Internet Gaming Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Addiction

Abstract

To examine the degree of relatedness between Internet gaming disorder (IGD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and substance use disorders. IGD is phenomenologically distinct from OCD, and its relationship with OCD, although apparently strong, is not specific. At a neurobiological level, IGD and OCD appear to differ, but more studies directly comparing the two disorders are needed. IGD was conceptualized as a behavioral addiction, which has been controversial. Limited data on co-occurrence of IGD and substance use disorders do not suggest their strong relationship. However, they are similar in terms of greater sensitivity to reward, impaired executive control, and impaired risky decision-making—features that are also largely shared with impulsivity. IGD appears to be more characterized by impulsivity than compulsivity. If the hallmark of behavioral addictions is the initial impulsivity followed by compulsivity, IGD may be more akin to an impulse-control disorder than a behavioral addiction.