Gambling Addiction

Generality

Gambling addiction, or pathological gambling, is the overwhelming desire to repeatedly gamble, even in spite of the great risk that is taken whenever money is wagered.

The precise causes of gambling addiction are unknown; according to some researchers, certain biological, environmental and genetic factors have an influence.

The symptomatic picture consists of anomalous and completely singular behaviors, such as: experiencing excitement every time large amounts of money are played, not admitting that you are a player, taking time away from work to gamble, etc.

If not treated properly, gambling addiction can lead to serious complications: from the onset of serious financial and legal problems to even suicide.

What is gambling addiction?

Gambling addiction, or pathological gambling or ludomania, is the uncontrollable desire, and chronic contours, to gamble, in spite of the risks that lie behind such behavior and despite the initial desire not to surrender to the gambling.

ANALOGIES WITH DEPENDENCE ON SUBSTANCES

According to the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-5 ), published in 2013, gambling addiction is one of the so-called substance addictions . In fact, it is at the origin of symptoms and behaviors analogous to those that those who abuse alcohol, cocaine etc. manifest.

This recent view of gambling addiction differs from that of some time ago, that gambling was one of the so-called "impulse control disorders"; in other words, it was similar to psychiatric illnesses such as kleptomania or pyromania, which cause the bearer an irrepressible desire to commit a gesture that is harmful to himself and others.

What is DSM?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a collection of all the peculiar characteristics of known mental and mental illnesses, including the respective criteria for diagnosis.

Prepared by the American Psychiatric Association, the latest version - the fifth - was published on May 18, 2013.

Causes

Researchers have long been discussing the precise causes of gambling addiction.

According to several research groups, the irrepressible desire to gamble would be the result of a combination of biological, genetic and environmental factors.

BIOLOGICAL BASES OF THE DISEASE

In trying to give a biological explanation for gambling addiction, some scientists have noted that:

In many pathological gamblers (ie those gambling addicts) the level of norepinephrine, at the time of the game, is lower than the level of norepinephrine in occasional gamblers (ie those not addicted to gambling) ). Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter secreted in abundance under stress, in conditions of excitement and in dangerous situations.
The first studies on the binomial of gambling-noradrenaline date back to 1988, by a certain Alec Roy.
Gambling winnings produce the same brain reactions that occur when an addict injects a dose of cocaine. This observation is the result of a particular experiment, consisting in the recording, through functional magnetic resonance, of the cerebral reactions in winning or losing gamblers.
This study was conducted by Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions, in agreement with Hans Breiter, co-director of the Motivation and Emotional Neuroscience Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital .

IMPORTANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

According to some scholars, the environment - where by environment we mean the social class of belonging, the culture of a country, the mass-media etc. - would be more influential than biology.

To prove the validity of this thesis, supporters of the importance of the environment report what has happened in the United Kingdom in recent years: since 2007, when it is legal to advertise, by radio and television, betting sites, casinos and bookmakers, the number of gamblers has grown significantly.

RISK FACTORS

Anyone can get addicted to gambling, but the appearance of this disorder is more frequent in:

Those suffering from other mood or behavioral disorders . Classic examples are people who abuse substances or people with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
People of middle or young age .
Male subjects . Women start playing later than men.
People with family members addicted to gambling .
People taking some medications for Parkinson's and restless legs syndrome . The offending drugs are some dopamine agonists.
People with certain characters . Very competitive people, people who tend to have delusions and restless subjects are particularly prone to develop gambling addiction.

Symptoms and Complications

Individuals with gambling addiction exhibit the following symptoms and signs:

They feel a thrill whenever they take a big risk gambling.
They tend to take bigger and bigger risks.
They live and worry about gambling.
They gamble to escape from depression, weaknesses or certain duties imposed by life.
They take time away from work or family to gamble.
They lie about everything related to gambling or hide the game's flaw.
They feel guilty or feel remorse after playing.
They ask for loans or steal money to be able to play.
They repeatedly abandon any intention not to gamble anymore.

HOW DOES THE VIZIO OF THE GAME START AND START?

In most cases, gambling addiction is a disorder that is established over time, after so many plays. Indeed, it is very rare for an individual to become a pathological gambler after a single bet.

Studies of gamblers have revealed that depression and stress accentuate the need to risk gambling, as if it were an escape from the problems of life.

IS IT FOR THE NEED FOR MONEY?

According to some research, many gamblers bet huge sums of money not so much because they hope to win so much money, but because of the excitement and the thrill that the big bets provoke .

Moreover, if it were for the money, the luckiest gambling addicts who win large sums of money should stop playing. Instead they continue and this clearly distinguishes them from non-pathological players, who, once they have won a great victory, stop.

ATTENTION TO THE REMISSION WITHOUT CARE

Sometimes, those suffering from gambling addiction can, even without special care, stop gambling. However, it is very often a temporary remission: sooner or later the desire to play reappears.

WHEN TO REFER TO AN EXPERT?

A person with a gambling addiction hardly realizes or admits that he suffers from some kind of disorder. In fact, it tends to hide its own vice and to lie about it.

For this reason it is good that relatives and friends, to whom the situation is known, convince the loved one with the game defect to turn to a doctor experienced in mental / psychological diseases and to receive the appropriate care.

Expert intervention is essential when gambling addiction:

It interferes with interpersonal relationships, one's financial resources and work (or school career).
It absorbs much of a person's energy and time.
It is a problem that cannot be cured.
It is a disorder that is hidden in all ways from relatives and friends.
Induces theft or fraud to acquire money to play.
It induces to ask for cheap loans, to gamble.

COMPLICATIONS

If not treated in time, a disorder such as gambling addiction involves, first of all, serious economic problems and interpersonal problems (especially with relatives and friends).

Secondly, it can involve legal problems, imprisonment, loss of work, onset of other addictions (alcohol or drugs), depression and, in extreme cases, suicide .

Diagnosis

According to the DSM-5, a person suffers from gambling addiction if he suffers or falls into 4 or more of the following situations:

The subject feels the need to risk large sums of money, especially for the excitement that this risk entails.
The subject is restless and irritable whenever he cannot play.
The subject unsuccessfully attempts to control or interrupt the game.
Gambling represents, for the subject, the only worry of life (it is a recurring thought).
The subject is led to play especially in moments of greater stress and sadness.
Gambling losses are a reason to play again.
The subject tells lies to hide the game's flaw.
Because of the game, interpersonal relationships, work activity, school career and finances are greatly compromised.
The subject borrows money to be able to play and deal with gambling debts.

Treatment

Healing from gambling addiction is not easy at all.

The two main therapeutic goals are:

Make the patients aware of the ailment afflicting them.
Make patients regain control of their actions, without being overwhelmed by the overwhelming desire to gamble.

To achieve these goals, those who treat gambling addiction mainly use psychotherapy, the administration of certain drugs and help provided by support groups .

These are three different therapeutic approaches, which are able to provide good results only if practiced simultaneously.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

There are two psychotherapy treatments that are implemented for the treatment of gambling addiction: the so-called behavioral therapy and the so - called cognitive-behavioral therapy .

Briefly, the purpose of psychotherapy is to teach the patient the characteristics of the disease (what causes it, when symptoms appear etc.) and how to control the desire to gamble.

PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY

Drug therapy generally consists of:

Antidepressants and mood stabilizers . They are especially reserved for patients suffering from depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Antagonists of narcotics . They are those medicines also used in the treatment of substance addictions.

SUPPORT GROUP

The comparison with people suffering from the same disorder and with those who have recovered from it greatly helps patients in their therapeutic journey.

SOME ADVICES

During therapy, and even once healing is achieved, it is advisable to avoid relapse:

Avoid relationships with gamblers and stay away from gambling environments.
If you are tempted to play or give in to the temptation to play, contact your doctor immediately and confide in your loved ones to receive the necessary support.
Remember that one bet on the game leads to another.
Don't forget what you learned during psychotherapy, especially the tricks to dominate the desire to gamble.

Prevention

Not knowing exactly the causes of gambling addiction, doctors experienced in mental illness cannot claim to know an absolutely effective method of prevention.

However, they believe it can have an excellent preventive effect to avoid any contact with avid gamblers and places (the so-called gambling halls) where gambling is played.