Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAddictive PersonalityTraitsRecognizing AddictionDiagnosing AddictionGetting Help
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Addictive Personality
Traits
Recognizing Addiction
Diagnosing Addiction
Getting Help
No single personality type makes someone more prone to addiction; however, many factors tend to lead to addictive behavior.It’s essential to examine the behaviors that qualify as addiction and how these are—and are not—related to certain personality traits.
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Addictive Personality Explained
While certain personality traits may make someone more prone to developing addictions, the term “addictive personality” is a misnomer. There isn’t one specific personality type susceptible to developing an addiction.
However, “addictive personality” as a label can encompass several often-related concepts and terms, including:
What Can You Be Addicted To?When most people think of addiction, they tend to think of dependency on alcohol ordrugs. But alongside substance addictions there are also behavioral addictions, including:ExerciseGamblingInternet usePlaying video gamesSexShoppingWork
What Can You Be Addicted To?
When most people think of addiction, they tend to think of dependency on alcohol ordrugs. But alongside substance addictions there are also behavioral addictions, including:ExerciseGamblingInternet usePlaying video gamesSexShoppingWork
When most people think of addiction, they tend to think of dependency on alcohol ordrugs. But alongside substance addictions there are also behavioral addictions, including:
Traits of So-Called Addictive Personality
Even though addictive personality isn’t a formal diagnosis—and there are no set symptoms or signs—several traits are typically associated with it. These include:
Risk Factors for Addiction
While there’s no such thing as having an addictive personality, addiction is a well-established concept.
According to the DSM-5, addictions can be subdivided into those involving other substances and those linked to behaviors.
Several important factors include:
Is There an Addictive Personality Test?
Since addictive personality isn’t clinically recognized, no specific diagnostic test exists. However, healthcare providers do have means of diagnosing and detecting both behavioral and substance-based addictions.
Healthcare providers diagnose substance-based addictions based on use activity and behavioral criteria outlined in the DSM-5.
Similarly, behavior-based addictions are determined based on dependency on specific behaviors and their impacts on someone’s life.
Getting Help for Addiction
Addiction can be a difficult and destructive disease, but it is treatable. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach; every person is different.
If you or a loved one has an addiction, research has shown that targeted addiction treatment combined with individualized or group behavioral therapies can be very effective.
Remember that, like developing an addiction, recovery is a process rather than an event. Relapses are common, and they should not be viewed as failures.
Treatment and Support
If you are struggling with addiction, here’s what you can do:
Helping a Loved One With Addiction
A family member or loved one with addiction may not recognize the issue, or may decide they don’t need help.Supporting someone in recovery can be challenging because addiction is a complex brain disorder.
To support someone in recovery, keep the following in mind:
Summary
Several factors raise your risk of developing addiction, including genetics, childhood trauma, and having a mental health condition. Though addictions are challenging, medical treatments and therapies can help.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Roberts DL.The addictive personality: Myth or cornerstone of prevention and treatment? In:Psychological Applications and Trends.2019:328-331. doi:10.36315/2019inpact085Zilberman N, Yadid G, Efrati Y, Neumark Y, Rassovsky Y.Personality profiles of substance and behavioral addictions.Addictive Behaviors. 2018;82:174-181. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.007American Psychological Association.Substance use, abuse, and addiction.American Psychiatric Association.What is a substance use disorder?Grant JE, Chamberlain SR.Expanding the definition of addiction: DSM-5 vs. ICD-11.CNS Spectr. 2016;21(4):300-303. doi:10.1017/S1092852916000183Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.Petry NM, Zajac K, Ginley MK.Behavioral addictions as mental disorders: to be or not to be?.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2018;14(1):399-423. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045120National Institute on Drug Abuse.Can addiction be treated successfully?Psychology Today.How to help someone who is addicted.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Roberts DL.The addictive personality: Myth or cornerstone of prevention and treatment? In:Psychological Applications and Trends.2019:328-331. doi:10.36315/2019inpact085Zilberman N, Yadid G, Efrati Y, Neumark Y, Rassovsky Y.Personality profiles of substance and behavioral addictions.Addictive Behaviors. 2018;82:174-181. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.007American Psychological Association.Substance use, abuse, and addiction.American Psychiatric Association.What is a substance use disorder?Grant JE, Chamberlain SR.Expanding the definition of addiction: DSM-5 vs. ICD-11.CNS Spectr. 2016;21(4):300-303. doi:10.1017/S1092852916000183Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.Petry NM, Zajac K, Ginley MK.Behavioral addictions as mental disorders: to be or not to be?.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2018;14(1):399-423. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045120National Institute on Drug Abuse.Can addiction be treated successfully?Psychology Today.How to help someone who is addicted.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Roberts DL.The addictive personality: Myth or cornerstone of prevention and treatment? In:Psychological Applications and Trends.2019:328-331. doi:10.36315/2019inpact085Zilberman N, Yadid G, Efrati Y, Neumark Y, Rassovsky Y.Personality profiles of substance and behavioral addictions.Addictive Behaviors. 2018;82:174-181. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.007American Psychological Association.Substance use, abuse, and addiction.American Psychiatric Association.What is a substance use disorder?Grant JE, Chamberlain SR.Expanding the definition of addiction: DSM-5 vs. ICD-11.CNS Spectr. 2016;21(4):300-303. doi:10.1017/S1092852916000183Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.Petry NM, Zajac K, Ginley MK.Behavioral addictions as mental disorders: to be or not to be?.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2018;14(1):399-423. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045120National Institute on Drug Abuse.Can addiction be treated successfully?Psychology Today.How to help someone who is addicted.
Roberts DL.The addictive personality: Myth or cornerstone of prevention and treatment? In:Psychological Applications and Trends.2019:328-331. doi:10.36315/2019inpact085
Zilberman N, Yadid G, Efrati Y, Neumark Y, Rassovsky Y.Personality profiles of substance and behavioral addictions.Addictive Behaviors. 2018;82:174-181. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.007
American Psychological Association.Substance use, abuse, and addiction.
American Psychiatric Association.What is a substance use disorder?
Grant JE, Chamberlain SR.Expanding the definition of addiction: DSM-5 vs. ICD-11.CNS Spectr. 2016;21(4):300-303. doi:10.1017/S1092852916000183
Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.
Petry NM, Zajac K, Ginley MK.Behavioral addictions as mental disorders: to be or not to be?.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2018;14(1):399-423. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045120
National Institute on Drug Abuse.Can addiction be treated successfully?
Psychology Today.How to help someone who is addicted.
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