Advances in eating disorders

Eating disorders (EDs) are a group of mental disorders characterized by an altered food intake and the presence of inappropriate behaviors for the control of body weight, framed as an excessive concern regarding one's weight and figure [...]

COVID-19 and behavioral addictions: worrying consequences?

On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The health measures implemented by the governments of all countries were strict, to prevent the virus from spreading out of control. The results of these measures and the situation resulting from the health crisis had an impact not only on the physical health of individuals, but also on their habits, mental health (Constanza et al., 2020; Baenas et al., 2020) and cognitive impairment (Montejo et al., 2021) Moreover, the impact of stress, isolation, boredom and lack of activity and stimuli on substance use, as well as on other addictive behaviors, such as gambling, video games or pornography viewing is widely known (Király et al., 2020). In addition, for many people, these restrictions meant a reduction in their economic income, loss of employment, and significant concern as well as uncertainties for their families' jobs and financial future. This situation raised alarms from governments, especially in relation to gambling activity (Gainsbury et al., 2021)

Editorial : Neurological, psychological and endocrine markers of eating disorders and obesity

Altres ajuts: Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (2019I47 and 2021I031

Gambling-Like Day Trading During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Need for Research on a Pandemic-Related Risk of Indebtedness and Mental Health Impact

Stock exchange trading increasingly has been highlighted as a possible cause of gambling disorder, typically in rapid and excessive "day trading" which may cause over-indebtedness and mental health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has been suspected to increase online gambling and gambling problems. In a number of recent media reports, day trading has been reported to increase during COVID-19, possibly in relation to changes in everyday life, financial problems and job insecurity during the pandemic. Increasing day trading has thereby been suspected to cause addictive behavior, financial difficulties, and poor mental health. However, there is hitherto a lack of research in the area. The present paper addresses the potential for day trading to cause problem gambling, debts and mental health problems, and calls for research and clinical guidelines in problem gambling related to stock market behavior as a problematic gambling behavior. Screening tools, awareness among clinicians, and longitudinal research studies may be warranted, both during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Exploring internet gaming disorder: an updated perspective of empirical evidence (from 2016 to 2021)

Background and aims: Since the acceptance of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a "disorder due to addictive behaviors", research has proliferated exponentially. The present review focuses on the conceptualization of IGD, its diagnosis and assessment, associated factors and existing prevention and treatment plans to address it. Results and conclusions: The discrepancies between the diagnostic criteria for IGD proposed by the two central diagnostic entities, as well as the questioning of their clinical validity, have generated multiple proposals for the diagnosis and psychometric evaluation of IGD. Likewise, there have been numerous suggestions to prevent this pathology, with the involvement of governments, the gaming industry and health institutions. Finally, multiple treatment plans have been proposed, both pharmacological and psychological, although only the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy has been tested. It is essential, therefore, to delve deeper into this disorder by addressing the central limitations of the current literature

Una teràpia per a la bulímia

Un estudi realitzat per un equip de l'Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, dirigit pel Dr. Fernando Fernández-Aranda i analitzat per les professores Roser Granero i Eva Penelo del Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de la Ciències de la Salut de la UAB, ha aprofundit en com la teràpia cognitiva-conductual en pacients que pateixen un trastorn de la conducta alimentària permet reduir els símptomes depressius de les afectades. El treball mostra com aquest tipus de tractament, amb una actitud positiva, permet modificar trets de caràcter que en principi estan considerats genèticament determinats.Un estudio realizado por un equipo del Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, dirigido por el Dr. Fernando Fernández-Aranda y analizado por las profesoras Roser Granero y Eva Penelo del Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de la Ciencias de la Salud de la UAB, ha profundizado en cómo la terapia cognitiva-conductual en pacientes que padecen un trastorno de la conducta alimentaria permite reducir los síntomas depresivos de las afectadas. El trabajo muestra cómo este tipo de tratamiento, con una actitud positiva, permite modificar rasgos de carácter que en principio están considerados genéticamente determinados

Videojocs per tractar trastorns mentals

Un videojoc, anomenat Island, dissenyat i desenvolupat per un equip multidisciplinari de clínics, enginyers i programadors, del que forma part l'Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge i en el qual hi col·laboren les professores Roser Granero i Eva Penelo de la UAB, sembla permetre a pacients amb malalties mentals adquirir noves estratègies per afrontar-se a les pròpies emocions negatives en situacions estressants de la vida quotidiana. Aquests pacients també senten que utilitzant aquest videojoc participen més activament en el seu procés de recuperació. Així, els videojocs apareixen amb un futur prometedor com a complement a tractaments tradicionals d'aquestes malalties.Un videojuego, llamado Island, diseñado y desarrollado por un equipo multidisciplinar de clínicos, ingenieros y programadores, del que forma parte el Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge y en el que colaboran las profesoras Rosario Granero y Eva Penelo de la UAB, parece permitir a pacientes con enfermedades mentales adquirir nuevas estrategias para afrontar las propias emociones negativas en situaciones estresantes de la vida cotidiana. Estos pacientes también sienten que utilizando este videojuego participan más activamente en su proceso de recuperación. Así, los videojuegos aparecen con un futuro prometedor como complemento a tratamientos tradicionales de estas enfermedades

Gambling in Spain: update on experience, research and policy

AIMS: To describe the current situation of gambling in Spain, sketching its history and discussing the regulations and legislation currently in force within the framework of the European Union (EU), and to review the epidemiology of gambling in Spain, the self-help groups and professional treatments available, and their potential effectiveness. METHODS: A systematic computerized search was performed in three databases (EMBASE, PubMed and PsychINFO, including articles and chapters) and the reference lists from previous reviews to obtain some of the most relevant studies published up to now on the topic of pathologic gambling in Spain. RESULTS: Similar to other EU countries, Spain has a high prevalence of pathologic gambling, focused on specific culturally bounded types of gambling. Expenditure in online gaming has risen significantly in the last few years, prompting the Spanish government to draft new legislation to regulate gaming. CONCLUSIONS: The gaming industry is expected to be one of the fastest growing sectors in Spain in the coming years owing to the rise of new technologies and the development of online gamin

Do online gambling products require traditional therapy for gambling disorder to change? Evidence from focus group interviews with mental health professionals treating online gamblers

Online gambling has signifcantly altered the situational and structural characteristics of gambling products, to the extent that online gamblers might be substantially diferent from traditional ofine gamblers. A growing body of literature has identifed the evolving features of online gambling and the individuals who engage in it. However, beyond understanding the individual characteristics of this subgroup, relatively less efort has been made to examine whether existing cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches are still entirely relevant for online problem gamblers, or whether changes are needed to adapt according to gambling mode of access. To understand what kind of challenges online gambling poses to mental health professionals dealing with disordered gamblers, four focus groups comprising 28 Spanish participants were carried out. All the treatment providers had ongoing experience with online gamblers undergoing treatment, and included clinical psychologists, mental health social workers, and a medical doctor. The data were examined using thematic analysis. The analysis identifed fve main themes that characterised online gamblers: (1) being of younger age, (2) lack of conficts at home and at work/educational centre, rarely presenting violent or aggressive behaviour, (3) gambling disorder only being identifed by overdue debt, (4) co-occurring conditions with technology-related abuse rather than other substance-related addictions, and (5) skill-based gambling. The study highlights mental health workers' perceived insecurities about how to best treat online gamblers, and discusses the specifc characteristics that CBT for gambling disorder might need to incorporate to adjust for this particular group of gamblers