Addiction

A new study highlights the distinct emotional triggers behind behavioral addictions. Researchers found that while compulsive gambling is largely driven by the thrill of positive excitement, compulsive video gaming serves primarily as a way to manage distress.

While physical fitness is vital for health, it can sometimes cross the line into a harmful behavioral addiction. However, a new scientific review warns against over-pathologizing athletes, noting that true exercise addiction is often misunderstood and overstated.

Rats exposed to the psychoactive component of cannabis before birth display differing teenage binge drinking habits based on their biological sex. Females consistently drank more alcohol, while males initially avoided it before rapidly escalating their consumption.

A new study highlights the role emotional awareness plays in our sex lives. Researchers found that people with high sex drives who struggle to understand emotions are significantly more likely to engage in hypersexual behavior.

Adults who gamble and buy randomized digital items in video games report much higher rates of severe betting problems. New research suggests the financial risks of virtual loot boxes mirror traditional casino games.

People who constantly worry about achieving happiness are more likely to use cannabis frequently and struggle to quit, according to new research. The same study explores how underlying bipolar risk relates to daily marijuana interference.

A new genetic study reveals that youth with a higher inherited risk for cannabis addiction show altered frontal brain structure. The variations appear even in teenagers who have never used marijuana, offering new insights into adolescent brain development.

A new study suggests that cosmetic procedures can become an addiction for some women. Researchers found that low body esteem and problematic social media use are strongly linked to this rising behavioral issue.

A recent study suggests that a high sex drive and a tendency for spontaneous mind-wandering are the main drivers of unexpected sexual thoughts. Surprisingly, frequent pornography use does not appear to directly trigger these unprompted ideas.

A novel vaccine candidate could offer broad protection against fentanyl and its many illicit variants. By training the immune system to recognize a shared molecular signature, the breakthrough approach outpaces the rapid development of synthetic designer opioids.

A new longitudinal study reveals that adults who frequently view pornography tend to experience more depressive symptoms. This consistent link remains stable over time and exists independently of a person's age, gender, or personal moral beliefs.

A new study of adolescents reveals that total video game playtime is associated with certain cognitive benefits, while signs of gaming addiction are linked to lower mental performance. The specific games teenagers play also make a difference.

A single dose of psilocybin reduces the drive to seek out rewards by increasing the activity of inhibitory brain cells. These findings help explain how psychedelics might induce long-lasting changes in brain circuits to treat substance use disorders.

A new study finds that children who start drinking alcohol before age 15 show distinct whole-brain network patterns years earlier. These brain features could serve as early markers for adolescent alcohol use vulnerability.

A new study highlights how age and specific environments relate to drinking habits. Adapting to social norms is associated with higher alcohol use in youth, but linked to lower consumption among older adults in certain settings.