ABSTRACT
Many disorders fall under the headings of addiction, impulse control, and compulsion. Th e list is extensive and ever shift ing, but includes multiple substance abuse problems, sexual excesses, and numerous excesses of other behaviors, such as intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania, trichotillomania, onychophagia, psychogenic excoriation, pyromania, compulsive shopping, pathological gambling, internet gaming, and binge watching (TV shows). In line with our natural tendency to categorize, diagnostic systems have established divisions into various addictions, impulse control disorders, and compulsions (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; First et al, 2002; World Health Organization, 1992). Despite how appealing such a scheme sounds, it is plagued by weaknesses taking the form of conceptual-practical overlap and common mechanisms, requiring an entirely diff erent way of formulating these conditions.
