Addictive Screen Use
Addictive screen use is when someone is addicted to a screen activity or activities. Gaming, social media, pornography, gambling, shopping, or virtual reality all can be addicting activities.
Addiction to a screen activity is called a behavior addiction. The following definition of addiction was adopted by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Board of Directors September 15, 2019.
“Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.
Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.”
Cue reactivity is connected with addiction. Cue reactivity means the level of arousal experienced from an activity. The higher the arousal an activity gives us the more likely we are to become addicted to that activity.
Internet Gaming Disorder is a behavior addiction listed in the DSM-V under “Conditions for Further Study.” The DSM recognizes the addictive qualities of gaming. At least five of following symptoms must be present for 12-months.
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Preoccupation with gaming
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Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability)
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Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge
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Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming
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Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming
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Continuing to game despite problems
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Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming
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The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness
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Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming
Struggling with a gaming addiction? Check out these resources to help.
Gaming Disorder was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 and is characterized by the following.
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Impaired control over gaming
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Increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities
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Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences
“For gaming disorder to be diagnosed, the behavior pattern must be of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months.” – WHO
Social media addiction does not exist in any formal diagnostic manual.
However, many can struggle with addiction-like symptoms using social media.
Addictive social media use can look like all or most of the following.
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Preoccupied by social media
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Become upset, irritable, and/or anxious when can not use social media
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Spending more and more time on social media
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Tried to stop or cut back on social media use but can not
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Would rather use social media than do other activities previously enjoyed
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Continue to use social media even when you know it's causing issues
- Lies to others about social media use
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Use social media to escape a negative situation or relationship
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Grades or work performance jeopardized due to social media use
Similar to social media, there is no diagnosis for pornography addiction.
Addictive pornography use can be viewed in a similar light to addictive gaming and social media use.
By supplementing pornography with social media use, do you meet the majority of those symptoms?
Struggling with porn addiction? Find support from these resources.
