Behavioral Addictions as Mental Disorders: To Be or Not To Be?

Should excessive and problematic engagement in nonsubstance use behaviors be mental disorders? The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) repositioned gambling disorder in the substance use disorders section and introduced Internet gaming disorder in the r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of clinical psychology 2018-05, Vol.14 (1), p.399-423
Main Authors: Petry, Nancy M, Zajac, Kristyn, Ginley, Meredith K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior, Addictive - epidemiology
Behavior, Addictive - etiology
Behavior, Addictive - genetics
Behavior, Addictive - therapy
Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders - epidemiology
Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders - etiology
Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders - genetics
Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders - therapy
DSM-5
Gambling - epidemiology
Gambling - etiology
Gambling - genetics
Gambling - therapy
gambling disorder
gaming addiction
Humans
Internet
Internet addiction
Internet gaming disorder
Video Games
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Summary:Should excessive and problematic engagement in nonsubstance use behaviors be mental disorders? The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) repositioned gambling disorder in the substance use disorders section and introduced Internet gaming disorder in the research appendix; the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) is also considering it. This article outlines pros and cons of considering behavioral addictions as mental disorders and also reviews the DSM-5 decision-making processes. It focuses on three conditions: gambling disorder, Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and Internet addiction (IA). We detail assessment methods and prevalence rates for these conditions and outline psychiatric comorbidities, demographic and biological risk factors, and promising treatment approaches. We also briefly discuss other putative behavioral addictions: eating food, sex, exercise, shopping, and tanning "addictions." Overall, data are inconclusive, and consistent terminology and methodology are needed to define and evaluate these conditions more fully prior to considering them mental disorders.
ISSN:1548-5943
1548-5951
1548-5951
DOI:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045120