Understanding Behavioral Addictions

For the majority of time that addiction treatment has been available in the United States, the focus has been on the destructive misuse of alcohol and/or other chemical substances. However, “behavioral addictions” such as gambling, compulsive sexual behavior, and an increasing variety of internet-related pursuits have gained increasing amounts of attention, as unchecked involvement has led to negative outcomes that have impaired quality-of-life and level-of-functioning for many. This module defines a useful working definition of behavioral or process addiction, and addresses various treatment approaches that have been shown to be effective.

Please note that this course is comprised of the content from Module 9 of the newly revised Addictions Certificate Program, Track 1.