[{"id":543,"title":"Redefining Addiction to Recognize Compulsive Video Gaming as a Disorder","sha":"6b63362a9a3c59a24cd3ab9fdbd6b365","user_id":null,"state":"published","body":"Recognizing compulsive video gaming as a disorder is critical for developing corresponding treatment and prevention programs while reinforcing the various therapeutic, educational, and social benefits associated with gaming. Gaming addiction—like many other compulsive behaviors—is not currently recognized as a disorder, although the APA did include “Internet Gaming Disorder” in the DSM-V as a potential condition. One argument against redefining addiction to include criteria for compulsive behaviors is that it becomes too inclusive; however, this only occurs upon mistakenly conflating behaviors and delivery mechanisms.\r\n\r\nWhereas psychoactive, exogenous substances directly elicit addictive physiological changes, compulsive behaviors indirectly elicit addictive psychological effects through physical changes in endogenous neurochemistry. For example, while smokers addicted to e-cigarettes are actually addicted to nicotine, compulsive gamers find video games differentially addicting because of how they variably affect them psychologically: one player may crave the satisfaction from solving puzzles, another the adrenaline from an intense battle scene, another the feelings of accomplishment and boosts to self-esteem derived from completing a mission, and another the online social interactions that are otherwise lacking from their non-virtual life. Neurochemical imbalances may be both a cause and a consequence of gaming addiction, suggesting that surrogate activities and/or psychoactive substances may prove therapeutic.\r\n","created_at":"2018-12-21T21:39:53.002Z","updated_at":"2019-02-09T13:33:03.801Z","zenodo_id":2548943,"doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2548943","subject":null,"tags":["addiction","video games","compulsive behavior","mental disorders","psychotherapy"],"vote_count":1,"view_count":1,"score":1.1,"deleted":false,"muted":false,"tweeted":false,"attachment_file_name":null,"attachment_content_type":null,"attachment_file_size":null,"attachment_updated_at":null},{"id":1300,"title":"Tracking smartphone screen time during weight-loss trials: an indirect means of exploring semaglutide's efficacy against addiction","sha":"3287afafe63be234ea925429906c8b1b","user_id":null,"state":"published","body":"Screen time has been identified as not just a strong correlate with addiction, but as a predictor and even as an addiction in and of itself. Semaglutide, better known by the brand name Ozempic, is widely used as an anti-obesity drug and it, along with related compounds such as Liraglutide, are also under investigation as potential treatments for addiction. The same neurological reward mechanisms and neurochemical pathways involved in dysregulated eating play a role in numerous addictions, and early indications are that these medications may be effective at curbing cravings for addictive substances much as they curb food cravings. Screen-time, with its close link to addiction and its arguable status as a widespread addiction in itself, would be a simple marker to track during clinical trials of these medications for other purposes, easily and inexpensively added on to existing trial protocols to yield insight into Semaglutide's effects on addiction, procrastination and productivity.","created_at":"2024-07-04T15:18:31.228Z","updated_at":"2024-09-19T02:09:35.744Z","zenodo_id":12660262,"doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12660262","subject":null,"tags":["semaglutide","ozempic","addiction","procrastination"],"vote_count":2,"view_count":1,"score":2.1,"deleted":false,"muted":false,"tweeted":false,"attachment_file_name":null,"attachment_content_type":null,"attachment_file_size":null,"attachment_updated_at":null},{"id":726,"title":"Withdrawal Confounding in Studies of The Pharmacological Management of Substance Use Disorders","sha":"43d5bd3e26e46dcff1c1b9d575762b85","user_id":null,"state":"published","body":"Recently, there has been greater emphasis on the management of “addiction” and substance use disorders with pharmacological treatments. For example, Medication-Assisted Treatments (MAT), such as methadone and buprenorphine for opioid dependence and disulfiram and naltrexone for alcoholism are increasingly utilized by providers. Replacement Therapies (RT) such as heroin for opioid dependence and a variety of patches, lozenges, and gums for nicotine dependence are also common. \r\n\r\nWhen studied in clinical trials MAT and RT are frequently compared with placebo. This is typically a welcome addition to study design. However, researchers need to take extra precautions when using placebo in substance use disorders. Opioids, alcohol, nicotine, and others (e.g. benzodiazepines, barbiturates) can cause intense withdrawal syndromes, that commonly arise upon cessation of use. This may impact the validity of findings (e.g. by breaking patient and/or clinician blinding; increasing the nocebo effect and attrition rates, and affecting patient compliance). \r\n\r\nAn \"active placebo\" should be employed where possible. Additionally, blinding assessment (for patient and clinician) should routinely be done throughout the study. Trialists may also consider comparing the study treatment with itself (at a lower dose) or reintroducing the original drug at a low enough dose to mitigate withdrawal effects, thus (potentially) preserving the blind. Failure to take withdrawal confounding into account, in any serious way, may distort the evidence-base of these drugs for substance use treatment.\r\n","created_at":"2020-04-24T03:07:09.184Z","updated_at":"2020-04-27T06:01:20.207Z","zenodo_id":3767449,"doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3767449","subject":null,"tags":["addiction","substance use disorders","behavioral health","withdrawal","clinical trial design","methodology","confounding"],"vote_count":0,"view_count":1,"score":0.1,"deleted":false,"muted":false,"tweeted":false,"attachment_file_name":null,"attachment_content_type":null,"attachment_file_size":null,"attachment_updated_at":null}]