Abstract
Addiction can be briefly defined as the inability to stop using or control a substance or behavior. This concept can be used for many substances such as cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, as well as behavioral addictions such as eating, gaming, sex, gambling, computer and smartphone usage, television watching, internet and social media usage, digital game shopping, etc. Among these addictions, we can collectively consider computer, smartphone, television, internet, social media, and digital game addictions as “technological addictions.” The concept of technology addiction entered our lives after the 2000s, when the internet and technological tools became widespread. In this chapter, the concept of addiction and the causes of addiction are defined in general, followed by the concept of behavioral addiction and its causes. And finally, the concept of technology addiction and its causes are explained with the support of the literature. In addition, the equivalents of these definitions in the relevant diagnostic guidelines and ICD diagnosis codes are mentioned.
TopThe Concept Of Addiction
What is Addiction?
Addiction is briefly defined as the inability to stop or control the use of a substance or behavior. More broadly, addiction is a treatable, chronic medical condition that involves complex interactions between genes, the environment and the individual's life experiences, characterized by continued substance use or compulsive actions despite knowledge of harmful consequences (Rastegar & Fingerhood, 2020). For a long time, addiction was only used to refer to the uncontrollable habit of smoking, drinking alcohol or using other drugs.
More recently, the concept of addiction has expanded to include behaviors such as gambling, as well as ordinary and necessary activities such as exercise, eating, gaming, sex, computers, smartphones, television, internet, social media, digital gaming, shopping, etc. Among these addictions, computer, smartphone, television, internet, social media and digital game addictions can be collectively considered as “technological addictions”. Technology addiction can be defined as increasingly frequent and obsessive technology-related behaviors despite the negative consequences of technology on the user (Sherer & Levounis, 2022).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Tolerance: It is the body's adaptation to the presence of the substance/behavior and the person's taking more and more of the substance or increasing use to produce the same effects.
Withdrawal: The sudden reduction or cessation of use and the appearance of certain physical and psychological symptoms.
Addiction: A treatable, chronic medical condition that involves complex interactions between genes, the environment and the individual's life experiences, characterized by continued substance use or compulsive actions despite knowledge of harmful consequences.
Technology Addiction: Excessive use of technology, insatiable desire to use technology, neglecting one's own needs due to excessive use, disruption of family and social relationships due to excessive use, using technology as a means of escape from negative emotions and stress, trying to give up and reduce use, being tense and anxious when it cannot be used, deceiving others about the duration and amount of use generally define technology addiction.
Behavioral Addictions: Behavior-based addictions that cannot be linked to a physical substance. These include addictions to games, computers, television, gambling, etc. and technological addictions with human-machine interaction.