Addiction


Is self-harm addictive?

Self-harm is a serious and prolific issue today — especially among young people. Self-harm is not uncommon. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, it is estimated that up to 16.9% of people will self-harm in their lifetime, often starting at the age of…

Your device addiction is negatively affecting your children: Behavioral problems, language impairment, and more

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” When it comes to device addiction, this may very well be the case. As society becomes more dependent on smartphones and as we are bombarded with new apps on a daily basis, a large percentage of the population has become chained to devices….

Internet addiction: Definition, symptoms, causes, treatment, and more

Binge-watching Netflix; getting sucked into a YouTube channel about cats or cars; scrolling through Instagram and Facebook; shopping online; engaging in a heated discussion on Reddit; playing Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Fortnite; reading the news; taking personality quizzes; gambling; googling your symptoms; swiping left and right on dating apps. What…

Video gaming promotes frontal lobe cortex development in children—but what happens when it becomes an addiction?

Since the 1970s, video games have captivated imaginative minds across the world. While they were once viewed as a new fad for younger generations to enjoy, the scientific community has begun to accept the numerous cognitive benefits that playing video games can provide to both children and adults. Today, video…

Substance use disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder often coincide: Understand the relationship and get the right treatment

According to the National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health, 9.2 million adults in the United States struggled with substance use disorder and another mental illness (such as an anxiety or mood disorder) in 2018. These statistics show that substance use disorder and other forms of mental illness tend to…

Recovering sex addicts struggle to know what healthy sexuality feels like: Here are 6 characteristics of a healthy sexual relationship

Sex addiction is characterized by a compulsive need to engage in sexual acts. Symptoms include obsessive sexual thoughts, preoccupation with having sex—even when it interferes with day to day responsibilities—and an inability to control their sexual behavior. Fortunately, over time, sex addicts can recover and heal from their addiction. This…

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