Behavioural addictions refer to addictions that are specific to certain behaviours or feelings that arise from acting out these behaviours. Criteria for behavioural addictions include continuously failing to resist the impulse to act on the behaviour, increased tension before and feeling a lack of control during the behaviour and sense of relief when engaging in the behaviour.
Problematic Gambling
Gambling is a form of entertainment where betting games or lotteries are played for money or other prizes. Problem gambling occurs when a person reaches a point in gambling where its consequences, whether those be social, financial, or psychological, negatively affect the person and the people around them.
Gambling can be incorporated into various forms of games, including sports betting, lotteries, raffle tickets, bingo, virtual or in-person slot machines, and scratch tickets. Some of the most common gambling activities among youth and young adults include online and sports gambling, scratch tickets, and playing the lottery. People younger than 25 have a higher rate of problem gambling compared to those who are older.
People can show many different signs of problem gambling. In extreme situations, it can lead to bankruptcy, legal issues, job loss, truancy and dropping out, and suicide. Other signs that precede these outcomes typically include:
- Gambling increasingly larger amounts and spending more and more time gambling
- Stopping doing things they previously enjoyed
- Prioritizing gambling over other social life, family, school, work, and self-care
- Changing patterns of sleep, eating or sex
- Having conflicts with other people over money
- Using alcohol or other drugs more often
- Gambling regardless of negative consequences
- Decreased mood and irritable behaviour when trying to stop
- Constantly thinking about gambling
Problematic Internet Use (Gaming, Social Media)
Technology use (or internet use) is now widespread and is increasingly introduced to children at progressively younger ages. Nearly 36% Ontario youth in grades 7-12 use their cell phone for more than 5 hours every day and close to 20% have symptoms in line with moderate-to-serious problem technology use. The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the rise of technology use among post-secondary students, and thereby increasing problematic use.
Prevalence of problematic cell phone and internet use in post-secondary students vary but compulsive use has showed to be associated with depression, anxiety, poor sleep quality, pain and strains in the body, and impacting academic. Problematic internet use can vary depending on the activities students partake, but have been greatly associated with general browsing, gaming, social media, online shopping, and pornography.
Risk factors among young people are as follows:
- Increased time spent online
- Life stress
- Loneliness
- Impulsivity
- Depression
- ADHD
- Alcohol and substance use
Problematic Porn Use
Problematic Pornography Use (PPU), compulsive pornography use, or porn addiction occurs when there is persistent, repetitive, and uncontrollable use of pornography that brings about dysfunction and distress in daily life. The distress is not about the morality of pornography (whether it is good or bad to consume porn) but more about the inability to control the frequency despite its impact on the individual.
Impact on Students
Some negative impacts of PPU noted in literature are:
- Negative social, financial, and academic consequences due to prioritization of porn
- Sexual dysfunction (lack of arousal or longer time to reach arousal)
- Relationship issues such as partners feeling neglected or distrusting, skewed expectations regarding relationships or anxiety within the relationship
- High risk-taking behaviors (substance use, gambling, etc.)
- Negative mental health outcomes (low self-esteem, anxiety, depression)
Signs of Potential PPU
- Efforts to limit use of porn is challenging or unsuccessful, may even experience a sense of withdrawal
- Time spent on using or thinking about porn increases
- Porn is prioritized over other life activities
- Lack of control in consuming pornography
- Loneliness, often a sense of distance between your partner or others who care about you
- Dissatisfaction with your own sex life or unable to perform in real life
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