Gambling Addiction

Gambling and the unpredictability of the roulette wheel stand at the center of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Gambler. Despite the fact that it is not a very rational activity, gambling captures the enthusiasms of many in The Gambler, enthralling those characters that are intoxicated by the feelings of victory. Experienced gamblers often work out strategies to ensure success, or at least a greater chance of success. Unfortunately, these types of patterns and strategies simply do not apply in games of chance like roulette. As Jeff Love describes, there is not a “fixed constant or indubitable ground permitting a deductive determination of the results of each turn of the wheel” in the game of roulette (Love 373). Put more simply, roulette is a game of

Moreover, there are other organizations and resources that can help gamblers undergo rehabilitations and treatments such as Gamblers Anonymous, Debtors Anonymous, National Council on Problem Gambling, or psychotherapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy. (Healthline.com/health/addiction/gambling) Treatment centers are available for these types of addiction and recommended for anyone who has a problem controlling their urges to gamble. Although Bachmann tried to overcome the demon that has been luring her to gambling, she did not try harder to defeat it. Harrah’s casino is also partly to blame for Angie Bachmann’s debts since they encouraged Angie Bachmann into gambling. Harrah’s knew that Bachmann had filed for bankruptcy, yet they still invited her to play. After her parents’ death, Bachmann became sad and vulnerable and the casino’s staff used that reason to lure her more into gambling. The casino preyed on Bachmann’s vulnerabilities: her depression over her parents’ deaths, her guilt for accepting the casino’s “gifts,” and her gambling addiction that she could not control. On the other hand, individuals and families in the society are considered victims in this

Addiction can alter the mind in many ways and change a person’s outlook on the life ahead of them. In the story, “Bandit” we meet a father who impacts the life of his family for the worse because of his gambling addiction, also known as ludomania. This extreme obsession can have a variation of effects to different people. It could be an influence of a mental health issue like, anxiety or depression. Not only does this type of addiction change a person mentally, but also the life and people around them. The word addiction itself can bring along the idea that it has to be a drug or alcohol. Addiction can be to anything really. It could be drugs, alcohol, eating, stealing, and in this case, gambling.

“As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day ‘Thy will be done.’ We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves” – Alcohol Anonymous. Alcohol and gambling are two addictions that impair an individual judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Moreover, the focus of this paper will explore the two different types of meetings I attended and then compare and contrast both.

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.

Angie Bachmann mother of 3 children, got addicted to gambling felt lonely at home, when her husband went to work and children went to school. Bachmann had gotten married young and had become pregnant almost right away. She had never held down a meaningful job. One morning, "She was sitting at home, staring at the television, so bored that she was giving serious thought to reorganizing the silverware drawer" (Duhigg). That morning the trouble began. She was really bored, so at about noon, Bachmann drove to a riverboat casino. She played and lost 40 dollars. After that first trip to the casino, Bachmann started going to the riverboat once a week. Then twice a week. Over the next decade, Bachmann played regularly. She went whenever she fought with her husband or was just bored. At the tables she was numb and excited, all at once. The high of winning was so immediate. The pain of losing passed so fast. According to Duhigg states" First, there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode. Then there is the routine - the behavior itself - which can be physical or mental or emotional. Finally, there is a reward, which helps

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 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

With the broad spectrum of addictions being diagnosed, analyzed, and remedied people mostly ignore the other side of what addictions can also cause. Relationships can be created and destroyed because of addictions and recovery is a tremendous struggle. In “Double Down.” The authors and brothers, Fredrick and Stephen Barthelme, told of their addiction to gambling and the illusions of the casinos. They had led normal lives excluding their gambling addictions, both being Professors at the college level. No previous accounts of addiction to drugs or alcohol were had, but following the death of their parents and receiving a massive inheritance they had turned to gambling. They lose mostly all of the inheritance and later get caught trying to “defeat” the illusion of the casinos, via cheating. Another article that relates to addiction is called, “Sleeping

Some people may look at the gambling as an addiction. These people would argue that it is not the anguish created by the power of freedom that brings a gambler back to gambling, but rather the chemicals in

According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, nearly 1.5 million Americans have experienced pathological gambling, which occurs when there is a dependence, harm, or lack of control over gambling habits (Samhsa). Samhsa goes on to explain that pathological gambling can be sparked by gambling as little as once a week. It may even derive by going as little as once a month, or once a week. Unfortunately, this is what transpired to Angie Bachmann, in Charles Duhigg’s Power of Habit. Mother of three and wife to a full-time working husband, Angie was frequently left in an empty home, with nothing to do. Spending her days watching game shows, such as: The Price is Right, Angie would often times find herself lonely and bored (Duhigg 246). Angie decided that if she got through the week without withering of boredom, then she would be rewarded with an excursion to the casino. The trips started off once a week with a few hours and a couple hundred dollars. Her addiction quickly jump started from once a week to three times a week. She was secretly attending the casino, spending a couple thousand, and playing multiple hands at once (Duhigg 247). Angie finally felt as if she had something to be proud of; she wasn’t just an orthodox, stay-at-home mom. The casino did as much as they could to make Angie feel special, almost like a celebrity. For instance, Angie would arrive at the casino in a limo, dine out in the buffet, and live lavishly in the casino suites. In another light, I

RCP also suggest that a person is more predisposed to becoming addicted to gambling if someone else in the family – particularly a parent is or has been a problem gambler. This can be partly due to learnt behaviour – by seeing a parent gamble or having been taught to gamble by them, the child will feel that this activity is acceptable and a family activity. Often children are taken to dog or horse racing and encouraged to have a bet. This early initiation into gambling will mean that the symptoms of euphoria and excitement of the activity will be embedded at an early age. Another group of people who are more likely to become addicted to gambling are those who are already dependent or alcohol or illegal drugs and thus are already presenting as having an addictive personalities. It is interesting to note the location of many bookmakers in relation to pubs and social clubs in city centres and housing estates.

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.

     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

Addiction is all around us. It may be that cup of coffee in the morning for the caffeine stimulation, the cigarette that is smoked for the nicotine, or an alcoholic drink used to relieve a stressful day or situation. For some, the addiction may not be to a substance, but to compulsive behaviors such as gambling, playing video games, or shopping. Consequences to addictions can impact an addict’s physical or mental state. Addiction can also have detrimental impact on the people that surround them. Watching a relationship fall apart because a person has an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or another addictive behavior is a sad thing to happen to anyone. Unfortunately, those with addictions usually won’t admit they even