new addictions

It is considered that a person is addicted when he / she presents a disproportionate affinity towards something that causes dependency and that supposes a lack of control over the behavior to which the addiction refers.. Thus we can define an addiction, although each case is different, so it is difficult to generalize.

In addition, there are currently many different types of addictions, although there are some more common than others. In the field of non-toxic addictions we find increasingly numerous addictions, although they remain minority, such as tanorexia (addiction to sunbathing), orthorexia (to eat healthy) and vigorexia (to exercise). But the most common would be gambling addiction, shopping addiction and especially those related to new technologies, such as mobile addiction or Internet addiction.

These technological addictions have suffered a very considerable increase, with the aggravating circumstance that they significantly affect minors, who are increasingly accessing technologies more generally and at an early age.. We refer to cases such as mobile phone addiction , a problem that is usually diagnosed when symptoms appear such as an increase in the bill or a change of attitude that results in not separating from the mobile or be all the time pending from this. If sleep habits are modified, it can also be considered a symptom.. And what is very symptomatic is nervousness and anxiety when the affected person does not have a mobile phone. Likewise, and within this order of symptoms, social and personal activities are avoided.

To combat this type of addiction, it is usually necessary a thorough evaluation of the patient and to be able to rule out the presence of an important psychiatric pathology. A cognitive-behavioral treatment (stimulus control, coping techniques, skill development and relapse prevention) is also useful.. In addition, according to the psychologist, in case of severe symptoms of anxiety or depression, the use of drugs can be beneficial.