Counseling for Seemingly Impossible Problems

Zondervan, Lee N. June,Sabrina Black

• Publisher: Zondervan
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9780310865933
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Christlicher Dienst

An excellent book that covers the wide variety and deep complexity of seemingly impossible biblical counseling issues in the challenging culture inwhich we live. The gospel brings liberty to men, women, and children bound by every conceivable sin and affliction. Psychology provides a tool for applying the power of the gospel in practical ways. Drawing on biblical truths and psychological principles, Counseling for Seemingly Impossible Problems helps us—Christian counselors, pastors, and church leaders—to meet the deep needs of our communities with life-changing effects. Marshaling the knowledge and experience of experts in the areas of addiction, family issues, mental health, and other critical issues, this no-nonsense handbook supplies insights on the problems tearing lives and families apart all around us: domestic abuse, gambling addiction, blended families, sexual addiction and the Internet, depression and bipolar disorder, divorce recovery, unemployment, sexual abuse and incest, demonology, grief and loss, schizophrenia, substance abuse … and much more.

Sabrina D. Black

Chapter 1

Gambling Addiction

Sabrina D. Black is the founder and clinical director of Abundant Life Counseling Center, an outpatient mental health facility that emphasizes spiritual values. She is also director of the counseling ministry at Rosedale Park Baptist Church. She is a Limited Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Addictions Counselor, and Certified Biblical Counselor with twelve years of experience in individual, family, and group counseling. She has degrees in psychology and counseling. She has expertise in the fields of gambling addiction, sexual addiction and sexual abuse, relational problems due to substance addiction, issues relating to clergy and ministry leaders, marital conflicts and communication, boundaries and spiritual growth, stress, anxiety, burnout, and anger management. She is an active member of the National Biblical Counselors Association, American Counseling Association, and the American Association of Christian Counselors.

In addition to doing mental heath counseling, Black serves as adjunct faculty at several universities, is an overseas missionary, and is making a local and global impact in the world. She is a national and international speaker for conferences, retreats, and workshops. Black lives in Detroit, Michigan, with her husband, Warren José Black. They have a son, Kenyae, and two grandchildren, Armonte and Zari.

The poster caught my attention: “You don’t have to do drugs to get hooked by a dealer. Compulsive gambling can be every bit as destructive. It’s not just cards either. It’s the track; it’s pull-tabs, the lottery, and every other kind of gambling. They can cost you your savings, your house, even your family. This is one addiction where the cops may not bust you, but the dealer might” (Minnesota Department of Human Services 1992).

In 1976 approximately 1.1 million people in the United States were probable compulsive gamblers. This figure represented less than 1 percent of the population. Yet the mental health community did not officially diagnose and take seriously this excessive problem until 1980. That was the year that measurable characteristics for diagnosing gambling addiction were presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3d Edition (DSM-III 1980). How many individual lives and families do you suppose had been devastated by then? Yet more than twenty years later, and though many people have been awakened to the addictive cycle involved with gambling, the church is still asleep. The church has been lulled into thinking it is “those people out there,” not the members of our own congregations. Those in bondage (including Christians) will compromise their values and their biblical principles. They may even seek benevolence (money from the church) to pay their overdue bills as a bailout from financial devastation.

This chapter will provide education and awareness of this escalating problem. It will also include information to equip the church to make a proper assessment and referral or to do an intervention.

WHAT HARM CAN REALLY BE DONE?

Many believe that gambling is the economic salvation of a city. Others argue that it will lead to degradation. Some rationalize that having more jobs, an increased tax base, and money for schools and community groups makes gambling a great opportunity. However, when we look at gains versus losses wherever gambling is prevalent, we see that the odds are never in the favor of the community or the individuals living there. Consider those across the country who have lost much and still believe they can parlay their last dollar into a dream. Consider the impact on Mabel, Donna, or the friends and family of Jihad.

For the past nine weeks, except for the week that she was in the hospital for inflammatory arthritis, Mabel (not her real name) faithfully attended the Friday night bingo games. Most of the women in her auxiliary played. Since her husband’s death two years ago, she was lonely and tired of being home alone. She looked forward to seeing her friends at their favorite table in the fellowship hall and playing her lucky board. Like the other ladies, Mabel was happy that they could help the church raise money for the new playground. She didn’t even mind when she lost, because the money was going to a good cause. When the church offered free transportation to the casino on Saturdays, Mabel’s group was the first to board the bus. She could now get back the money she lost playing bingo and win even more on the slot machines. This was now her third trip, and she had big donation plans, despite the fact she had already lost $3,700. In less than three months, Mabel’s weekend outings had cost her more than she could afford. She was certain it would only take her a few more trips to win back her savings. According to her, things were going fine—until her daughter-in-law found out. Mabel couldn’t believe that her family thought she had a problem. Why would they think she was a gambler?

WHAT IS GAMBLING?

Gambling is any behavior that involves the risking of money or valuables on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event that is partially or totally dependent on chance. The words game, gamble, gambler, and gambling derive from the Old English gamen (game) and gam(e)man (to sport or play or to game). According to Rogers (1997), “Not all games are gambling, but all gambling is fundamentally a game” (p. 16). Thus, the following definitions are put forth:

• Gambling—to play a game of CHANCE for money or other stakes.
• CHANCE—the absence of cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled.
• Gaming—a form of entertainment where simulated games of CHANCE take place but where the outcome is not predictable, understandable, or controllable.

It is possible to win a bet, to have winning days, and in extremely rare cases to have winning years; but over any considerable period of time, the statistical probabilities dictate that everyone must lose! Whether gambling or gaming, a person still doesn’t have a chance. Consider the following list of activities. Can you tell the difference between gambling and gaming? (See table on next page.)

According to Rogers (1997), Dr. Samuel Johnson in the Dictionary of the English Language (1755), gives no noun use for gamble, but gambler is defined as “a knave whose practice it is to invite the unwary to game and cheat them.” To game was defined by Johnson as “to play wantonly and extravagantly for money.”

This would describe the behavior of many in our culture. Current statistics show that 3–4 percent of the U.S. population, a little over 10 million people, can be identified as problem, compulsive, or pathological gamblers.

These are the people that have met any five of the ten qualifying criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (1994):

1. Is preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving gambling experiences, handicapping, planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble).
2. Needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement.
3. Has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling.
4. Is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling.
5. Gambles as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression).
6. After losing money gambling, often returns another day to get even (“chasing one’s losses”).
7. Lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling.
8. Has committed illegal acts of forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling.
9. Has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling.
10. Relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling. (DSM-IV 1994, p. 618)

There are still others whose level of functioning has been impaired, although they may not be labeled pathological.

Gambling has become the vice of choice for the masses. According to Rogers in Seducing America: Is Gambling a Good Bet? (1997), gambling expenditures each year exceed the amount of money spent on films, books, amusements, and music entertainment combined. He indicated that studies show the following statistics on gambling for U.S. citizens:

• 95% have gambled at some time in their lives
• 89% approve of casino gambling
• 82% have played the lottery
• 75% have played slot machines
• 74% have frequented casinos
• 50% have bet on horse or dog races
• 44% have used playing cards
• 34% play bingo
• 26% have bet on sports events

TYPES OF GAMBLERS

Many of those who gamble sit next to you at church on Sunday. You may say to yourself, “If they were gamblers, I would know about it.” However, this is not necessarily so. Gambling is often referred to as the invisible addiction. People who have a gambling problem are not stumbling and falling down; they are not slurring their speech. One can’t smell the results of gambling. There are, however, some key similarities and differences between gambling addiction and substance abuse. One difference that is important to understand is that unlike the alcoholic, the gambler is very functional until the bottom is hit. Not all gamblers bottom out; but when they do, intervention is absolutely necessary if they are to recover financially, spiritually, relationally, and emotionally.

According to Custer and Milt (1985), there are six different types of gamblers: professional, antisocial personality, casual social, serious social, relief-and-escape, and pathological/compulsive. These gamblers range from those who are very controlled and patiently wait for the best bet, to those who cannot stop (without intervention/treatment) no matter how hard they try. In When Luck Runs Out (1985), Custer and Milt provide brief descriptions similar to those listed below for each type of gambler:

Professional—Gambling is this person’s primary source of income; he makes a living at gambling. He is usually very controlled and calculating about making the best bet.

Antisocial personality—The life career of this person is getting money by illegal means. Those who gamble try to fix gambling games. They usually have difficulty controlling their criminal tendency.

Casual social—Gambling is one of many forms of entertainment. The person gambles infrequently and would not miss it if he or she had to stop. This form of gambling rarely progresses to a problem or becomes pathological unless it is a response to trauma or a predisposing factor.

Serious social—The person gambles as a major source of entertainment, plays regularly at one or more types of gambling, and does so with great absorption and intensity. He or she can stop but would miss it. They rarely escalate to compulsive but are often associated with the “golf widow, football widow,” etc.

Relief-and-escape—Gambling is a major activity in this person’s life and is of equal importance with family and business, but the rest of this person’s life goes on without its integrity being seriously impaired. This type rarely progresses to problem/pathological gambling unless there is trauma or predisposing factors.

Pathological/compulsive—This person meets the clinical criteria as defined by the DSM-IV (1994) under impulse control. Progressive patterns to their uncontrollable behavior compromise and disrupt major areas of functioning. Gambling is the only important thing in life, and this person ignores family and business and often turns to crime to support his/her habit. High rates of suicide attempts, dual diagnosis, and dual addiction are prevalent.

Within the six types of gamblers, there are also two subtypes. The classic pattern found to be common in the early years of treatment and recovery was the action gambler. Action gamblers were usually domineering, controlling, manipulative men with large egos. They saw themselves as friendly, sociable, gregarious, and generous. Their average IQ was over 120. They were energetic, assertive, persuasive, and confident. In spite of all this, they usually had low self-esteem. Historically, they started gambling at an early age (often in their teens) by placing small bets on sporting events or playing cards with friends or relatives. They progressed through the phases of the disorder over a ten-to-thirty-year time span.

Action compulsive gamblers gamble primarily at skill games such as poker or other card games, craps or other dice games, horse and dog racing, and sports betting. These gamblers dominate both legal and illegal sports betting. They gamble to beat other individuals or the “house” and often believe they can develop a system to achieve this goal. During the desperation phase of the disease, action gamblers often begin to gamble for escape, medicating the pain they are feeling from the destruction created by their gambling with the narcotic-like effect of slot or, more likely, video poker machines (National Council on Problem Gambling 2000).

With more and more people receiving treatment, a new subtype was identified and became easily recognizable. The face of the gambler was changing. The label escape artist or luck gambler was attributed to the women with problem or pathological gambling problems. It was later found to have broader application to everyone who met some of the following criteria:

• Finds gambling becoming a problem later in life, frequently after 30 or as late as 80.
• Gambles at luck games, slot machines, video poker, bingo, lottery, other machines.
• Gambles for different reasons than action gamblers.
• Is numb, almost in a hypnotic-like state while gambling.
• Gambles to escape problems.
• Is free from physical or emotional pain while gambling.
• Is a nurturing, responsible person the majority of adult life.
• Has often been the victim of abuse.
• Does not like confrontation and is in desperate need of empowerment.
• Often becomes compulsive almost immediately once predisposing factors emerge.
• Sometimes has winning episodes after becoming compulsive, but at this point winning is simply a means of gambling longer. Money is like play money, Monopoly money.

WHO’S AT RISK?

Gambling is this country’s newest great American pastime. And although everyone is at risk, prevalence studies show that there has been an increase in gambling by minorities, youth, seniors, and those of lower economic and educational status. Winning the lottery is now the number one American fantasy. High schools are scheduling mock casino nights. Slot machines are available in restaurants. Charities are graduating from bingo to Las Vegas Nights and Millionaire Parties. Grandparents are giving children lottery tickets for birthdays and Christmas. Retail outlets are selling toys that look like slot machines as well as a variety of playable card games used in gambling houses. The masses are playing with both real and play money.

America’s youth are getting more of an education in the school hallways than most teachers, counselors, and parents would imagine or would like to admit. The new curriculum includes promotions that are not measured by ACT, SAT, and MEAP scores. It’s no longer what you know but really how you play the game. Students are gambling on the new curriculum (poker, pool, lottery) to help them get a passing grade with their peers and those whom they admire.

People love winners. For youngsters who lack self-esteem, winning a bet provides an instant though temporary boost in confidence and esteem. Gambling makes them feel important and looked up to by others—part of the group and powerf...