When people think about addiction, they usually think about alcohol, drugs or gambling-related problems, but a major international study suggests some everyday behaviours, including excessive gaming, binge eating and compulsive sexual behaviour, can share many of the same characteristics as recognised addictions.
One of the world's most comprehensive reviews of behavioural addictions has found gaming disorder is 98.9% similar to gambling disorder, sharing many of the same risk factors, warning signs and underlying characteristics. Binge eating disorder and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder also showed a high degree of overlap.
Published in European Psychiatr y , the study examined almost 250 systematic reviews and meta-analyses that compare gambling disorder with alcohol use disorder and six behavioural addictions. Researchers found gaming disorder showed the strongest similarity to gambling disorder, followed by compulsive sexual behaviour disorder and binge eating disorder.
The findings add to growing evidence that addiction is not limited to substances and gambling, which may help people recognise when a behaviour has become harmful and seek support earlier.
Behaviours such as gaming, eating, shopping and work are part of everyday life, which can make it harder to identify when patterns become unhealthy or difficult to control.
Expert in addictive behaviours and Matthew Flinders Professor in Mental Health and Wellbeing, Professor Zsolt Demetrovics , says the research highlights a need to look beyond substances when thinking about addiction.
“People often associate addiction with alcohol or drugs, but our findings show that certain behaviours can share many of the same underlying characteristics,” says Professor Demetrovics, from Flinders’ College of Human Sciences and Culture, and Director of the Flinders’ Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing (FIMHWell ).
“Addiction is not defined by a substance alone. In some cases, behaviours can become compulsive, difficult to control and continue despite causing harm.
“This is important because many people who experience these problems may not recognise them as potential addictions. As a result, they may not seek help until the effects on their health, relationships, finances or daily life become severe.”
The researchers used gambling disorder, one of the most extensively studied behavioural addictions, as a benchmark, then compared it with alcohol use disorder and six commonly discussed behavioural addictions. Across 75 factors linked to addiction, including mental health, personality traits, emotional regulation, cognition and brain function, they found striking similarities between many of the conditions.
Flinders' Senior Research Fellow in Psychology Dr Andrea Czakó says the findings have important implications for individuals, families and health professionals.
“Many people struggle with behaviours they feel ashamed of, or simply do not recognise as a potential addiction,” says Dr Czakó.
“Understanding that these difficulties may share common underlying mechanisms can help people seek support earlier and help health professionals respond more effectively.”
The researchers say better recognition of behavioural addictions could reduce stigma, improve access to care and help people get support before significant harm occurs.
The pattern can look remarkably similar to more traditionally recognised addictions – whether it is someone losing sleep and damaging relationships because they cannot stop gaming, repeatedly binge eating despite serious health impacts, spending beyond their means through uncontrollable shopping, or engaging in sexual behaviours that begin to affect their wellbeing.
“When people understand that these behaviours can involve the same loss of control seen in other addictions, it becomes easier to have open conversations and connect people with support,” says Professor Demetrovics.
“By better understanding behavioural addictions, families, health professionals and individuals may be more likely to identify problems earlier, start conversations sooner and access appropriate support before significant harm occurs.”
The paper , ‘ Concordance between gambling disorder, alcohol use disorder, and other behavioural addictions provides evidence for a comprehensive approach to addictive behaviours: A multiple systematic review analysis’ , by Clément Vansteene (Universite Paris Cite, Hopital Sainte-Anne (CMME)), Daphnée Poupon (Hopital Sainte-Anne (CMME), Andrea Czakó (Flinders University), Tamás Kurimay (Semmelweis University), Harshdeep S. Mangat (University of Gibraltar), Ronald K. Ngetich (Aga Khan University, University of Gibraltar) Zsolt Demetrovics (Flinders University) and Philip Gorwood (Universite Paris Cite, Hopital Sainte-Anne (CMME), was published in European Psychiatry . DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2026.12249
European Psychiatry
Systematic review
People
‘Concordance between gambling disorder, alcohol use disorder, and other behavioural addictions provides evidence for a comprehensive approach to addictive behaviours: A multiple systematic review analysis’
12-Aug-2026
PG during the last 5 years: fees for presentations at congresses or participation in scientific boards from Biogen, Janssen, Lundbeck, MindMed, MS Pharma, Newron, Otsuka, Richter, and Viatris. Other authors declare no competing interests.