Children and behavioral addictions

ALSO KNOWN AS: Soft addictions

DEFINITION: A behavioral addiction is defined as compulsive, repetitive participation in any activity not related to the use of illicit substances to the point that such behavior dominates a person’s life, disrupting normal behavior patterns and potentially causing physical, mental, or social harm. Common behavioral addictions among all age groups include those related to gambling, sex, technology, shopping, eating, and exercise. Common behavioral addictions among children include addictions to video gaming, the Internet and computers, exercise, food, sex, and exercise.

Behavioral Addictions

Though the cause or causes of behavioral addictions have not been established, some studies have suggested that behavioral addictions, like physical addictions, may be rooted in brain chemistry. Many researchers believe that the act of engaging in certain activities results in an increase in the production of beta-endorphins in the brain, an increase that leads to a feeling of euphoria. In the case of behavioral addictions, it is thought that repetitive engagement in an activity for the purpose of achieving this euphoric feeling may, in turn, cause a person to become trapped in a cycle of addiction.

Experts also have suggested that the development of behavioral and physical addictions may be related to hereditary factors or environmental influences. For example, in the case of behavioral addictions in children, a child with a parent or parents who engage in some form of addictive behavior may be more likely than other children to engage in the same or similar behaviors at some point in their lives.

Regardless of the cause of their condition, people who suffer from behavioral addictions often exhibit certain characteristics that suggest they have become addicted to a particular activity. Many individuals with behavioral addictions become obsessed with the activity and find themselves unable to stop thinking about it. They often continue the activity without regard to how it may be affecting their own lives or the lives of others.

In many cases, the individual's engagement in the activity becomes compulsive, meaning that the individual is driven to continue the activity. Some individuals with behavioral addictions also experience a loss of control over when or to what degree they will engage in an addictive activity. Other characteristics of behavioral addictions include a tendency to deny that the behavior is causing personal problems. Some also attempt to conceal their behavior from family members or friends.

Some individuals with behavioral addictions also encounter physical and mental symptoms related to their condition. Many claim to black out during the activity and are thus unable to remember their actions. In some cases, withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability or restlessness, result when the individual with a behavioral addiction cannot engage in the addictive behavior. Many individuals with behavioral addictions also have depression and low self-esteem.

Children and Adolescents

Children and adolescents are equally prone to developing behavioral addictions as adults. Many children also suffer from the same types of behavioral addictions as adults. Most commonly, children and adolescents struggle with behavioral addictions related to eating, exercise, sex, gambling, and technology, including Internet use.

Behavioral addictions related to eating and diet among children and adolescents often manifest as eating disorders, including binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia nervosa. If left untreated, these eating disorders can lead to serious health consequences and even death.

Exercise-related behavioral addictions are often triggered by the importance placed on sports in the lives of many young people. Some adolescents who are involved in a team or individual sport can easily become obsessed with their performance and may engage in excessive physical training to improve their skills. This, in turn, can lead to the development of anorexia athletica, an exercise addiction wherein the individual feels the need to exercise continually in order to feel normal.

As older children and young teens enter puberty, they become increasingly aware of their sexuality and begin to engage in sexual behaviors. During this period, some teens may come to rely on sex to relieve stress or to cope with other emotional issues. This reliance can, in some cases, lead to sex addiction. Persons who develop such addictions may be unable to control their sexual behavior.

Gambling may seem like a problem faced only by adults, but adolescents are susceptible to gambling addictions too. Much like adults, adolescents become addicted by playing games of chance. Some resort to selling off their personal possessions or securing money from their parents to fund their addiction.

Increasingly, however, the most commonly occurring behavioral addiction among children and adolescents is addiction to video games and the Internet, especially social media. For children and young adults in particular, the Internet has become a vital part of their everyday lives, providing nearly constant access to social networks and a wealth of information and entertainment. This widespread use of computer technology also presents a serious risk of addiction.

Children and adolescents with computer and Internet addictions often spend excessive amounts of time online or engage in other computer activities. Many experts agree that spending more than twenty hours per week on the Internet may indicate an addiction. Other factors that suggest addiction include obsessive preoccupation with the Internet, decreased interest in non-Internet-related social activities, and the onset of withdrawal symptoms when Internet access is not available.

Internet addictions also frequently lead to obsessive behaviors. Many young people with an Internet addiction spend an inordinate amount of time building and maintaining online relationships while disregarding real-life relationships. Others may simply find themselves compulsively surfing the web.

In some cases, technological addictions also can intersect with other common addictions, such as sex addiction. Many adolescents turn to adult chat rooms or online pornography, which is often a highly addictive form of sexual behavior. While more common among adults, the frequent use of online gambling websites also can lead to the development of a gambling addiction.

For many young people, playing video games can become as addictive as Internet use. In 2009, 8.5 percent of young video game players between eight and eighteen showed signs of addiction, and in data collected in 2016, 50 percent of teens reported that they felt they were addicted to mobile devices, such as smartphones. In 2018, a Pew Research Center survey found that 45 percent of teens between thirteen and seventeen reported being on the Internet almost constantly. Addiction to video games, online games, and the Internet, in general, is often driven, among other factors, by the opportunity these technologies provide for an escape from reality and retreat into a virtual world where they feel more self-confident. In 2019, the World Health Organization officially classified Internet gaming disorder as a disease in the eleventh edition of its International Classification of Diseases. While some, particularly gaming companies, were concerned by the weight of this recognition, others hoped that such a designation would increase awareness about a type of addiction that has seemed to grow in prevalence, especially among younger people. In the March 2022 edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) became an officially recognized psychiatric condition with diagnostic criteria characterized by a preoccupation with gaming that results in withdrawal symptoms when gaming is not possible. Many experts believe between 1 and 10 percent of the American population has IGD, primarily young adults and adolescents. However, many psychiatrists assert research in the 2020s indicates this number is likely much higher than previously believed.

The consequences of addiction to computers, the Internet, or video games can vary in scope and severity. Excessive use of technology can lead to weight issues caused by skipping meals or eating poorly, by a lack of sleep, and by a decrease in physical activities away from the computer or game console. Technological addictions often also result in a reduction in the amount of time students spend studying, which, in turn, leads to poor academic performance. In some cases, such as viewing content that users must pay to access, technological addictions can result in financial problems. Finally, the continual use of a computer or other technology also can lead to physical health problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, eye strain, or back and neck pain.

Solutions

All forms of addiction have negative consequences for children and adolescents. Parents should be watchful for signs of any behavioral addiction. A variety of treatment options are available for children and adolescents with behavioral addictions. Medical treatments, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or other forms of therapy can help break the cycle of addiction and encourage the resumption of a normal, healthy lifestyle.

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