Pathological Gambling, Eating Disorders, and the Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

Both pathological gambling and the eating disorders have been conceptualized as addictive diseases, comparable to alcoholism and other drug dependencies. This paper briefly reviews both pathological gambling and the eating disorders, stressing their epidemiology and their overlap with psychoactive substance use and other psychiatric disorders. Common factors in the natural history and treatment of these disorders are also discussed.