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[Alternating addictions: apropos of 3 cases]
F J Baylé1, J M Chignon, J Adès
1Service Hospitalo-Univesitaire de Santé mentale et de Thérapeutique, Centre hospitalier spécialisé Sainte-Anne, Université Paris V.
L'Encephale
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Behavioral addictions, such as kleptomania and bulimia, may act as an antidepressant, offering relief from depressive symptoms. These addictive states can appear alternately, suggesting shared underlying mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Addiction is a controversial psychiatric concept encompassing disorders like alcoholism, drug addiction, bulimia, kleptomania, and pathological gambling.
- Comorbidity rates are high among these addictive states, with polyaddiction being common, where individuals experience multiple addictions over time, though not concurrently.
Observation:
- Three patients presented with alternating addictive states, including compulsive spending, kleptomania, bulimia, and sexual compulsion.
- Common clinical features included recurrent mood disorders, preceding depression, and absence of psychoactive substance use disorders.
Findings:
- Depressive state severity inversely correlated with addiction severity, suggesting an antidepressant effect of behavioral addictions.
- The alternate occurrence of addictive states implies potential shared psychopathological and/or biological mechanisms.
Implications:
- These observations support the validity of the addiction concept and highlight the potential antidepressant role of behavioral addictions.
- Further research into common mechanisms underlying behavioral addictions and mood disorders is warranted.