Is Smartphone Addiction in the Younger Population a Public Health Problem?

Problematic smartphone use and or addiction is defined as a form of behaviour characterized by the compulsive use of a smartphone that results in various forms of physical, psychological, or social harm. Global popularity in the area of the use of smartphones has raised concerns about the negative effects associated with problematic smartphone use, especially in the younger population. Having no consensual definition of smartphone addiction (SA), this behavioural addiction is based on the classic addiction symptomology that was included in DSM-5 criteria for compulsive gambling and substance abuse (APA 2013) This article provides a review of current research related to SA. Articles were found in the PUBMED database using related key words. Statistics confirm the exponential rise of this problem globally, especially in children and adolescents. Therefore, one must make this a high priority among public health issues.

Netflix Addiction- A Life Hacker: Short Communication

Internet addiction is a behavioural addiction, similar to compulsive gambling, that can lead to behaviours similar to those seen in drug abuse disorders, such as bingeing. If we are not careful, internet and Netflix addiction might have a negative impact on our mental and physical health. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness can all be exacerbated by binge-watching. Any addiction requires the development of self-control and lifestyle changes that may provide a significant amount of diversion. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru has received the country's first case of Netflix addiction. Researchers have discovered instances when people's addiction has affected their interpersonal connections and caused them to lose productivity at work. The possibility of including Internet Addiction Illness as a diagnosable condition in the clinical setting has been investigated. Meditation and other alternative activities, such as sports or nature walks, should be encouraged; finding a good balance is essential for overall wellness. There hasn't been a lot of research on how binge-watching affects mental health because it's a relatively new phenomena that's only been around for around five years. Keywords: Internet addiction, Binge-Watching, Anxiety, Depression, and Loneliness.

Distinct motivations to seek out information in healthy individuals and problem gamblers

As massive amounts of information are becoming available to people, understanding the mechanisms underlying information-seeking is more pertinent today than ever. In this study, we investigate the underlying motivations to seek out information in healthy and addicted individuals. We developed a novel decision-making task and a novel computational model which allows dissociating the relative contribution of two motivating factors to seek out information: a desire for novelty and a general desire for knowledge. To investigate whether/how the motivations to seek out information vary between healthy and addicted individuals, in addition to healthy controls we included a sample of individuals with gambling disorder—a form of addiction without the confound of substance consumption and characterized by compulsive gambling. Our results indicate that healthy subjects and problem gamblers adopt distinct information-seeking “modes”. Healthy information-seeking behavior was mostly motivated by a desire for novelty. Problem gamblers, on the contrary, displayed reduced novelty-seeking and an increased desire for accumulating knowledge compared to healthy controls. Our findings not only shed new light on the motivations driving healthy and addicted individuals to seek out information, but they also have important implications for the treatment and diagnosis of behavioral addiction.

Estructura del Test de Dependencia a los Videojuegos, relación con el juego, diferencias sexuales y tipologías de dependencia al juego en una muestra colombiana

Structure of the Video Game Dependence Test, relationship with playing, sex differences and typology of gambling dependence in a Colombian sampleAbstract: The objective of this study was to analyze the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Video Game Dependence Test (TDV; Cholíz & Marco, 2011) in a Colombian sample, its ability to predict weekly game time, as well as differences by sex. The TDV was completed by a sample of 738 participants aged from 16 to 38 years. The factorial structure of the TDV was composed of these factors: impulsive gambling, compulsive gambling, and associated problems, constituting excellent predictors of weekly gambling time. Finally, we found 4 types of Video Game Dependence (DV): occasional gamer without DV, Gamer with DV awareness, Problematic gamer without DV awareness, and Frequent gamer without DV, 2 of which have a problematic relationship with video games.Keywords: Problematic gambling; dependence on videogames; psychological addiction; gamers; play frequency.Resumen: El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar la estructura factorial y las propiedades psicométricas del Test de Dependencia de Videojuegos (TDV; Cholíz y Marco, 2011) con población colombiana, su capacidad para predecir el tiempo de juego semanal, así como las diferencias en función del sexo. El TDV fue cumplimentado por una muestra de 738 participantes, con edades entre los 16 y los 38 años. La estructura factorial de la TDV estaba compuesta por los siguientes factores: juego impulsivo, juego compulsivo y percepción de problemas asociados, los cuales fueron excelentes predictores del tiempo de juego semanal. Finalmente, encontramos 4 tipos de dependencia a los videojuegos (DV): jugador ocasional sin DV, jugador con conciencia de DV, jugador problemático sin conciencia de DV y jugador frecuente sin DV, de los cuales 2 de ellos tienen una relación problemática con los videojuegos.Palabras clave: Juego problemático; dependencia a los videojuegos; adicción psicológica; video jugadores; frecuencia de juego.

Pharmacological evidence of a cholinergic contribution to elevated impulsivity and risky decision-making caused by adding win-paired cues to a rat gambling task

Background: Pairing rewards with sensory stimulation, in the form of auditory and visual cues, increases risky decision-making in both rats and humans. Understanding the neurobiological basis of this effect could help explain why electronic gambling machines are so addictive, and inform treatment development for compulsive gambling and gaming. Numerous studies implicate the dopamine system in mediating the motivational influence of reward-paired cues; recent data suggest the cholinergic system also plays a critical role. Previous work also indicates that cholinergic drugs alter decision-making under uncertainty. Aims: We investigated whether the addition of reward-concurrent cues to the rat gambling task (crGT) altered the effects of peripherally administered cholinergic compounds. Methods: Muscarinic and nicotinic agonists and antagonists were administered to 16 male, Long–Evans rats trained on the crGT. Measures of optimal/risky decision-making and motor impulsivity were the main dependent variables of interest. Results: The muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine improved decision-making overall, decreasing selection of one of the risky options while increasing choice of the more advantageous options. The muscarinic agonist oxotremorine increased choice latency but did not significantly affect option preference. Neither the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine nor the agonist nicotine affected choice patterns, but mecamylamine decreased premature responding, an index of motor impulsivity. Conclusions: These results contrast sharply from those obtained previously using the uncued rGT, and suggest that the deleterious effects of win-paired cues on decision-making and impulse control may result from elevated cholinergic tone.

IBM dip: Modulo breve di intervento riabilitativo orientato alla Mindfulness per utenti polidipendenti stabilizzati in regime ambulatoriale

The presented paper proposes a short module for small groups of polydependent patients in the phase of stabilization in an outpatient regime with use of mindfulness techniques. By the HANDS Associations (agreement with Healthcare Company of Bolzano) 35 patients were studied, divided into 6 different groups, during 2017 and 2018 years. The module named IBM dip. was proposed to patients with alcohol dependence associated or not, with compulsive gambling or drug addiction, and was structured in 6 consecutive weekly sessions lasting 90 minutes, conducted by a psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher. The respons in terms of partecipation was good, and important indications emerged, connected to the developement of qualityes such as awarness and motivation to change, important elements in a rehabilitation path from addictions. The short intervention is indicated for patients in the outpatient phase and dose not replace the consolidated MBRP method, more suitable for residential periods.

Gambling addiction

Addictive behavioural problems bear resemblance to alcohol and substance misuse, although no drug is consumed. Compulsive gambling can leave an individual and their friends and family in serious debt, along with significant detriment to their health and emotional wellbeing, and there is an increased risk of suicide. Gambling problems are more common in younger adult males and those with insecure finances and employment. It is also associated with violence and recognising it can lead to improved treatment and support for those affected.

Predicting Human Behavior

Countless highly accurate predictions can be made from trace data, with varying degrees of personal or societal consequence (e.g., search engines predict hospital admission, gamingcompanies can predict compulsive gambling problems, government agencies predict criminal activity). Predicting human behavior can be both hugely beneficial and deeply problematic depending on the context. What kinds of predictive privacy harms are emerging? And what are the implications for systems of oversight and due process protections? For example, what are the implications for employment, health care and policing when predictive models are involved? How should varied organizations address what they can predict?