Indoor Sun Tanning May Be Sign of Addictive Behavior

Indoor sun tanning may be a sign of addictive behavior according to a new report released Monday.

Researchers say as many as one in three young people who use tanning beds could be addicted to them.

229 college students were screened by using two standard questionnaires designed to assess addiction and modified to assess tanning behavior. 39%  met one measure’s criteria for addiction and 30% met the other measure’s criteria.

Catherine E. Mosher, a post-doctoral research fellow in psychiatry and behavioral science at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the study’s lead author said the tanners were aware of the increased risk of several types of skin cancer for both indoors and outdoor tanning.

“They know it’s bad for them,” Mosher said. “This is not about appearance. It’s for relaxation, to improve mood or to socialize.”

Of those scoring positive for addiction, 78% said they had tried to cut down on the time spent tanning but couldn’t, and 78% said they felt guilty about using tanning beds or booths too much.

The study is published in the Archives of Dermatology.

The findings that indoor sun tanning may be a sign of addictive behavior suggests that tanning, either natural or indoors, activates the same parts of the brain triggered by drug dependence.