The difference between substance addiction and process addiction

The difference between substance addiction and process addiction

New Section

This section discusses the difference between substance addiction and behavioral addiction, focusing on the release of dopamine and opiates in the brain's reward center.

Substance Addiction

  • In substance addiction, a person ingests a substance that directly causes the release of dopamine and opiates in the brain's reward center.
  • Examples of substances that can lead to addiction include alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, illicit drugs, and prescription drugs.

Behavioral Addiction

  • Behavioral addictions involve the release of dopamine and endogenous opiates in the reward circuitry when a person engages in certain behaviors.
  • Examples of behavioral addictions include pathological gambling, sex addiction, work addiction (which is often dismissed by professionals), exercise addiction, and eating disorders.

New Section

This section focuses on eating behaviors and rituals around binge eating as an example of a behavioral addiction.

Eating Behaviors

  • Eating behaviors can become addictive when they involve rituals around binge eating.
  • These behaviors can trigger the release of dopamine and endogenous opiates in the brain's reward circuitry.

The transcript provided does not contain timestamps for all sections.

Video description

Dr. Kimberly Dennis, MD, Medical Director, CEO and Co-founder at SunCloud Health discusses the difference between substance addiction and process addiction. Learn more about how we treat addiction at https://suncloudhealth.com/treatment/substance-abuse. Call us today at (877) 280-1187 to speak with an admissions specialist.

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