Abstract
Craving is defined as the desire to introduce a substance in the body. The American Psychiatric Association proposed to research if behavioral addictions can be assessed with the substance addictions criteria. Nature of both objects are different so the challenge of analyze if assessment of behavioral addictions can be done with the same criteria of substance addictions. 23 articles about substance addictions were selected to elaborate a theoretical explicative model of craving to start research craving to Facebook and Instant Messaging. The model consists of three dimensions: desire intensity, degree of control and calm expectations. It is proposed to study how these dimensions are in behavioral addictions to rebuild the concept in this area, and generate an instrument to asses it.
