What Is Behavioural Addiction

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Behavioural Addiction

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

At Abbeycare, behavioural addiction treatment is only available when combined with a physical substance use disorder, such as cocaine or alcohol use disorder.

Behavioural addiction is:

The loss of control over a particular behaviour, occurring for 12+ months, and not being able to stop without professional intervention
Repeating a behaviour (e.g. gaming) to chase short-term gain, while ignoring long-term risks (e.g. financial decline)
The mental preoccupation with a behaviour that takes over real-world responsibilities, even when not actively engaging in such behaviour

whatisbehaviouraladdiction inf abbeycare 1

What Causes Behavioural Addiction?

Neurobiological Causes

Genetic heritability of problem gambling is estimated at 50-60%, indicating that a family history of behavioural addictions makes it more likely these addictions will develop [1].

Neuroimaging data shows that those with behavioural addictions show a 17% reduction in the right superior frontal lobe compared to controls, creating a lack of impulse control as this area is responsible for goal-directed behaviour [2].

Grant et al. (2011) show that patients taking dopamine replacement therapy have a 6% increased risk of developing impulse disorders or behavioural addictions (e.g. sex addiction or love addiction), indicating that increased dopamine results in vulnerability to behavioural addiction [3].

64% of cases of combined alcohol dependence and pathological gambling are explained by genes that influence both conditions, such as the D2A1 allele present in the DRD2 gene [4].

Problem gamblers taking 3mg haloperidol, a dopamine D2 antagonist, have a 67% increase in self-reported desire to gamble, indicating that low dopamine levels may also underlie the urge to gamble for short-term gain [5].

Those with ADHD have a 138% increased rate of developing gambling addiction, and a 25% increased rate of developing exercise addiction, indicating that pre-disposed impulsivity increases the vulnerability of developing a behavioural addiction [6].

Psychological Causes

Compared to substance addiction, caused primarily by positive reinforcement, behavioural addiction may be caused either by negative reinforcement when behaviours are done in an attempt to alleviate a negative state (e.g., stress), or positive reinforcement when seeking instant rewards [7].

Some behavioural addictions, such as shopping addiction, are a compulsive need for instant gratification (i.e. an attempt to immediately satisfy the desire to buy new things, without analysing long-term consequences).

Zhang et al. (2025) found a 9-fold increase in basal ganglia activity responsible for reward activation when abstaining from addiction, compared to recreational gamers, resulting in craving and agitation when the behaviour is not engaged in [8].

Zhang et al. (2025) found that the limbic network is recruited in abstinence for non-substance addictions, indicating dysregulation of reward anticipation as users expect a reward (e.g. gaming in video game addiction) that is not currently happening [9].

Madden et al. (2005) demonstrated a model of tolerance similar to behavioural addiction in pigeons that responded at high rates to obtain food when presented with random-ration patterns despite a 20% increase in effort, resulting in a 70% decrease in overall food intake [10].

Types Of Behavioural Addiction

Type Of Behavioural Addiction	Unique Indicators Of This Addiction
Shopping	- Buying items that are not necessarily needed - Spending 20% more on shopping trips compared to others [11] - Purchasing multiple items in different variations -Impulsively spending frequently
Body modifications (tattoos, piercings, etc.)	- Continuous need for more modifications despite irreversible changes (e.g. stretched earlobes), piercing rejection, or infection - Progression to more extreme body modifications without being satisfied of current changes
Gaming	- Prioritising gaming over sleep, healthy eating, and exercise - Irritated when not able to play -Lack of time awareness when playing
Love	- Constant need to be in a romantic relationship - Relationships typically end due to emotional intensity - Quick turnover of relationships - Fear of abandonment - Relationships appear very serious very soon
Porn	- Escalating need to watch more porn - Viewing more arousing and/or extreme types of porn - Lack of sexual functioning without porn - Frustration when porn cannot be accessed - Watching porn in inappropriate places (e.g. at work)
Sex	- Constant need for sex and sexual partners - Quick turnover of sexual partners with or without a romantic partner
Exercise	- Exercising despite fatigue and injury - Need to exercise every day, with the need increasing - The daily routine revolves around exercise, with a lack of deviation
Food	- The daily routine revolves around food - Eating in secret - Actively hiding food - Eating when not hungry
Work	- Working more than needed - Actively seeking more work - Prioritising work over sleep and social life - Experiences guilt when not working
Plastic surgery	- Need to obtain more plastic surgery - Need to intensify existing plastic surgery - Body dysmorphia - Seeking new surgeons when the current surgeon will not operate anymore - Health risks are ignored for the sake of aesthetics

Co-Occurring Behavioural And Physical Addictions

Behavioural Addiction	Commonly Co-Occurring Behavioural Addiction	Why Do These Co-Occur?
Gambling	Shopping, sex/ pornography, food	- Impulsivity and/or poor financial decision-making - Risk-taking behaviour - All occur online
Sex/ Pornography	Food, gaming, shopping	- Linked to instant gratification (i.e. immediate reward)
Gaming	Shopping, food, sex/ pornography	Results from the need to escape current emotions and/or situations
Shopping	Gambling, food	Instant gratification and to self-soothe negative emotions temporarily
Food	Exercise, gaming	- Exercise addiction develops as a need to combat excessive eating - Develops due to guilt or shame - Gaming acts as a way to numb guilt from overeating
Exercise	Work	- Stems from perfectionism and people-pleasing regarding body image and work ethic - Exercise acts as a temporary escape from work load
Work	Exercise	Stems from perfectionism and people-pleasing regarding body image and work ethic

Signs Of Behavioural Addiction

Loss Of Time Awareness

Binge gaming (gaming consecutively for 5 or more hours) weekly or daily indicates addiction, and is a unique contributor to anxiety (0.9%) and depression (1.6%) due to the disruption of daily routine [12].

Gaming for 1.5 hours per day for 12 months results in a 2.38 - 2.54 increased rate of addiction, indicating a loss of time awareness due to immersion in the virtual world [13].

Compared to infrequent but recreational gaming, addiction occurs when gaming sessions are 1.5 hours long for over 4 days per week on average, distinguishing sporadic healthy game play from compulsive addiction [14].

Underestimating the time spent playing games is a common symptom of addiction affecting both males and females; however, Wood (2007) notes this trend is skewed towards females [15].

4.2% of gamers spending 33+ hours per week on gaming experience psychological distress due to a lack of connectivity with the world and a loss of time awareness, making this a visible sign of behavioural addiction [16].

Losing the ability to track time in behavioural addiction results in the failure to comply with real-life obligations, such as:

Falling behind in school or work life
Missing appointments
Detachment from family or friends
Personal hygiene neglect
Inadequate or excessive focus on nutrition and/or exercise

Justifying Addictive Behaviour

Justifying compulsive behaviours is a sign of behavioural addiction because it indicates the need to rationalise patterns, typically comparing these to others (e.g. "everyone goes shopping, so it's okay").

When behavioural addiction is justified, this indicates an attempt to cover up internalised guilt or shame surrounding actions, enabling the cycle of addiction to continue.

Similar to substance addiction, behavioural compulsions are typically downplayed or excused, such as "I only game once a day" or "gaming is good for my mental health", aiming to mask the loss of control seen in addiction.

In the case of exercise addiction, Nicholls (2025) found that the following themes drove rationalisation [17]:

Quantifying efforts: An attempt to push oneself to achieve self-improvement, for example, "if I had a week off, it would probably all go, but I’m not having a week off because, you know, it’s [running] everyday."
Competition: A continuous need to improve and/or wanting to become the best at the sport, for example, "your body’s not good enough…you need to improve your body to … do that".
An enabling community: Surrounded by others supporting the behaviour, for example, "I think the very like binary messaging of exercise is good, do as much as you can…there was a lot of sort of supercharged, very intense sort of approaches".
Perception of body image: Justifying compulsive exercise to fulfil motivations about weight management, for example, "I do like to have a good body image…it doesn’t sound too great to say…but…you know how there’s a male image of having like a good [body]…I do try and go for that"
Rationalising choices: Justifying behaviour through analysing positive versus the negatives, for example, "I think ultimately, the metabolic benefits outweigh these sort of short-term physical problems"

Chronic Preoccupation

Chronic preoccupation is a sign of behavioural addiction because it indicates an inability to focus on other life obligations, such as spending time with friends or family.

Continuous thinking about the dependent behaviour, such as planning the next shopping trip, indicates addiction through mental preoccupation even when not actively engaging in such behaviour.

Mental preoccupation with shopping, for example, is visibly shown to others through rearranging schedules to make time for shopping trips or sharing plans to shop online with others.

Those with behavioural addictions have a 93% increase in attentional bias towards a given behavioural dependence, as measured by the attentional bias index [1].

An inability to focus on tasks other than the dependent behaviour indicates a lack of cognitive flexibility, making it challenging to shift thought patterns away from addiction.

In gaming addicts, 48% more time is spent thinking of gaming between gaming sessions compared to regular gamers, resulting in a lack of mental capacity to plan or act on other tasks [18].

Mood Swings

Those with a gaming addiction have a 187% increase in depressive mood when two games are lost consecutively, meaning that happy and unhappy states may be dictated by gaming outcome [19].

Anger also increases by 128% when two games are lost consecutively in gaming dependence, resulting in mood swings that are tied to gaming outcomes [19].

Addictive behaviours may be re-engaged shortly after mood swings in an attempt to either self-soothe or reward oneself, two ways of regulating one's emotions.

Mood swings in behavioural addiction are:

Changes in mood that cannot be explained by other causes
Typically come in waves tied to behavioural outcomes
Short bursts of happy/unhappy emotions, including visible frustration, anger, and excitement
Not typically affected by regular life events
Sometimes concealed from family or friends through social withdrawal

There is a 12.5% average increase in emotional arousal states when provided with an emotional trigger, or gaming trigger, in problem gamers compared to healthy gamers, explaining overstimulation and hypersensitivity in behavioural addiction [20].

Concealing Time Spent On Addiction

Concealing time spent on addiction is a sign of behavioural addiction because this demonstrates internalised guilt and shame around the length of time spent doing the activity, or the inability to comply with real-world obligations (e.g. work).

Lying about time spent on other activities may occur in behavioural addiction in an attempt to deceive others into believing that compulsive patterns of behaviour are not problematic, enabling the cycle to continue.

Actively attempting to conceal addiction indicates that the individual acknowledges compulsive behaviours as addiction and is trying to avoid losing access to the behavioural coping mechanism.

Avoiding external input or confrontation surrounding addictive behaviours is a sign of addiction due to evading accountability for one's actions, despite potential acknowledgment of its harms.

Inconsistencies surrounding the time spent on the addictive behaviour may indicate addiction compared to normal private activities due to the need to lie to downplay addiction severity

Small But Repeated Behaviours

Repetitive shopping online while at work is a sign of behavioural addiction because it indicates that addictive behaviour is being prioritised over responsibilities.

Not being able to stop checking a smartphone or checking on hidden food in food addiction, for example, also indicates a lack of control and ongoing dependence.

Lin et al. (2017) found that in problem smartphone addiction, phones are checked upwards of 58 times per day [21].

In behavioural addiction, there is not always a goal behind repetitive behaviours (e.g. constantly checking gambling websites or smartphones), as these compulsions form part of the habitual routine and indicate future planning of use.

Compared to addiction, repetitive behaviours in non-addiction are easily stopped when wanted without causing physical or psychological distress.

Repetitive behaviour indicates addiction is present when it cannot be explained by any other cause, such as autism or obsessive-compulsive disorder; however, it is possible that these can co-occur.

Vulnerable Groups

Vulnerable Groups	Why?
Under 25's	- Impulsivity due to an undeveloped prefrontal cortex - Risk-taking behaviour is increased by 200% [22]
History of trauma	- Behavioural addictions mask trauma - Behaviour acts as a form of escapism
Co-occurring ADHD, depression, anxiety, and/or OCD	- Behaviour masks symptoms of these disorders - Linked to impulsivity, avoidance, and repetitive and/or compulsive behaviours in these disorders
Sensation-seeking behaviours	- Linked to risk-taking, impulsivity, and instant gratification - Higher-than-normal baseline for arousal from everyday stimuli
Social isolation	Reliance on online presence, online friends, and activities within the home environment
Low self-esteem	Engages in activities to self-soothe (e.g. comfort eating or buying nice things)
High stress environments	- Acts as a form of escapism from everyday stressful situations - Self-soothing behaviours that are done in an attempt to regulate the nervous system

How Does Behavioural Addiction Progress?

Stage Of Addiction	How Is The Individual Presenting?
Initial behaviour causing psychological reward	Seeking immediate reward via curiosity, risk-taking, and to relieve negative symptoms (e.g. stress)
Reward pathway activation	- Engaging in the behaviour activates a dopamine surge in the mesolimbic pathway - Happiness, joy, relief, and calmness reinforce the behaviour
Withdrawal symptoms	- Those affected by behavioural addiction experience anxiety, irritation, and a low mood when the behaviour is achieved
Tolerance	As tolerance builds, the user engages in the behaviour more frequently and with higher intensity to experience the same fulfilment
Cravings	- Urges to engage in the behaviour occur in periods of non-engagement - Intrusive thoughts of engaging in the behaviour, might show as irritation
Relapse triggers	- Becomes visibly irritated in situations that trigger the behaviour (e.g. being in a shopping centre for shopping addiction)

References

[1]. Leeman, Robert F., and Marc N. Potenza. “A Targeted Review of the Neurobiology and Genetics of Behavioural Addictions: An Emerging Area of Research.” The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 58, no. 5, May 2013, pp. 260–73. “PG heritability estimates range from 50% to 60%,15 with increasing genetic contributions seen with greater problem gambling severity.”
[2]. Tanabe, Jody, et al. “Prefrontal Cortex Activity Is Reduced in Gambling and Nongambling Substance Users during Decision-Making.” Human Brain Mapping, vol. 28, no. 12, 2007, pp. 1276–86. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021. “Table 3” .
[3]. Grant, Jon E., et al. “Introduction to Behavioral Addictions.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, vol. 36, no. 5, 2010, pp. 233–41. “Two studies of patients with PD found that more than 6% ...higher rates among those taking dopamine agonist medication.”
[4]. Grant, Jon E., et al. “Introduction to Behavioral Addictions.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, vol. 36, no. 5, 2010, pp. 233–41. "Two-thirds (64%) of the co-occurrence between...suggesting overlap in the genetically transmitted underpinnings of both conditions."
[5]. Zack, Martin, and Constantine X. Poulos. “A D2 Antagonist Enhances the Rewarding and Priming Effects of a Gambling Episode in Pathological Gamblers.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 32, no. 8, Jan. 2007, pp. 1678–86. “Figure 2.”
[6]. Findon, James L., et al. “Investigating Behavioural Addictions in Adults with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” PLOS ONE, edited by Asrat Genet Amnie, vol. 20, no. 2, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Feb. 2025, p. e0317525. “Table 4.”
[7]. Mann, Karl, et al. “Pathological Gambling: A Behavioral Addiction.” World Psychiatry, vol. 15, no. 3, Sept. 2016, pp. 297–98. “While these latter disorders have rewarding aspects for the individual1, this reward is based on negative reinforcement: people have a feeling of relief after the act. In sharp contrast, substance‐induced addictions and gambling offer positive reinforcement.”
[8]. Zhengjie Zhang, et al. “Altered Dynamic Reconfiguration of Brain Functional Networks during Gaming and Deprivation in Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, vol. 14, no. 2, May 2025, pp. 776–92. “Table 2.”
[9]. Zhengjie Zhang, et al. “Altered Dynamic Reconfiguration of Brain Functional Networks during Gaming and Deprivation in Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, vol. 14, no. 2, May 2025, pp. 776–92. "The IGD group showed greater recruitment of BGN and LN after deprivation of gaming"
[10]. Madden, Gregory J., et al. “LABOR SUPPLY and CONSUMPTION of FOOD in a CLOSED ECONOMY under a RANGE of FIXED- and RANDOM-RATIO SCHEDULES: TESTS of UNIT PRICE.” Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, vol. 83, no. 2, Mar. 2005, pp. 99–118. “Unit prices were increased between conditions up to Unit Price 256 or until the subject’s weight fell to 70% of free feeding during either the RR or FR condition.”
[11]. BLACK, DONALD W. “A Review of Compulsive Buying Disorder.” World Psychiatry, vol. 6, no. 1, Feb. 2007, p. 14. “compulsive shoppers reported spending an average of $110 during a typical shopping episode compared with $92 reported in the study by Schlosser et al”
[12]. Marmet, Simon, et al. “Associations of Binge Gaming (5 or More Consecutive Hours Played) with Gaming Disorder and Mental Health in Young Men.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, vol. 12, no. 1, Jan. 2023. “BG had a significant unique contribution on top of TSG for life satisfaction (1.2%), sleep quality (0.6%), depression (1.6%) and social anxiety disorder (0.9%), and the linear trend remained significant after adjustment for TSG.”
[13]. Jo, Sun-Jin, et al. “Prospective Association between Online Game Use and Risk of Internet Gaming Disorder in Korea: 12-Month Follow-up Results from the ICURE Study.” Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, vol. 34, no. 4, May 2022, pp. 370–76. “Results indicated the IRR of IGD risk was 2.54 for the increased time spent group and 2.38 for the consistent higher time spent group against the consistent lower time spent group.”
[14]. Jo, Sun-Jin, et al. “Prospective Association between Online Game Use and Risk of Internet Gaming Disorder in Korea: 12-Month Follow-up Results from the ICURE Study.” Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, vol. 34, no. 4, May 2022, pp. 370–76. "Therefore, managing Internet game use not to exceed 1.5 hours per day on average and 4 days per week would help prevent elevation of IGD risk."
[15]. Wood, Richard T. A., and Mark D. Griffiths. “Time Loss Whilst Playing Video Games: Is There a Relationship to Addictive Behaviours?” International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol. 5, no. 2, Jan. 2007, pp. 141–49. “Results found that, females significantly underestimated the time that they were playing compared to males.”
[16]. Katz, Dana, et al. “How Much Gaming Is Too Much? An Analysis Based on Psychological Distress.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Akadémiai Kiadó, July 2024. “Gamers reporting very high levels of PD (4.2% of the sample) played for 33 h per week on average.”
[17]. Nicholls, Kate, and Jane Ogden. “Rationalising a Spectrum of Problematic Exercise: A Qualitative Study.” Journal of Health Psychology, SAGE Publishing, Sept. 2024.
[18]. Zhou, Yucheng, et al. “Attentional Biases and Daily Game Craving Dynamics: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Nov. 2022. Table 2.
[19]. Adrián Mateo-Orcajada, et al. “The Impact of Videogames on the Mood of Amateur Youth Players during Consecutive Games.” Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, vol. 5, Frontiers Media, Dec. 2023. Table 2.
[20]. Marziyeh Hamzehzadeh, et al. “Emotion Evoking Game Design: Evaluating Induced Emotions among Individuals with Healthy, Problematic, and Disordered Gaming.” International Journal High Risk Behaviors & Addiction, vol. 13, no. 1, Mar. 2024. “Table 2.”
[21]. Lin, Y-H., et al. “To Use or Not to Use? Compulsive Behavior and Its Role in Smartphone Addiction.” Translational Psychiatry, vol. 7, no. 2, Feb. 2017, pp. e1030–30. Table 3.
[22]. Rolison, Jonathan J., et al. “Risk-Taking Differences across the Adult Life Span: A Question of Age and Domain.” The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, vol. 69, no. 6, Oct. 2013, pp. 870–80. “Risk attitudes in the recreational domain reduced more sharply from young (18 years, men = 3.88; women = 3.37) to middle age (43 years, men = 3.00; women = 2.40) than in older age (91 years, men = 1.97; women = 1.75).”

About the author

Philippa Scammell

Philippa Scammell MSci holds an integrated Master's degree in Psychology
from the University of York and has completed undergraduate statistical studies at Harvard University. Philippa has substantial experience in inpatient psychiatric care (Foss Park Hospital York), Research in Psychology at University of York, and group therapy facilitation (Kyra Women's Project). Philippa writes on clinical psychology and addiction recovery. Content reviewed by Laura Morris (Clinical Lead).

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Last Updated: November 12, 2025