Help for Those Addicted to Gambling

Gamblers go through the stages of victory, loss and despair. As the cycle repeats itself, the person normally gets deeper and deeper into debt.

In her book, Head Case: Treat yourself to Better Mental Health, (Headline Publishing Group, 2007) Dr Pamela Stephenson Connolly points out that while gambling affects both sexes and people from every walk of life, it may be more pronounced in young men and in individuals from lower socio-economic groups.

Signs That Gambling is Out of Control

Many people gamble but know when to stop. Here are the signs that gambling is out of control and the person addicted:

• High motivation to gamble
• A lot of time spent thinking about gambling
• Attempts to stop have always failed
• Gambling is treated as an escape from problems
• Lying about the extent of the gambling
• If money runs out, the gambler may commit fraud, steal, embezzle or forge money
• Gambling has caused problems with relationships

What Causes a Gambling Disorder?

Gambling disorder has similarities to substance abuse disorders and obsessive-compulsive Some minority groups are more likely to become involved in gambling and some people have a firm belief that they are lucky.

Dr. Pamela Stephenson Connolly says that certain biological abnormalities may be present in a person who develops an addiction to gambling. She also says that the role of the neurotransmitters in impulse-control seems to be associated with the processing of emotional information. If these are not functioning properly, the person will be unable to stop and make a wise decision over whether they should gamble.

How is aGambling Disorder Treated?

The following are recommended treatments for gambling disorder: harm Reduction programmes, psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive-behavior therapy and family therapy.

Medication can also be prescribed especially if the person suffers from a related disorder such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder or depression.

Self-Help for People with Gambling Disorder

Dr. Pamela Stephenson Connolly says there are many ways for a gambling addict to help himself. A combination of these along with conventional treatments can produce very good results. These approaches for self-help include the following measures:

• Read and research and learn about what constitutes a gambling disorder;
• Write a gambling history so that behavior, events and consequences are recorded;
• Make a list of what triggered gambling episodes. Was it feelings of hurt, helplessness, anger or something else;
• Keep a diary of the desire to gamble and rate the urge on a scale of 1 to 10;
• Learn to be self-assertive;
• Plan appropriate changes of behavior and new activities;
• Throw out reminders of gambling such as cards, dice and books;
• Block gambling websites; and
• Join Gamblers Anonymous.

Gambling disorder can be defined as a crippling addiction to gambling. It helps to have family members who are willing to stand by sufferers and encourage them as they break away from the urge to gamble. Gambling addiction can be overcome but it is generally a process that has to be lived through one day at a time.

Sources:

Dr. Pamela Stephenson Connolly, Head Case: Treat yourself to Better Mental Health, (Headline Publishing Group, 2007).