Can you be addicted to tanning?

Can you be addicted to tanning?

Posted on June 15, 2010

It’s controversial, but some new studies suggest there may be people who have addictive behavior patterns when it comes to tanning and the use of UV tanning beds.
A recent study published in Archives of Dermatology, by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the University of Albany, found that 27 percent of college students surveyed have a psychological dependence on tanning in UV-light beds and booths.
The researchers suggested that the “tanning addiction” includes symptoms that are really quite similar to those that alcoholics or smokers experience, such as tanning with ever-increasing frequency, having withdrawal issues, or trouble stopping the habit.
The college students who were addicted to indoor tanning were also more likely to have symptoms of anxiety and/or greater use of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances, than their peers who were not addicted to indoor tanning.
Tanorexia: now it’s a recognized disease syndrome. Who knew?

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