Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

Addiction in the Digital Age: Emerging Challenges in Neuropsychiatry

Behavioral addictions encompass a range of compulsive behaviors that, similar to substance use disorders, are characterized by neurobiological and psychological mechanisms. Despite the many positive effects of the rise of digitalization, problematic internet use, smartphone, video game, and social media addictions have been observed to increase steadily. In addition, gambling, exercise, shopping, eating, pornography, and sexual behavior addictions represent other significant types of behavioral addictions. The World Health Organization has emphasized that such addictions may affect a substantial proportion of the global population. Although each type of behavioral addiction exhibits unique features, they share common core characteristics, including emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, compulsivity, and disruptions in biological, psychological, social, and spiritual functioning. Addictions emerge from individuals’ pathological pursuit of reward and/or relief. Rewarding stimuli exert their effects through positive reinforcement mechanisms, while genetic variations related to the dopaminergic system, GABA, and other neurotransmitters shape behavioral outcomes. Understanding this multifaceted phenomenon requires an interdisciplinary approach encompassing neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences. Examining the prevalence of behavioral addictions, their associated components, and the underlying neuropsychiatric mechanisms through international research is expected to contribute significantly to a better understanding and prevention of addictions.

Global research reveals a significant increase in the prevalence of behavioral addictions. Technological advancements in the digital age put young people, the future of our world, at risk for various behavioral addictions, particularly technology addictions. These addictions, due to their increasing prevalence and their negative impact on individuals and society, are becoming a serious public health problem. In addition to exhibiting similar mechanisms of action to substance use disorders, such as dysregulated reward processing and impulsivity, they also increase mental health problems and lead to significant reductions in overall well-being and quality of life. The fact that they particularly affect younger generations and the ever-increasing rate of addiction highlights the urgent need for clinicians to address this issue. Therefore, addressing the prevalence of behavioral addictions, their associated factors, the neuropsychiatric mechanisms that contribute to them, and effective prevention and intervention are crucial to reducing their individual and societal burden and promoting healthier behavioral patterns.

With the rapid rise of digitalization, problematic internet use, smartphone, and social media addictions have steadily increased. Additionally, gambling, excessive exercise, shopping, eating, sexual behavior addictions represent other significant forms of behavioral addiction that may affect a substantial proportion of the global population, as highlighted by the World Health Organization. Despite their diversity, these conditions share core features such as emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, compulsivity, and impairments in biological, psychological, social, and spiritual functioning. Behavioral addictions stem from the pathological pursuit of reward and/or relief, often linked to dopaminergic pathways, GABAergic activity, and genetic variations influencing neurotransmission. Understanding this multifaceted phenomenon requires an interdisciplinary approach involving neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, and social sciences. This Article Collection welcomes original research, systematic reviews, expert opinions, and extended reports that investigate the prevalence, underlying mechanisms, and related components of behavioral addictions through an international lens.

Dr. Zeynep Öztürk is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatric Nursing at Erzurum Technical University's Faculty of Health Sciences. She focuses on psychiatric nursing, mental health, addictions, resilience, spirituality in health, and elder care. She has published extensively in leading international journals in her field. She has authored over 20 publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. Dr. Öztürk also serves as a reviewer for several international journals and has led multiple clinical research projects.

Dr. Abdelaziz Said Hendy is an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. He specializes in neonatal and pediatric nursing, nursing education, and public health. He serves as Academic Editor at PLOS ONE, Associate Editor at SAGE Open Nursing, and Editorial Board Member at BMC Nursing. With more than 50 publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, including contributions to The Lancet, his research focuses on advancing evidence-based neonatal and pediatric care. He is also an active reviewer for leading international journals and a member of the Scientific Council for the Neonatal Nursing Fellowship.

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