"People often associate addiction with alcohol or drugs, but our findings show that certain behaviors can share many of the same underlying characteristics," says Demetrovics, who directs Flinders' Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing (FIMHWell).

"Addiction is not defined by a substance alone. In some cases, behaviors can become compulsive and difficult to control and can continue despite causing harm."

That last point is the clinical heart of the matter. The pattern can look remarkably similar to traditionally recognized 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 behaviors that begin to affect their well-being.

The recognition problem

There is a practical catch, and it explains why the researchers believe their findings matter for ordinary people, not just clinicians. Gaming, eating, shopping, and work are normal parts of everyday life. That ordinariness can make it harder to identify when a pattern has become unhealthy or difficult to control.

"This is important because many people who experience these problems may not recognize them as potential addictions," Demetrovics explains. "As a result, they may not seek help until the effects on their health, relationships, finances or daily life become severe."

Dr. Andrea Czakó, a senior research fellow in psychology at Flinders, puts it another way: "Many people struggle with behaviors they feel ashamed of, or simply do not recognize as a potential addiction."

Shame, she notes, compounds the recognition problem. People hide what they are doing, or dismiss it as a personal failing, rather than treating it as something that can be addressed.

"Understanding that these difficulties may share common underlying mechanisms can help people seek support earlier and help health professionals respond more effectively," Czakó says.

What follows from the findings

The researchers argue that better recognition of behavioral addictions could reduce stigma, improve access to care, and help people get support before significant harm occurs.

Demetrovics frames the benefit in conversational terms. "When people understand that these behaviors can involve the same loss of control seen in other addictions, it becomes easier to have open conversations and connect people with support," he says.

"By better understanding behavioral 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."

Some caution is warranted

The study is an analysis of existing reviews rather than new clinical trials, so it inherits the limitations of the underlying literature. Similarity between conditions does not prove they are identical, and a high overlap in risk factors does not mean every enthusiastic gamer or overeater has an addiction. Diagnosis still requires a trained clinician to assess whether a behavior has become compulsive and harmful.

Still, the findings add to growing evidence that addiction is not limited to substances and gambling. For individuals and families, the practical takeaway is simple: if a behavior has become hard to control and is causing real damage—to health, relationships, finances, or daily functioning—it may deserve the same serious attention as any other addiction.

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," appears in European Psychiatry (2026), DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2026.12249.