Behavioral addiction affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts, even without using a substance. This guide explains what behavioral addictions are, how to recognize behavioral addiction symptoms, and how evidence-based care can help you or a loved one heal. Promises Atlanta offers compassionate, effective addiction treatment and mental health services in Georgia. We strive to offer reliable, up-to-date education on addiction and mental health issues that affect our local communities.
What is behavioral addiction?
“Behavioral addiction” refers to repeated, rewarding activities that a person continues despite harm. The behaviors trigger the brain’s reward system in ways that make stopping hard, even when the person wants to quit. Scientists have shown that a wide variety of rewarding experiences can activate similar neural circuits involved in habit learning and motivation; the same circuits are discussed in addiction research for substances, relating to drug and alcohol abuse. See the National Institute on Drug Abuse on the brain and addiction for background on reward pathways.
Definition and characteristics
A behavioral addiction is a pattern where a person:
- Craves or seeks an activity repeatedly, often to change mood or manage stress
- Loses self control over time, needing more of the activity to feel the same relief
- Keeps doing the activity despite negative consequences at school, work, finances, or relationships
- Feels irritable, restless, or down when trying to cut back
Some behavioral addictions share features with impulse control disorders (such as difficulty resisting urges) and with obsessive compulsive disorder (such as repeating actions to reduce distress). Not every repetitive habit is an addictive behavior. A diagnosis depends on severity, loss of control, and impairment.
Common types of behavioral addictions
Researchers use different terms for behavioral addictions, including “process addictions” and “non-substance addictions.”
Common behavioral addictions include:
- Gambling addiction / pathological gambling
- Internet addiction / screen dependence
- Video game addiction / gaming disorder
- Shopping addiction / compulsive buying disorder
- Exercise addiction, where workouts become compulsive and interfere with life
- Food addiction, which overlaps with eating disorders for some people
- Sex addiction or compulsive sexual behavior disorder
Only some of these are recognized as formal diagnoses, and categorization varies. Gambling disorder is included in the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 under addictive disorders, and similarly in the World Health Organizations’ ICD-11 as a “disorder due to addictive behaviours.”
Compulsive sexual behavior appears in ICD-11 as an impulse control condition, not an addiction, and is not yet a diagnosis in the DSM. Internet addiction disorder is not an officially recognized diagnosis, but the WHO does have a diagnosis for gaming disorder. Regardless of official diagnosis, clinicians approach behavioral addictions with overlapping strategies.
Eating disorders and substance use disorders require their own evidence-based care, sometimes alongside treating behavioral addictions.
Behavioral addiction symptoms
Behavioral addictions tend to look similar across different activities. People often describe urges, time loss, and increasing harms that they cannot seem to stop.
Emotional symptoms
- Strong cravings or urges before the behavior, followed by brief relief
- Guilt, shame, or anxiety afterward
- Using the activity for emotional regulation, for example to numb sadness or manage stress
Physical symptoms
- Sleep disruption, tension headaches, or fatigue related to long sessions
- Changes in appetite or activity level
- Withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness or agitation when cutting back
Psychological symptoms
- Preoccupation with the behavior and planning the next opportunity
- Rationalizing harms, such as losses or conflicts
- Reduced attention to other interests and relationships
Signs of compulsive behavior
Compulsive behaviors develop when an urge dominates choices, even as problems grow.
Inability to control the behavior
Loss of self control can show up as spending more time or money than planned, breaking promises to stop, or hiding the behavior. Many people report brief improvement, then a return to the pattern.
Neglecting responsibilities
Missed deadlines, skipped classes, and budget problems are common negative consequences. Loved ones may notice mood changes or secrecy tied to the compulsive behavior.
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
While withdrawal from substances involves physical symptoms, psychological withdrawal can be similar for behavioral and substance addictions, including irritability, restlessness, and strong cravings to return to the behavior.
Addiction recovery programs
Recovery from addictive behaviors is possible. Behavioral addiction responds to structured care, peer support, and ongoing skills practice. Programs should also address co-occurring mental health disorders and substance use disorders when present, since these can drive urges and relapse.
- Inpatient treatment programs: Short- or long-term inpatient stays provide a stable setting when safety, medical needs, or greater impairment require 24-hour care. Stabilization, therapy, and aftercare planning start here.
- Outpatient treatment programs: Outpatient addiction care ranges from weekly therapy to intensive programs that meet 5 or more days per week. These options help people build new routines while staying connected to work or family.
- Support groups: Peer groups can add accountability and support between sessions. Many people also benefit from family participation to improve communication and boundaries.
It’s important to match care to severity, risks, and co-occurring conditions. If substance addictions or mental illness are involved, integrated care improves outcomes. SAMHSA explains why coordinated treatment for co-occurring conditions helps people recover more fully.
Need integrated care in the Atlanta area? Visit our pages on mental health or substance abuse treatment in Georgia for program overviews and next steps.
Treating behavioral addictions
Effective treatment options focus on skills, insight, and relapse prevention. Plans often blend therapy, family involvement, and lifestyle changes. When substance use disorder or depression is present, integrated care is essential.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT helps people identify triggers, challenge unhelpful thoughts, and practice new responses.
CBT tools you may learn:
- Trigger mapping and urge surfing
- Delay / distract / decide routines for cravings
- Budget locks and device blocks for high-risk times
- Values work to rebuild daily structure
For gambling disorder, CBT and related therapies are core treatments. Mayo Clinic outlines therapy strategies that reduce urges and improve coping.
Medication-assisted treatment
In addiction medicine, we use the term “medication-assisted treatment” to refer to medications for substance use disorders. There are no FDA-approved medications specifically for gaming disorder, food addiction, or other behavioral disorders. However, clinicians may prescribe medicines to treat co-occurring depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD, or obsessive traits, which can reduce urges for some people. Medication-assisted treatment for co-occurring opioid or alcohol addiction also helps to stabilize and begin to heal the brain.
Holistic approaches
Whole-person addiction care helps recovery stick, including:
- Sleep, nutrition, and movement planning to stabilize mood and energy
- Mindfulness practice to improve attention and emotional regulation
- Family or couples sessions to repair trust and set limits
- Trauma-informed approaches that respect your story and needs
- Financial counseling for debts related to gambling or compulsive buying
Curious how our team blends skills-based therapy and medical oversight? Read about our approach to drug addiction treatment and how we coordinate care when substance addiction is also present.
Overcoming addiction challenges
Behavioral addiction recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. Small steps add up.
Building a support network
List 3 to 5 people you can text before high-risk times. Share your plan with them. Ask for practical support, such as rides to therapy, help changing online passwords, or joining you for screen-free activities.
Developing coping strategies
- Keep a written plan for triggers, including time-based routines and safe alternatives
- Use device tools, for example, app limits or finance blocks
- Track wins daily to reinforce change
- Schedule rewards for meeting goals, not for perfection
Relapse prevention techniques
Relapse is not failure; it is feedback. Update your plan to cover new risks. For gambling disorder, many people benefit from money protections, time limits, and avoiding specific locations or apps. WHO notes that gaming disorder involves loss of control and continuation despite harm, so relapse prevention should target those patterns.
Professional help for addictive behaviors near Atlanta
Recovery from behavioral addiction is achievable. Although not every repetitive habit is an addictive behavior, when life is getting smaller and the activity feels in control of you, help is important. The brain’s reward system is adaptable, and with practice, new habits take root.
If your behavior continues despite harm, or you notice co-occurring substance use or mood changes, reach out. You can read answers to common questions on our FAQ or review our mental health treatment options. For situations involving drug addiction along with behavioral addictions, see our page on drug addiction treatment to learn how integrated care works at our center in north-central Georgia.
