d670bcd4119deb991345d8



EXERCISE ADDICTION

DIAGNOSIS: Exercise addiction is not recognized in the DSM-5. It is important to distinguish between exercise use with exercise as the main objective and exercise use with weigh loss as the main objective (Berczik et al., 2012). In the case where weight loss is primary, the main psychological diagnosis may be disordered eating, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (Bamber, Cockerill, & Carroll, 2000; Blaydon, Lindner, & Kerr, 2002; de Coverley Veale, 1987). However, when exercise is the primary compulsion, there is a potential diagnosis for exercise addiction (Berczik et al., 2012).

PREVALENCE: Different assessment tools and population samples have lead to incongruent results in the literature (Berczik et al., 2012). And actual exercise addiction may be rare (Szabo, 2000, 2010). Allegre, Therme, and Griffiths (2007) reported exercise addiction in 3.2% of marathon runners. Still, other researchers report high rates of the addiction. Blaydon and Lindner (2002) reported that 52% of triathletes have exercise addiction. Slay, Hayaki, Napolitano, and Brownell (1998) found that 26% of male runners and 25% of female runners were addicted to running.

INTERESTING RESEARCH: In the realm of process addictions, there is a link between disordered eating and addiction, including exercise addiction (Sussman et al., 2011). Comorbidity makes it difficult to determine the primary problem (Berczik et al., 2012). Disordered eating is often accompanied by excessive exercise. And those who excessively exercise often have body image issues (Blaydon & Lindner, 2002; Klein et al., 2004; Lyons & Cromey, 1989; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994).


TANNING ADDICTION

DIAGNOSIS: Tanning addiction is not officially recognized in the DSM-5. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, accounting for half of all human malignancies, with over 2 million new cases diagnosed yearly (American Cancer Society, 2012).

PREVALENCE: A study of U.S. college students found that indoor tanning prevalence rates ranged from 33% to 60%, and the highest rates were among female students (Bagdasarov, Baneijee, Greene, & Campo, 2008; Hillhouse, Turrisi, & Shields, 2007). Appearance enhancement is the most common reason for indoor tanning (Cafri, Thompson, & Jacobsen, 2006). Other reasons for tanning use include relaxation, enhanced mood, stress relief, and improved energy (e.g., Kourosh, Harrington, & Adinoff, 2010).

INTERESTING RESEARCH: Indoor tanning behavior is strongly influenced by the normative behavior of others, including peers (Bagdasarov, Baneijee, Greene, & Campo, 2008) and parents, especially among girls and their mothers (Hoerster, Mayer, &Woodruff, 2007). Comorbidity with other addictions and psychiatric issues is high among people with tanning addiction. High indoor tanning use is associated with greater use of alcohol, cigarettes, steroids, and other substances (Mosher & Danoff-Burg, 2010). In addition, Heckman, Cohen-Filipic, Darlow, Kloss, Manne, and Munshi (2014) cite evidence of common comorbidities with tanning addiction, including body dysmophic disorder, seasonal affective disorder, obsessive compulsive tendencies, and anxiety.

Prepared by Kristy Carlisle