Behavioral Addictions: Pathological Gambling

There is no specific treatment option that is more beneficial. However, there are a variety of treatment options available for gambling addiction such as Gambler’s Anonymous, which is a support group and psychotherapy that involves cognitive behavioral therapy. Family therapy or group meetings with professional counselors can assist family members. In addition, there is the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network and Gamblers Anonymous that help love ones with their gambling problems (www.casino.org). The medication that is used to treat compulsive gambling is antidepressants and mood stabilizers (www.mayoclinic).

The current analysis included 4121 individuals whose data was collected via the Quinte Longitudinal Study (QLS) over a period of five years (2006-2011) (Williams et al., 2015). The QLS gained ethics approval from the Human Subject Research Committee at the University of Lethbridge and was conducted with the purpose of furthering research and understanding on problem gambling and other behavioural addictions. The authors of this paper were given permission to conduct the current analyses from all those involved in the QLS. Essential demographic information is presented in Table 1.

Pathological gambling is a chronic and progressive condition that disrupts the life of the individual and those close to him. Not only is pathological gambling associated with financial problems due to the large amounts of money spent on the activity or the loss of a job, but this disorder increases the likelihood of other emotional and psychiatric problems, and general health problems in the individual or his family (Lorenz V, Yaffee, R. 40-49). Suicide is a possible consequence of pathological gambling. Other consequences might be mood disorders, schizophrenia and some neurological conditions.

Based on information from the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), the National Gambling Impact Study Commission (NGISC) states that there are two and a half million individuals who fall into a state defined as a pathological gambler, another three million are considered problem gamblers, and roughly fifteen million more could be considered “at-risk” (NORC, 1999). A pathological gambler is one who has a severe uncontrollable urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. This project proposes to address the need to keep a casino patron from developing a pathological or compulsive gambling problem. The project will entail investigating the driving factors for a person gambling themselves into problems and

Bachmann’s gambling addiction follows a simple cycle known as the habit loop. A habit loop, which explained earlier, is a cycle consisting of a cue, routine, and reward affect. Identifying the habit loop for addicts is a great way of finding ways in altering the addiction to completely get rid of it or to minimize the activity. The initial cue of the addiction was when she felt unappreciated by her kids or had a verbal disagreement with her husband. The routine was playing blackjack at the casinos, while generating conversations with random strangers. Finally the reward hopefully was winning the game or receiving money once cashing in the chips and having a sense of being good at something. Knowing Bachmann’s habit loop, we can infer that her problem can be adjusted in a way to minimize the amounts of money that are poured into the game and spending less time in a casino.

The excitement and risk taking associated with gambling is what gets the adrenaline pumping and stimulates the brain into wanting more. Hence, why gambling and betting on the lottery can lead to addiction in some cases. Other addictions associated with alcohol and drugs have similar effects to a gambling addict. Both addicts are vulnerable to lose themselves by the constant urge and desire to have the adrenaline rush from the substance. Regardless of what harm can come from alcohol, tobacco, or gambling it depends on the individual and how they respond to the

Gambling addiction also know as compulsive gambling is a type of impulse control disorder. (Healthyplace.com, 2008) It is a progressive disease that can wreck havoc on relationships, work, and finances.

One serious outbreak caused by the act of gambling is the production of problem gambling. Problem gambling is actually and impulse-control disorder, where the gambler cannot control his or her obsession. People easily become obsessed with winning the more they play, but when they lose it all, the only goal in their mind is to obtain that next

The idea behind the internet was to revolutionize society and with over 3 billion individuals using it, it clearly succeeded (ITU, n.d.). However, individuals started coming online to check their email, watch a video, visit Facebook, or play an online game as a habit, may easily become addicted to these behaviors over time. According to the DSM-V, internet addiction applies to individuals who use the internet excessively, often without realizing how much time has passed, how much more they are using the internet and neglecting their basic needs, as well as, ignoring any negative impacts said internet use has caused (dsm). When not using the internet, the individual may feel withdrawal, angry, tense, and/or depressed; in addition, they may feel the need to have a better computer and more software, which is an internet-addicted individual’s form of tolerance (dsm). Time of use per day in those addicted to the internet is nearly double the time those who are not addicted spend online (Lee,

Despite the fact that there is only a vague understanding of the way gambling behaviors progress, chronic gambling is viewed as a compulsive, progressive disorder. Recent studies suggest that the behavioral aspect of gambling is comparable to other addictive habits such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and tobacco use. Due to the comparison to other deviant behaviors, there is a significant level of stigma attached to gambling. The data suggests the onset of behavior results from low socioeconomic status, socio-cultural factors, environmental aspects, and parental gambling elements that led to the introduction of gambling and hinder treatment and recovery seeking behavior.

“We have all learned that addiction and mental illnesses are illnesses, and I think a lot of people overlook that it is a chemical imbalance; it’s like cancer, a sickness and people need to see that.” (Poppy Delevingne). Gambling an addiction that people harm controls. Addiction is a personal feeling of discomfort which becomes to act out no a signal to connect with others; Addiction is a relationship problem. Addiction affects people and serves their lives like Angie Bachmann and Rebecca. Angie was a mother of three daughters. Her youngest daughter started kindergarten, and the other was in middle school. Angie shouldn’t overcome her addiction to gambling. Angie was unsuccessful in finding a way to stop her gambling addiction while Rebecca found her way to recover. Rebecca felt her mistake in gambling does; she decided to change her life for the better Rebeca asked the pastor to let her work in the church in her spare time instead of gambling. It managed to change her life and the left gambling and became a member of the association.

It reduced the intensity of urges to gambling behaviour when sufficiently in high doses. Eisen et al(2001) investigated pathological gambling in twins and found they were similar in occurrence and severity of gambling problems. This supports both the genetic and physiological aspects of

In today's society, addiction is not viewed as brain disease. Many believe the act of taking illicit drugs or indulging in addictive behaviors, such as gambling, is a voluntary act. However, studies of the past few decades support the idea of addiction as brain disease. Unfortunately, this concept is still questioned because the behaviors of addiction have not yet been fully linked to neurobiology.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a reference for health care professionals for the criteria of diagnosing mental disorders. The DSM includes charateristics, symptoms, and common language to help in this. It is periodically revised to keep up with new scientific advances and discoveries. From the DSM-IV to the DSM-V, a new chapter based on impulse control disruptive, and conduct disorders was added. The definitions of addiction and impulse control disorders were combined and rearranged to better categorize the disorders to their concepts and their possible methods of treatment. Gambling was categorized with addictive disorders, while trichotillomania and skin-picking were moved to obsessive-compulsive disorders.

     Gambling addiction is an issue found in numerous areas where gambling is legal. People who are addicted to gambling, also know as problem gamblers, face many health risks including depression, suicidal thoughts, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, migraine and anxiety in addition to marriage breakdown, problems at work and bankruptcy (9). About 2 percent of adults are thought to be problem gamblers (1). In today’s society this costly addiction is not often considered to be a common problem among those who gamble. Only a small amount of states in the U.S. give enough attention toward this rising problem of people that are sometimes even willing to commit crimes just to aid their addiction. In the past our