Dr König explained that unlike substance addictions, such as those involving alcohol or drugs, behavioural addictions—like those related to gambling, media, sex, porn, or shopping—are primarily linked to the brain’s reward system. He emphasised that it’s not the activities themselves that are inherently addictive, but rather that certain risk factors increase the likelihood of addiction when combined.
For example, impulsivity can heighten the risk of addiction, as can high levels of religiosity in the case of porn addiction, perfectionism in work or fitness addiction, and social anxiety in gaming addiction. Dr König also pointed out that immigrants are disproportionately affected by gambling addiction, while people in difficult family situations are more likely to develop a social media addiction. He noted gender differences as well: men are more prone to addictions related to porn, sex, gambling, and gaming, while women are statistically more likely to struggle with shopping or social media addiction.
Dr König cautioned that the term “addiction” is often overused today, stressing the need to distinguish between excessive and problematic behaviour. For instance, a 16-year-old who plays a new game non-stop for several weeks is not necessarily addicted; they may simply be engaging in excessive behaviour. It only becomes problematic when the behaviour leads to a loss of control over one’s life—such as neglecting work, social relationships, or health.
According to Dr König, this loss of control is a key indicator of addiction, though those affected often do not recognise it until it is too late—when they want to cut back on the behaviour but find themselves unable to, and when it starts to have negative consequences, such as accumulating debt or experiencing conflicts at work or with family.
Dr König criticised the absence of precise data on addiction in Luxembourg. However, based on international statistics, he estimates that thousands of individuals in the Grand Duchy may be affected. He provided some figures for context: work and fitness addiction affects approximately 0.3% of people, shopping addiction around 5%, sex and porn addiction between 0.3% and 6%, media addiction (including social media and gaming) about 2%, and gambling addiction between 1% and 2%.
When individuals recognise they have a problem, the first step is typically to assess what they can do themselves to address the issue, Dr König explained. The next step is often therapy, where a therapist assists the patient in understanding the underlying reasons for their addiction, which may be linked to broken relationships or trust issues. In some cases, therapy may involve working with the entire family.
For more information and support, individuals can visit zev.lu (website available in French and German).
