Tanning dependent

Some research hints that people can become dependent on tanning like they do on drugs and alcohol.

Researchers from the University of Washington administered a short questionnaire (CAGE) typically used to spot substance-related disorders to 385 students. The testing tool consisted of these questions: "Have you ever felt you ought to cut down on your tanning?" "Have people annoyed you by criticizing your tanning?" "Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your tanning?" and "Have you ever thought about tanning first thing in the morning?"

Findings revealed that "12 percent of the total sample of students, 18 percent of the students who reported regularly tanning in outdoor sunlight and 28 percent of indoor tanners scored positively on the CAGE questions," according to a press release from the American Academy of Dermatology. What's more, these results imply a substance-related disorder. Their drug of choice? UV light.

Withdrawal symptoms

After a series of studies suggested tanning might trigger withdrawal symptoms, WebMD noted, "Now researchers report that frequent tanning isn’t just like an addiction. It really may be an addiction."

In their first study, researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center gave frequent tanners — individuals who tan eight to 15 times per month — and infrequent tanners the drug naltrexone, which is typically used to treat alcohol addiction and substance abuse. Naltrexone blocks the feel-good messages your brain receives when using alcohol or drugs and can trigger withdrawal symptoms in people dependent on these substances.

Interestingly, frequent tanners actually experienced withdrawal symptoms, including dizziness, nausea and shaking, compared with individuals who tanned infrequently — which prompted researchers to end the study.

A year later, these same scientists published another noteworthy study, this one exploring the preference for UV tanning beds. Similar to the last study, eight frequent and eight infrequent tanners were given naltrexone. Half of the frequent tanners experienced withdrawal symptoms.

In addition, when given low doses of naltrexone or a placebo, frequent tanners preferred the UV light tanning beds, but when they received high doses of the drug, their preference dwindled, reports Revolution Health. Senior researcher Steven R. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., put it into perspective: "The finding was unexpected and is consistent with the hypothesis that frequent tanning may be driven in part by a mild dependence on opioids, most likely endorphins."

As such, there’s a prevailing hypothesis that tanning releases endorphins. So, those amazing feelings during and after a workout (thanks to endorphins) might also arise while tanning. Needing this "high" (think of a runner’s high or even a drug high) may explain part of tanning’s allure.

Fear of losing it

In addition to possibly experiencing a euphoric high from tanning, addicts might be afraid of losing their tan. Having tanned skin has been associated with everything from beauty and wealth to health and thinness, so it’s not surprising that tanning enthusiasts would obsess over their bronzed appearance.

"Addicts live in constant fear of fading," dermatologist and psychiatrist Amy Wechsler, M.D., tells Marie Claire. "Suddenly they feel fatter, older, even sicker. It explains the extremes they go to keep it up," she adds.

Tanning takes over

So, how do you know if someone is truly addicted?

The chief indication is when tanning takes over one’s life, Texas dermatologist Richard Wagner, M.D., tells The Eagle Tribune. He explains that tanning "becomes the most important aspect of their lives." "When they’re waking up in the morning they’re not thinking about my first cup of coffee, they’re thinking, 'Where can I go to get tan today?"" he adds.

Similar to other addictions, tanning addicts might prefer their drug of choice over other activities, thereby skipping important events in order to work on their tan. Dr. Wagner refers to missing a party or an important test as examples.

Potential treatments

The problem with treating tanning addiction is that the options are scarce, or more to the point, nonexistent. Dr. Wagner explains, "Unfortunately, we don’t really have any proven treatments to offer them if they really seem to be hooked on ultraviolet light and tanning."

In response, experts have offered suggestions. "There should be a 12-step program for tanners," explains Dr. Wechsler, who believes tanning addicts should be "treated like other addicts." This seems consistent with the research, considering that tanning addicts appear to struggle with withdrawal symptoms, show a preference for UV tanning beds and can't stop tanning.

Dr. Wagner agrees, who tells National Geographic News, that tanning support groups should be modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous. This way, should you get a craving for tanning, you can call a member of the group so you can choose another activity, he explains.

Michael Levy, an addiction expert and medical director of Peabody, Massachusetts-based CAB Health and Recovery tells The Eagle Tribune that motivational interviewing might be valuable in treating tanning addiction. This therapy "helps the person sort out the benefits and risks of an addictive behavior and guides them toward realizing they want to make a change," according to the article.

Overall, more research is needed to illuminate tanning addiction, as the above studies used small sample sizes and this research has only begun. But it does offer some insight into why, even after the warnings of accelerated aging and skin cancer, some people simply can’t stop tanning.