A common belief is that compulsive behaviors trap people in a “habit loop” that takes over self-control. New research, however, suggests this explanation may be incomplete. For many years, compulsive ...

Compulsive behaviors are actions that are engaged in repeatedly and consistently, despite the fact that they are experienced as aversive or troubling. Yet treatment can help to manage or overcome ...

Why should we be concerned about compulsive sexual behavior? Pornography, which is just one part of compulsive sexual behavior, is a huge business, and as such, it is here to stay. Some estimates ...

Is compulsive behavior common in people with Alzheimer’s or dementia? When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, many aspects of his or her life are forced to change and will ...

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a brain circuit that can drive repetitive and compulsive behaviors in mice, even when natural rewards such as food or social contact are ...

Why do some people keep making the same harmful choices, even when they know better? A global study has revealed three distinct decision-making types and why punishment doesn’t work for everyone. When ...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can affect children and adults. Obsessive thoughts are difficult to spot, but compulsive behaviors are usually more obvious. OCD often develops between the ages of ...

Only the most compulsive, addicted people will keep cheating in the face of social barriers. My Master’s thesis was on quitting smoking, and one interesting fact from that body of research was that ...

Psychiatrists take new interest in once benign hair pulling, nail biting. Oct. 3, 2012— -- When Nicole Santamorena was a baby she pulled her hair for comfort when she was distressed or sick. But ...

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a brain circuit that can drive repetitive and compulsive behaviors in mice, even when natural rewards such as food or social contact are ...