Addictive Behaviors

Adolescence and youth are critical periods in human development. These life stages are often linked to exploration and experimentation. As part of this process, adolescents might start using substances or practicing other addictive behaviors, such as gambling or gaming. In some cases, these high-risk behaviors evolve into problematic patterns, causing multiple psychosocial problems. Additionally, early onset of addictive behaviors increases the risk of developing substance use disorders and behavioral addictions later in adulthood. Several behaviors, besides psychoactive substance ingestion, produce short-term reward that may engender persistent behavior despite knowledge of adverse consequences, i.e., diminished control over the behavior. These disorders have historically been conceptualized in several ways. One view posits these disorders as lying along an impulsive-compulsive spectrum, with some classified as impulse control disorders. An alternate, but not mutually exclusive, conceptualization considers the disorders as non-substance or "behavioral" addictions.

This book provides the complete information of current knowledge on addictive behaviors and disorders to date. Moreover, addictive behaviors and disorders oftentimes present with additional mental health problems and disorders. Drug use and abuse, alcohol intake, smoking, gambling, and excessive Internet and Social Networking Site use or gaming, among others, are closely related to poor mental health in these vulnerable populations. Whereas comorbidity between addictions and mental health disorders is well-known among adults, research is considerably scarce among adolescents. Furthermore, in a changing world where new substances and behavioral addictions arise, new information and communication technologies are constantly developed, and situations like the COVID-19 pandemic impact adolescents mental health in unexpected ways, an update on the field from multiple disciplines such as psychology, sociology, social work, anthropology, etc. is required. Many people today do not understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug use.

This book aims to fill that knowledge gap by providing information about the psychology and disease of drug addiction, including the many harmful consequences of drug abuse and the basic approaches that have been developed to prevent and treat substance use disorders. Covering an exhaustive list of behavioral addictions, this book is unique in its coverage of behavioral addictions, their criteria, and treatment.