Psychology
Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling or pathological gambling, is a behavioral addiction characterized by an inability to resist the urge to gamble despite negative consequences. Individuals with gambling addiction may experience financial, emotional, and social problems as a result of their compulsive gambling behavior. This addiction is often associated with a loss of control and can have serious impacts on a person's life.
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11 Key excerpts on "Gambling Addiction"
eBook - PDFAn Unsafe Bet?
The Dangerous Rise of Gambling and the Debate We Should Be Having
- Jim Orford(Author)
- 2010(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
The cognitive element is particularly important in the case of gambling which is encouraged by a number of mental biases, including misunderstand-ing of chance and randomness and the ‘illusion of control’, both of which are deliberately used in the promotion of gambling. As addiction develops, and behaviour comes into opposition with other life demands and responsibilities, approach-avoidance conflict arises. As conflict deepens, new sources of motivation are added into the mix (e.g. to assuage guilt or to fill time after losing a job), which further strengthens the addictive process. Amongst these ‘secondary addictive processes’, starting to ‘chase losses’ plays a particular role in the case of gambling. Addictive substances have been shown to affect the flow of neuro-chemicals in the brain, particularly the release of dopamine in a deep, mid-brain, or mesolimbic, area which is considered to be important for processing reward and directing attention. Although still preliminary, research has started to show that gambling has an effect on the brain which is similar to that of addictive substances . One theory is that of competition between the ‘impulsive’ demands of activity in the mid-brain and the more ‘reflective’ operation of parts of the evolutionary newer frontal brain cortex. It is this combination of brain effects, conditioning, cognitive elements and the consequences of conflict that, according to modern theory, accounts for the phenomenon of a difficult to break addiction such as can develop in the case of gambling. 5 Does the Fault Lie in the Person or in the Product? The previous chapter addressed the question of what addiction is and presented the case for seeing it as a general class of phenomena into which Gambling Addiction falls fairly and squarely as one of the chief species.
eBook - PDF- Katherine van Wormer, Diane Davis(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Cengage Learning EMEA(Publisher)
Markham & Young (2015) leave us with a sober warning that the Australian experience of exploitation of the poorer classes by a super-rich elite is being duplicated across the world. What is needed, they say, is to “understand the political economy of gambling and its societal consequences, an agenda beyond the routine psychological approaches that dominate the field” (p. 3). Naming the Problem Keeping in mind the theme of this book, that addiction occurs within a web of socioeconomic, biologic, and psychological influences, including the influence of “Big Gambling,” we turn back to how the individual gambler experiences Gambling Addiction, and how other’s recognize it for what it is. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (APA, 2013) has now reclassified pathological P P gambling from its Impulse Control Disorder category to a new category call Substance- Related and Addictive Disorders. This change marks a major shift in the conceptualization of addiction, formalizing behavioral addiction as an addiction category right alongside of substance use. The scientific evidence that supported the reclassification was diverse and extensive, including similarities in symptoms (tolerance, craving, and withdrawal), co-occurring disorders, genetics, and the impact on brain chemistry (Clark, 2014). The term pathological gambling is now called a gambling disorder (APA, 2013). Theuni00A0criteria for gambling disorder have been shortened from five or more symptoms to four or more persistent symptoms of the following, exhibited in a 12-month period: 1. Needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement; 2. Has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling; 3. Is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling; 4.
eBook - PDF- William G. McCown, William A. Howatt(Authors)
- 2007(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
From our per-spective, there are obvious benefits and economic savings to early intervention and prevention versus waiting for problems to worsen before intervening. Some researchers and practitioners state that gambling cannot be a true addic-tion because it does not involve any specific substances that are ingested, such as alcohol, nicotine, or heroin. Many others, including most treatment providers in the field of pathological gambling, believe that this difference is semantic and trivial (Grant & Potenza, 2005). We believe gambling is a real, addictive disor-der that can paralyze a person as much as any drug can. The use of mnemonic of the Three Cs of Addiction—Feelings of C ompulsion, Loss of C ontrol, and Con-tinued Use, Despite C onsequences —is an effective strategy for assessing the fre-quency, duration, and intensity of addictive behaviors such as gambling, drugs, alcohol, work, sex, Internet, and so forth. An Introduction to the Three Cs of Problem and Pathological Gambling The first “C,” Compulsion, involves an intense desire to irrationally gamble once a cue is present or a specific thought regarding gambling is triggered. A com-pulsion is an uncontrollable behavior sparked by an irrational idea, called an obsession . While these urges are not identical to the compulsions seen in anxiety disorders (such as DSM-IV-TR Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), they share sim-ilar overwhelming internal feelings that seem coercive and inescapable. They are seemingly beyond reasonableness . Anniversaries, various moods, physical events, people, places, practically anything can serve as powerful cues for eliciting an incapacitating need to gamble in people with a gambling-related disorder. Sylvia, a lawyer for a large firm, who played video poker for several hours a night, phrased this well when she said, “Imagine resisting the hardest thing, like laughing when you are tickled, or worse, maybe sneezing when you need to.
eBook - PDF- Angela Brownemiller Ph.D.(Author)
- 2009(Publication Date)
- Praeger(Publisher)
An essential aspect of treatments should be to iden- tify and address the factors that are antecedents to gambling, those that provide the underlying motivation and social and cultural context in which the behav- ior has developed. Only when these are addressed can treatment be extended to more specific psychological aspects of the behavior itself. This is because these broader social and structural factors influence a person’s exposure to gambling, opportunities to gamble. and ability to recover. Detailed analysis of the person’s daily schedule and the nature and extent of available social supports is essential during this phase of treatment. 252 Behavioral Addictions from Concept to Compulsion Viewing problem gambling as a biopsychosocial process recognizes the diversity of psychological factors involved in maintaining the behavior as well as the fact that problem gamblers are not a homogeneous group; in fact, there appear to be a number of subtypes (Griffiths, ). This has major treatment implications. For instance, Griffiths () outlined two very different types of gamblers. The first type appeared to be addicted to gambling itself and played to test skill, to gain social rewards, and mostly for excitement (i.e., the “buzz” or “high”). This was termed a primary addiction and appears to be a mixture of subcultural and impulsivist types of gamblers (Moran, ; Blaszczynski & Nower, ). Identifying the environmental, situational, or emotional fac- tors that precede a gambling session are important to know in administering any therapeutic intervention. Imaginal desensitization, counterconditioning, and situational exposure are methods that have been used to teach people to resist the urge to gamble. Of course, therapists differ in their views concern- ing the factors underlying this urge.
eBook - ePub- Bob Erens, Laura Mitchell, Jim Orford, Kerry Sproston, Clarissa White(Authors)
- 2004(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
The cognitive element in this cognitive-social-behavioural process model of problem gambling is a particularly important one. A great deal of modern psychological research has focused on cognitive biases and illusions which constitute one of the few topic areas unique to the gambling field: there is nothing quite like it in the literature on drinking for example. It is also a source of debate and friction within the wider realm of discourses about gambling. Historians such as Chinn (1991) and Reith (1999) have regretted the tendency to ‘pathologise’ gamblers and to assume that gambling is always irrational. In their accounts they have stressed the rational, socially consonant side to gambling, and the positive mental abilities and personal characteristics associated with gambling. Social scientists and close observers of gambling, such as Goffman (1967) and Rosecrance (1988) also emphasised admirable qualities associated with gambling such as rational decision-making, play, skill, and courage. It is perhaps foolish to think that research could help us choose between these two opposing facets to gambling. It might be better to think of them as two competing sets of experiences, attributions or constructions, constantly in dialectical relationship one to the other, always with the possibility that one side of gambling will gain ascendancy at the expense of the other. Certainly both were in evidence in the accounts given by the participants in the qualitative study. Whilst acknowledging the out-of-control nature of their gambling, some respondents spoke at length about the careful preparation they engaged in before betting, the judgements required, the choice exercised or skill displayed. Orientation towards skill and choice varied considerably, however, and not everyone put much preparation or planning into betting selections. Equally, there was evidence of illusory planning based on a misunderstanding of randomness; for example detailed study of previous winning numbers on the NL.What kind of addiction is problem gambling?
Where do we now stand on the question, raised in Chapter 3
eBook - PDFThe Disorders
Specialty Articles from the Encyclopedia of Mental Health
- Howard S. Friedman(Author)
- 2001(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
i J Gambling Douglas Carroll and FrankF. Eves University of Birmingham i. Gambling II. Pathological Gambling III. Prevalence IV. Explanations V. Treatment VI. Conclusions Arousal A state of activation or excitement mani- fest by heightened affect and increased physiological activity. Cognitive Bias A term used to describe the biases in thinking that individuals may display. Gambling Wagering money or goods on a game or sport in which the outcome is uncertain. Pathological Gambling An impulsive disorder manifest by an addiction to gambling. Personality The stable attributes and dispositions that characterize an individual. Prevalence A measure of the rate of a particular phenomenon, such as pathological gambling, within a population at a particular time. Reinforcement Schedule The pattern of outcomes associated with an individual's responses or actions. GAMBLING is a strikingly ubiquitous human ac- tivity. For most people it constitutes a fairly casual pastime, amid a varied matrix of social and leisure pursuits. For some, however, gambling is anything but a casual activity: for the pathological gambler, gambling is preoccupying, consuming substantial time and money. The American Psychiatric Association re- gards pathological gambling as an impulsive disorder manifest as an addiction to gambling akin to alcohol or drug addiction. This entry briefly describes the sa- lient characteristics of the pathological gambler and indicates the current prevalence of the disorder. Ex- planations for pathological gambling are reviewed along with comments on treatment and intervention. 235 I. GAMBLING Gambling, in some form or another, is legally sanc- tioned in more than 90 countries worldwide and in 48 of the 50 states of the United States. In 1988, it was estimated that Americans legally wagered some $210 billion; by 1991, the estimated expenditure on gambling had soared by 50% to $304 billion.
eBook - PDFDrugs and the Future
Brain Science, Addiction and Society
- David J. Nutt, Trevor W. Robbins, Gerald V. Stimson, Martin Ince, Andrew Jackson(Authors)
- 2006(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
An account of the potential addictive- ness of gambling from a learning perspec- tive would be incomplete without including the secondary reinforcing of the condition- ing by association with a whole host of apparently neutral cues surrounding gam- bling occasions. These include race commen- taries in betting offices, the colours, shapes and noises that make up the atmosphere of a casino, and the lights, sounds and other stimuli built into gambling machines and the arcades that house them (Griffiths, 1993b, 1995). Sharpe et al. (1995) provided exper- imental evidence of such conditioning, in the form of psychophysiological responses, in the case of problem gamblers watch- ing videos depicting gambling or imagining themselves winning. Emotional rewards from gambling are widely thought to be as important as finan- cial ones. Arousal, in the form of increases in heart rate, has been found in a num- ber of studies to be associated with real (as opposed to simulated) machine or horse- race gambling (eg Leary and Dickerson, 1985; Coventry and Norman, 1997; Coventry and Hudson, 2001). What problem gamblers often say about the emotional changes dur- ing gambling resembles reports of the taking of amphetamines (Hickey et al., 1986). But for some people, or under some circum- stances, gambling has been described, not as a stimulant, but as a kind of ‘self-medication’, as an ‘anaesthetic’ or a form of ‘escape seek- ing’ (Lesieur and Rosenthal, 1991; Jacobs, 1993; Elster, 1999). The association between problem gambling and depression is rel- evant here. Lesieur and Rosenthal (1991) found some evidence that escape-seeking gambling was more common among women than among men. 4.4 Cognitive Processes Cognitive approaches to gambling have taken a number of different directions. One is concerned with the degree to which people are ‘risk-averse’ or the opposite, and the con- ditions of risk and mood under which people take more or fewer risks (Nygren, 1998).
eBook - ePubHandbook of Addictive Disorders
A Practical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
- Robert Holman Coombs(Author)
- 2009(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
The DSM-IV-TR classifies gambling as an impulse control disorder, grouped with such behaviors as fire setting and pica. The concept that gambling is an addictive behavior is deliberately sidestepped. Yet, as Table 6.1 illustrates, problem gambling and pharmacological addictions share substantial behaviors. Often, there effects are indistinguishable. Equally confusing to researchers are suitable ways of measuring the effects of treatment on the problem gambler’s family, social network, and society. Often, reductions in these harms are difficult to quantify. Clinicians need to be aware of all of the difficulties researchers face because they will also face similar problems in clinical practice (McCown & Chamberlain, 2004). Until these and other difficulties are answered, research in gambling will continue at a slow rate (Castellani, 2000). Given this climate, it is not surprising that research-oriented clinicians are steered toward more friendly areas of psychiatric research. Certainly, there are exceptions, including the work of outstanding clinician-researchers, such as Lesieur, Lorenz, Rosenthal, Schaffer, Taber, and Volberg to name a few Americans. Furthermore, research has flourished from clinicians in Britain, Australia, and other locations. However, most interventions for problem gambling that we presently use today have poor empirical validation. This forces the clinician to rely primarily on the experiences of other treatment providers
eBook - ePub- Michael S. Ascher, Petros Levounis, Michael S. Ascher, Petros Levounis(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- American Psychiatric Association Publishing(Publisher)
The clinical case illustrated here presents several common issues prevalent among those seeking treatment, including the presence of comorbid disorders, cognitive distortions about gambling, ambivalence about abstaining from gambling, and difficulty taking concrete steps to reduce gambling during treatment. Gambling disorder can result in substantial negative consequences for patients and their families. Fortunately, several treatment options are available, ranging from self-help to brief inventions to intensive therapies. These treatments are efficacious in reducing gambling problems and provide choices for patients with differing needs and concerns.Key Points
• Gambling disorder affects about 1%–2% of individuals in the United States throughout their lifetime. • Individuals with gambling problems can experience many negative consequences as a result of their gambling, including mental health, financial, legal, and family relationship issues. • Gambling disorder has high comorbidity rates with anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. • A variety of effective treatment options are available, including self-help, cognitive and cognitive-behavioral treatments, and brief motivational interventions.References
American Psychiatric Association : Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1980American Psychiatric Association : Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994American Psychiatric Association : Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition. Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013Gerstein D, Hoffman J, Larison C, et al : Gambling Impact and Behavior Study: Report to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission. Chicago, IL, National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 1999Hodgins DC, Currie SR, el-Guebaly N : Motivational enhancement and self-help treatments for problem gambling. J Consult Clin Psychol 69(1):50–57, 2001 11302277Labrie RA, Peller AJ, Laplante DA, et al
- Dennis M. Donovan, G. Alan Marlatt, Dennis M. Donovan, G. Alan Marlatt(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- The Guilford Press(Publisher)
It is not necessary to es- tablish that all addiction is caused by genetic vulnerability. Heavy exposure to alcohol and other drugs may set in motion perturbators of neurochemistry and receptors which may have similar end results” (p. 2). This common neu- robiological vulnerability has linked the prevalence of pathological gambling to increased rates of Tourette’s syndrome (Comings, 1998). Neurobiological, neuropsychological, and clinical studies (e.g., Rugle & Melamed, 1993) provide growing evidence that there is an increase in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among pathological com- pared with nonpathological gamblers (Comings et al., 1999; Hollander, Buchalter, & DeCaria, 2000; National Research Council, 1999; Specker, Carlson, Christenson, & Marcotte, 1995; Wise, 1995). Research has identi- fied preliminary evidence that noradrenaline is associated with attention prob- lems (e.g., ADHD) and that dopamine level shifts might be associated with pathological gambling (Bergh et al., 1997). ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS: FROM CONCEPT TO PRACTICE As gambling-related disorders have emerged as a public health concern, this attention has encouraged increasing attention from treatment providers. New treatments for gambling disorders are appearing. Assessment is the first and an ongoing element of the treatment process. Although it is seemingly straightforward, assessment reflects a complex and difficult set of multidimen- sional activities. For example, the assessment process provides a foundation for developing an alliance with patients, a blueprint for treatment planning, and a reference point for treatment monitoring and aftercare. Assessment is a broad concept that represents screening, evaluation, and diagnostic activities. Typically, screening involves a brief assessment of people who are not in treatment but have interest in whether a particular disorder might apply to them.
eBook - PDFCounseling Problem Gamblers
A Self-Regulation Manual for Individual and Family Therapy
- Joseph W. Ciarrocchi(Author)
- 2001(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
In summary, the role played by negative mood states in either the onset or persistence of problem gambling is not known at this time, although depression as a consequence of pathological gambling is well established. Escape Jacobs (1986) has proposed a motivational model based on the centrality of escape and its similarity across addictions. Gambling, like alcohol and drug abuse, begins with intensely negative childhood experiences that predispose the person to high levels of negative affect. This, in turn, leads to various escape routes, some of which include addictive behaviors. In a study of 30 GA members and 30 social gamblers, the former endorsed four dissociative items more frequently (Kuley & Jacobs, 1988). These items referred to feeling like a different person while gam-bling, feeling in a trance after a period of gambling, feeling outside oneself while gambling, and experiencing memory blackouts after a period of gambling. Similar dissociative items discriminated problem gambling from social gambling in a sample of French-Canadian high school students (Gupta & Derevensky, 1998). Pathological gamblers differed from other gamblers on a series of reasons given Affective–Motivational Variables 37 for gambling. Nevertheless, only 20% of pathological gamblers reported “escape problems” as a reason for gambling in contrast, for example, to “enjoyment” (92.3%), excitement (92.3%) or “make money” (87.7%). This suggests that es-cape, as a conscious motivation, is not foremost in adolescents with pathological gambling problems. COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS Research on cognitive errors and their relationship to gambling has special importance for the pathological gambling field. First, this research has generated promising treatment strategies. Second, the model flows organically from some of the best research in social-cognitive psychology, arguably the major paradigm in social psychology today (Bandura, 1986; Barrone et al. , 1997).
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