Other Behavioral Addictions
摘要
Behavioral addictions exist on a large, intricate spectrum. This chapter primarily focuses on other behavioral addictions, especially those that have not yet been formally recognized—these addictions include those surrounding shopping, exercise, and work. The prevalence of these conditions varies widely, ranging from 4.9% for shopping addiction to 0.3% for exercise addiction to as high as 15.2% for work addiction. Risk factors for these conditions also vary and include issues such as childhood trauma, self-esteem, and perfectionism. There have been many theories as to the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these addictions, but studies surrounding the pathogenesis of these conditions are limited. All three conditions share common clinical features, especially the feature of preoccupation. Diagnosis is difficult for these conditions as they have not yet been formally recognized as addictions in manuals such as the DSM-V-TR. These addictions also come with many medical and psychiatric comorbidities and further cause significant impairment in functioning for many individuals. Thus, it is important to encourage further research into these conditions to aid in their formal recognition in diagnostic manuals and healthcare settings.