Gambling Psychological Disorder

Posted on 4/10/202222.08.2017by admin

Gambling Disorder Treatment
List Of Psychological Disorders
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Gambling Psychological Disorders

Pathological gambling disorder is seen as gambling which is uncontrollable and can alter and adversely affect the individual’s recreational and social activities. This disorder has an extremely disruptive and adverse affect on the life of the individual that suffers from it. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition, gambling disorder is a condition characterized by persistent problematic gambling behavior that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress. Roughly 2 percent of the U.S. Adult population has a gambling disorder, and current estimates of prevalence in the military are even lower, in the range.

As march continues, so do does our focus on Problem Gambling Awareness Month. We want to share the importance of learning more about problem gambling as a mental health diagnosable disorder and connecting people in need to care.

Importance of Raising Awareness

Compulsive gambling, also called gambling disorder, is the uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. Gambling means that you're willing to risk something you value in the hope of getting something of even greater value.

Even with all the hard work of the many professionals and agencies across New York State, the US and around the world, many people are still not aware that problem gambling can lead to a diagnosable, treatable mental health disorder called gambling disorder. That was a mouthful! Let’s break that down.

As of 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included gambling disorder as a diagnosable disorder. This means that there is enough supporting evidence through research and studies, that gambling disorder is not a lack of willpower. Instead, gambling disorder is a mental health condition that can be helped with professional treatment.

Why is this important?

As a mental health disorder, we now know that people who struggle with gambling problems are not weak. They struggle with their gambling just as a person can struggle with drinking. Both the person struggling with gambling disorder and the person struggling with alcoholism are struggling with addiction. Addictions are brain diseases that can be identified and treated by trained professionals.

The fact that gambling disorder can be diagnosed and treated means that we should be connecting those people who are struggling to the help they need. Especially since options for help are becoming more available throughout New York State.

Gambling Disorder is a Mental Illness

Two-thirds of gamblers surveyed reported that their mental health suffered as a result of their gambling. (Nash et al, 2018). In fact, the majority of those experiencing disordered gambling have a lifetime history of a psychiatric disorder. In addition to struggling with gambling:

Over 60% also have a personality disorder,
Over 49% also have a mood disorder,
Over 41% also have an anxiety disorder(Petry et al, 2005), and
Nearly 37% of those experiencing a gambling problem and 50% of those with disordered gambling have had suicidal thoughts. Over 17% of these individuals have attempted suicide (Moghaddam et al, 2015).

Problem gambling does not just affect the individual who is gambling, but also his or her loved ones.

Supporting Those in Need

Every person struggling with gambling problems affects at least 10 people closest to them. In one study over 90% of those affected by someone else’s gambling behavior reported emotional distress (Nash et al, 2018). So, it only makes sense to offer support to anyone affected by problems that are rooted in gambling. Therefore, there is support available for people struggling with problem gambling, as well as loved ones who are adversely affected by someone else’s gambling.

People who struggle with problem gambling can reach out to their local Problem Gambling Resource Center by visiting NYProblemagamblingHELP.org. People who call are greeted by a resource professional. This professional can assist the caller with understanding the available local resources and services. The services could include an inpatient care center, a one on one clinician, self-help groups, etc. They also offer informational resources for callers to learn more.

Information and Resources

Additional to reaching out to your local Problem Gambling Resource Center, the New York Council and Problem Gambling (NYCPG) has created a Family Toolkit. This toolkit offers resources and information to learn more about problem gambling. It also covers ways to take care of yourself, and resources to discuss the effects of problem gambling.

As Problem Gambling Awareness Month continues, please feel free to look through the Know The Odds website for information and resources. You can also follow the NYCPG on Facebook and Twitter to be connected with additional statistics and resources as we continue to help people negatively affected by gambling problems.

Additional 2020 PGAM Articles:

People gamble for a whole range of reasons. While gambling moderately is not a problem, gambling can become an addiction and can be harmful to our mental health.

Why do we gamble?

People gamble for a variety of reasons, including:

the buzz, the excitement, and the high adrenaline release
the competitive element - trying to beat other players, the bookie, or the dealer
the thrill of risk taking, of placing large bets
to solve financial problems
a way of escaping from stress or worries.

Sensible gambling

Some people say that there is no such thing as safe gambling. Others argue that gambling is like drinking alcohol - it's safe to do as long as you follow some sensible rules.

Keep away from high-risk forms of gambling where you can lose large sums of money very quickly.
Limit the amount of time you gamble. This will give you time to do other, more important things with your life.
Limit the amount you spend to the amount you can afford to lose. When you have spent this much, walk away.
Quit while you are ahead. If you continue, you are likely to lose because the odds are always stacked against you. That's how bookies and the casinos make their money.

When gambling becomes a problem

For most of us, gambling is a harmless activity. But, for some people, gambling is a way of life, an addiction that can wreck their lives.

You may be a compulsive gambler if:

Gambling Disorder Treatment

you spend more money on gambling then you can afford. If you continue to gamble, you could get into serious debt. You could also lose your home and your possessions
you spend so much time gambling that you neglect other important areas of your life, like your family or your work. You could lose your job or end up divorced or separated from your partner and children
your feelings and behaviour change. For example, you may become depressed when you lose or over-excited when you win. In serious cases, you may feel that you are only really alive when you gamble
it leads you to inappropriate or even criminal behaviour. For example, you may lie to family and friends about your gambling activities or you may steal to fund your gambling habit.

Questions to ask yourself

List Of Psychological Disorders

If you think you may have a gambling problem but are not sure, ask yourself:

Is gambling making me unhappy at work or at home?
Is gambling making it hard to sleep at night or concentrate during the day?
Am I lying to other people and myself about how much I gamble?
Am I gambling to get away from problems or worries?
Am I gambling to get money - so that I can pay off debts or solve financial problems?
Am I borrowing money or selling possessions so that I can gamble?
If I have just won or just lost, do I feel I need to gamble just a little bit more?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may have a gambling problem.

What causes compulsive gambling?

All compulsive behaviours have social, psychological and biological origins. Gambling brings us into contact with others, even if we are using internet gaming rooms. This can provide a sense of community, however damaging the associated behaviours. Social meaning and acceptance by others are important to us all and for the compulsive gambler these can be found in virtual gaming rooms, real casinos, bookmakers and so on.

Gambling also changes how we feel psychologically as well as socially. It allows us to escape our normal lives and the everyday struggles we experience. During a period of gambling our mind is occupied by the odds, the bet, the race, the actions of other gamers, the run of the cards and so on. It can be all-consuming and therefore provides an engaging, exciting escape from ordinary life.

At the biological level, compulsive behaviours can have a direct effect on the brains dopamine reward system. This system regulates our responses to natural rewards like food, sex and social interaction. Repeated compulsive behaviours can act on this system with a power and persistence that changes its cells chemically and structurally. This in turn can have an overwhelming effect on our well-being. People may no longer respond normally to rewards such as food, sex and social interaction, and instead depend on gambling for their sense of reward.

Compulsive gambling can therefore develop through the social meaning and psychological relief that it offers. This is further compounded by the chemical changes in our brain that accompany these experiences. It is in fact artificial to separate these factors since they all occur simultaneously for the compulsive gambler. Social meaning, psychological relief and a fired dopamine reward system can be a difficult combination of experiences for the most hardy of individuals to resist.

Helping yourself

If you feel that you have lost control of your gambling, there are some things you can do to help yourself.

Admitting you have a problem is the first and most important step.
Find someone you can trust to talk to about your problem. It could be a friend, a relative or a specialist advisor.
Avoid locations and situations where you may be tempted to gamble.
Take control of how you spend your money, so that you don't waste it on gambling.
If you can't do this by yourself, you may need to ask someone else to help you do this.
Take one day at a time. Don't expect everything to improve straight away.

Examples Of Psychological Disorders

Living with someone who gambles

Living with someone who gambles can be just as difficult as living with someone with any other kind of addiction. It can be very stressful and it can lead to the breakdown of your relationship.

If you are not sure whether you are living with someone who has a gambling problem, ask yourself: