Behavioural addictions

Addiction without a substance, often called behavioural addiction, refers to a condition in which the dependence is not on a chemical product (drugs, alcohol, tobacco), but on a gratifying activity or repetitive behaviour.

Although no substance is ingested, the brain mechanism is almost identical to that of substance addiction: the brain hijacks the reward circuit and the behaviour becomes an indispensable source of relief or pleasure, often to the detriment of daily life.

1. The common characteristics

As with substance addictions, three fundamental pillars are present:

• Loss of control: The person is unable to stop or limit the time devoted to the activity, despite wanting to.
• Priority: The behaviour becomes the centre of gravity of the person’s life, pushing basic needs (sleep, food), family, work and leisure into the background.
• Persistence despite consequences: The person continues the activity even though they can see clear harm to their physical or mental health, finances or social relationships.

2. The psychological mechanism: relief before pleasure

While addiction often begins as a search for pleasure or excitement (the « rush »), it ends up becoming a defence mechanism:

• The behaviour is used to regulate a painful emotional state (stress, anxiety, loneliness, inner emptiness, trauma).
• When the activity stops, the person may experience signs of behavioural withdrawal: irritability, intense anxiety, physical tension or nervousness, often referred to as craving.

3. Common examples of behavioural addictions

• Gambling: The most officially recognised form. It relies on the alternation between loss and gain, creating permanent psychological tension.
• Video games: When use becomes excessive and replaces all real social interaction or daily activities.
• Compulsive shopping: The act of buying provides immediate emotional relief, often followed by a feeling of shame or guilt.
• Screen and social media addiction: Linked to the constant search for notifications and social validation (likes, comments), endlessly activating dopamine.
• Exercise addiction: A compulsive need to do sport at a level that becomes harmful to the body or to social balance.
• Sex or pornography addiction: A compulsive recourse to sexual stimuli to manage emotions.

4. Why is it a « real » addiction?

Science has shown that, in behavioural addiction, the brain releases dopamine in a way similar to drug use. With repetition, the brain gets used to the stimulus (the phenomenon of tolerance) and demands ever greater frequency or intensity to obtain the same level of satisfaction or relief.

In summary: Addiction without a substance is a disease of one’s relationship with oneself and with the world. It does not require ingesting a product to alter the brain’s chemical balance, which sometimes makes it harder for those around to identify, as it can seem « trivial » or simply a « bad habit ».