🪞 9 Questions to Check if a Habit Has Become an Addiction 🔗

When we hear the word “addiction,” we often think of substances. But the truth is, human beings can become addicted to almost anything: sleeping, eating, drinking, exercising, working, saving money, investing, shopping, sex, video games, or even continuously consuming information online.

Behavioral addictions can sneak up on us. What starts as a healthy outlet or a fun hobby can slowly cross the line into a dependency that negatively impacts our lives.

The following nine questions are adapted from clinical criteria used to identify video game addiction, but they can be applied universally to any habit or behavior you are concerned about.

As you read through these, pick a specific behavior you want to evaluate and ask yourself these questions honestly.

📑 Table of Contents 🔗

💭 1. Pre-Occupation 🔗

Is this behavior taking up too much of your mental space?

• Are you constantly thinking about the activity even when you are supposed to be doing something else?
• Do you find yourself obsessively planning the next time you can engage in it?

🌩️ 2. Withdrawal 🔗

How do you feel when you can’t do it?

• Do you feel restless, irritable, moody, angry, anxious, or sad when you attempt to cut down or stop?
• Do these negative feelings surface when external circumstances prevent you from engaging in the behavior?

📈 3. Tolerance 🔗

Are you constantly needing “more”?

• Do you feel a growing need to spend increasing amounts of time, money, or energy on the activity?
• Are you constantly seeking more exciting variations, or needing more powerful inputs just to get the same level of satisfaction or thrill you used to get?

🛑 4. Inability to Reduce or Stop 🔗

Have you lost control over the habit?

• Do you feel deep down that you should cut back, but find yourself completely unable to reduce the time, money, or energy you spend on it?

🏝️ 5. Giving Up Other Activities 🔗

Is it isolating you?

• Have you lost interest in—or actively reduced your participation in—other hobbies, social events, or activities simply because you’d rather be engaging in your habit of choice?

🚨 6. Continuing Despite Problems 🔗

Are you ignoring the red flags?

• Do you continue the behavior even though you are fully aware of its negative consequences? (e.g., losing sleep, being consistently late to school or work, draining your bank account, arguing with loved ones, or neglecting basic duties).

🎭 7. Deception and Covering Up 🔗

Are you hiding it from others?

• Do you lie to family, friends, or colleagues about how much time or money you spend on the activity?
• Do you go out of your way to cover your tracks so loved ones won’t find out the true extent of your habit?

🕳️ 8. Escaping Adverse Moods 🔗

Are you using it to numb out?

• Do you use this behavior primarily as an escape hatch to forget about real-life problems?
• Is it your primary coping mechanism for relieving uncomfortable feelings like guilt, anxiety, helplessness, or depression?

💔 9. Risking Relationships and Opportunities 🔗

Is it actively damaging your future?

• Have you risked or outright lost a significant relationship, job, educational path, or career opportunity because you prioritized this behavior over your real-life responsibilities?

🧭 What to Do Next 🔗

If you answered “yes” to just one or two of these questions, it might simply be a sign to practice a little more mindfulness and moderation around your habit.

However, if you found yourself nodding along and answering “yes” to several of these points, it may be time to take a step back. Acknowledgment is the bravest and most important first step. Consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or a licensed mental health professional. You don’t have to navigate it alone.

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