Behavioral Addiction Treatment
- Gambling, gaming, shopping and sex addiction, treated alongside substance use
- The same compulsive, reward-driven patterns, worked on with the same tools
- Both at once, rather than as separate problems competing for attention
- Call and ask, even if the behaviour is the only thing in the picture
Clinically reviewed by
David Jaskowiak, LPC-S, Clinical Director
Last reviewed August 2026
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Free & confidential • No obligation • Usually answered within minutes
How We Treat Behavioral Addictions
There's no physical withdrawal or medical detox phase for a behavioral addiction, no substance is leaving your system. Instead, treatment focuses on identifying triggers, interrupting compulsive patterns, and building the same coping skills used in substance use treatment: CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, and relapse prevention.
In practice, behavioral addictions rarely show up alone, they're most often addressed as part of dual diagnosis care alongside a primary substance use disorder, integrated into your residential or outpatient treatment plan rather than treated as a separate track.
Behavioral Addictions We Address
- Gambling disorder
- Gaming disorder
- Compulsive shopping / spending
- Sex and pornography addiction
Gambling disorder and gaming disorder are both recognized clinical diagnoses (DSM-5 and ICD-11 respectively). Research suggests problem shopping and problem gaming each affect a meaningful minority of the population, though prevalence estimates vary by study.
Common questions
Questions people ask about behavioral addiction treatment
Anything not answered here, ask on the call. There is no obligation.
(866) 461-3339- What counts as a behavioral addiction?
- Behavioral (or "process") addictions involve compulsive engagement in an activity, gambling, gaming, shopping, or sex, despite negative consequences, driven by the same reward-pathway mechanisms as substance addiction. Gambling disorder and gaming disorder are both recognized clinical diagnoses; research suggests problem shopping and problem gaming each affect a meaningful minority of the population, though estimates vary by study and definition.
- Is there a "detox" for behavioral addictions?
- No. Behavioral addictions don't involve physical withdrawal the way substances do, so there's no medical detox phase. Treatment centers on therapy: identifying triggers, restructuring compulsive patterns, and treating any co-occurring substance use or mental health condition at the same time, since they frequently overlap.
- Do you treat behavioral addictions on their own, or only alongside substance use?
- Behavioral addictions are most often addressed as part of dual diagnosis care alongside a primary substance use disorder, using the same evidence-based therapies, CBT, DBT, and relapse prevention, rather than as a completely separate standalone track. If a behavioral addiction is your main concern without a co-occurring substance use disorder, call our admissions team to discuss the right level of care.
- Does insurance cover treatment for behavioral addictions?
- Coverage depends on your plan and whether the behavioral addiction is being treated alongside a covered substance use or mental health diagnosis. Our admissions team verifies your specific benefits before admission.
You are allowed to ask
If you are calling for someone else
Most people who call us are calling about someone they love. You can ask about the options and check their insurance on their behalf, and it stays a conversation until you decide otherwise.
Related reading
Addiction treatment
What we treat, and what happens at each stage.
Read the guide →Dual diagnosis
Anxiety, depression and trauma treated alongside compulsive behaviour.
Read the guide →Therapies we use
CBT, DBT and the rest, and where each one fits.
Read the guide →Help for families
Written for the person calling about somebody else.
Read the guide →Insurance
We accept most major insurance plans.
And most PPO plans. Coverage varies by plan and by facility, so if your carrier is not shown, ask rather than assume.
- Free, and there is no obligation at the end of it
- Usually answered within minutes during the day
- You can check on behalf of someone else
- Admissions answers the phone 24 hours a day
- No insurance? Ask about private pay options. Nobody is turned away without knowing their next step.
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100% confidential · No commitment required
Still have questions? Call us.
Admissions will look at the whole picture, the substance use and the behavioural patterns together, and recommend where to start. If the behaviour is the only thing in the picture, call anyway and we will point you to the right kind of provider.
Confidential. No obligation. Someone answers, 24 hours a day.
