Pathological Gambling

Up to 90% of adults in Australia have gambled at some point in their life.more statistics The promises made, were lies, and the same errors relapsed over and over again.We will be waiting when you can tell yourself there’s so much more to life than just gambling.We will be waiting for you gamblers to take a step back and think about the love ones whom you are destroying, but when will this happen? and will it not re- occur?. We now so well the difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling, which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, their family or friends and for the community. The latest research suggests that about one per cent of the population has a gambling problem. These ranges from increasing levels of debt,

Twenty-one is the premier age an individual turns in order to try first hand at gambling in the United States, unless eighteen and on vacation on a cruise ship. Gambling brings suspense, excitement, enjoyment and most of all, money, to those who participate. Although the excitement of hitting “blackjack,” wears off after the weeks following a twenty-first birthday, the downside can last a life time. Gambling has become an overnight sensation and continues to grow throughout the United States and around the world. The addicting highs of gambling have consumed numerous individuals towards downward spirals and tribulations. Some researchers, and psychologists, suggest that gambling is a victimless crime, however,

There are many different forms of gambling. Whether one is betting on a lottery ticket, a horse race, a sports game, or slot machines, to name a few, they are spending money with unfavourable odds of winning that money back. Many people cannot control when they walk away from gambling, as they will continue to bet in an attempt to win back the lost money. The issue is - for the most part - that the losses continue to increase. In Victoria, in the fiscal year of 2000-01, gamblers lost a total of $14.38 billion, including $2.36 billion on the leading cause of losses, poker machines (11). This can result in problem gambling. Based on different surveys in Canada, it is estimated that approximately 1 in 20 Canadians either have a gambling problem, or are at serious risk of obtaining one. 1 in 20 Canadians adds up to 760,800 problem gamblers (12). In the US, an estimated 3 million people are problem gamblers, and another 15 million are at risk of developing gambling problems (13). Problem gambling would not be as severe of an issue if it only harmed the gambler themselves, as it is their choice to gamble and displays a only a lack of self control. The issue is that people are indirectly affected by problem gambling. It can result in problems with personal relationships, neglect of ones family, bankruptcy, and stress related disorders such as depression, or insomnia (14). Problem gambling also has a positive correlation with crime. This means that the more problem gamblers there are, the more crimes are being committed. Statistics from a published survey show that only 3.3% of responsible, low frequency gamblers have been convicted of committing a crime, while a staggering 28.3% of problem gamblers have been convicted at least once (15). These numbers show that problem gamblers do not only harm themselves, but the consequences have a continuous ripple effect,

It is important to know if there is a link between gambling disorders and substance use because it can assist in finding treatment that works more effectively for comorbidity of these disorders. It is also important to note that it could also help figure out the neurological explanation to addiction because drugs can change the shape and processes of a brain, and gambling is a form of addiction that does not. Pathological gambling and substance abuse/ dependence have similar classifications. This paper will provide evidence to answer the question “what is relationship between gambling disorders and substance use in adults?”

According to national surveys, 73% of British adults wagered on gambling activities (including National Lottery) in 2010 [2]. In some instances, this behaviour can become problematic and is characterised by persistent gambling that precedes gambling-related harms [6]. Whilst personal accounts of disordered gambling behaviour and harms related to specific gambling products have garnered a large amount of media exposure and research interest in the UK, the provision and understanding of treatment-seeking behaviour has received less attention. Conservative estimates indicate that approximately 1% of the UK population report gambling behaviour that warrants a diagnosis of either pathological gambling (ICD-10, [7]) or gambling disorder (DSM-5, [5])

Gambling is all around the United States, and it can be a dangerous game for families. Many casino’s find gambling as a profit for their Company, since many people from around the United States will come to their casino and try to win it big with their own money. Gambling has been around for many years and a statement made by Worldcasinodirectory.com, stated “To begin with, gambling did not originate in the US- it came to this country with immigrants from Europe, Asia- especially China, and other parts of the world.” The United States was just another victim of an ongoing addiction. By, understanding how gambling reached the borders of The United States, how a notorious gang leader started the empire of gambling, and how an addiction pushes people to their limits, can help understand how gambling has become such a demanding element in a society.

“The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted a study before the first Maryland casino opened in 2010, and published it in 2011. They found that nearly 90 percent of Marylanders had gambled, and that 3.4 percent were either pathological gamblers or problem gamblers.” (Massimo) There has been numerous stories of addicted gamblers in debt, gamblers that have lost family and friends from their addictions. There was a man $400,000 in debt, his wife threw him out of the house and told him he could not see his kids again unless he gave up gambling. Also, another gambler went on a 48 hour binge without sleeping and barely eating. A woman faced a jail term for stealing $135,000 to feed her gambling

Gambling is seen as a psychological problem affecting millions of Americans across the country. It is estimated that 20 million Americans have or could develop gambling problems, and about half of these are young adults. Gambling is sometimes connected to spouse and child abuse, bankruptcy, mental breakdowns, substance abuse, theft, divorce, and suicide. It is estimated that people are twice as likely to be a problem or pathological gambler if a casino is within 50 miles of their home. Citizens will also experience alcohol-related problems, as the casinos will be permitted to sell or provide complimentary alcoholic beverages during all hours that they operate (Amend. 5, Sect. 10E).

“Pathological gambling is excessive risk taking exaggerated to an especially destructive extreme.” This is the way Dr. Ted and Brad Klontz open their chapter on the destructive behavior that is gambling (Klontz, B., & Klontz, T, 2009). As the authors describe gambling is a habit that becomes like a drug as people, mostly men, continue to gamble to make themselves feel better about themselves or to escape their present reality. The biggest danger of this disorder is that it is one that people try to hide from others the most, and are very hesitant to admit that their gambling is an addiction.

Research suggests that there are relationships between problem gambling, borderline personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder, depression, anxiety, bulimia nervosa and substance abuse disorders (Fischer & Smith, 2008; MacLaren, Fugelsang, Harrigan, & Dixon, 2011; Sacco, Cunningham-Williams, Ostmann, & Spitznagel, 2008). The body of research that suggests the relationship and co-morbidities of problem gambling and the above mentioned psychological disorders are primarily linked to shared personality traits, especially the high scores in neuroticism and high impulsivity (MacLaren, Best, Dixon, & Harrigan, 2011; MacLaren, Fugelsang, Harrigan, & Dixon, 2011; Sacco, Cunningham-Williams, Ostmann, & Spitznagel, 2008). Further investigation into problem gambling and co-morbidity is needed, to fully determine the extent of the relationships and to explore the possibility that individuals with gambling problem could be gambling as a form of escapism to avoid instances of anxiety and depression, and it is a maladaptive coping mechanism for some individual’s, making it the symptom rather than the cause in some cases (Bagby, et al., 2007; Myrseth, Pallesen, Molde, Johnsen, & Lorvik,

(2006) assigned participants into one of the following groups: (a) a referral to Gamblers Anonymous, (b) a cognitive behavioral workbook, and (c) 8 sessions of individual cognitive behavioral therapy. The participants for the study consisted of a total of 231 pathological gamblers. The results, like Sylvain et al., (1997), found cognitive behavioral therapy to increase abstinence from gambling behaviors. The study found individual cognitive behavioral therapy sessions lead to more progress than the group which only received the cognitive behavioral workbook. The group receiving cognitive behavioral therapy sessions also was shown to reduce gambling more than those who went to gamblers anonymous (Petry et at.,

According to the American Psychological Association, people with an irresistibility to gamble have a mental disorder (Fay). People get caught in the trap of compulsive gambling because of many contributing factors. In a survey done before the Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act, the top factors that show why people resort to online gambling instead of land-based casinos are convenience, ease, and comfort (Wood, Williams, and Lawton). The three reasons mean that people will most likely choose to stay at home and gamble more often. People will gamble online more often than going to a casino because the internet provides the gamblers with faster speed and instant pleasure (Hammer). Pleasure contributes to the path of a gambling addict. Gamblers

     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

Like an alcohol or drug addiction, pathological gambling is a long-term disorder that tends to get worse without treatment. Even with treatment, it can be quite common to

Gambling disorders are associated with numerous negative consequences and are highly correlated with other risky behaviors in the college student population. Gambling brings no excitement in life but gives birth to other problems like domestic violence, indulgence in criminal acts such as thefts and burglary, loss of employment due to behavioral and health problems and even family breakdown and social isolation. Compared to students without gambling problems, students who gamble are more likely to use tobacco, drink heavily or binge drink, smoke marijuana or use other illegal drugs, drive under the influence and have a low GPA. Also, student gamblers are more likely go into debt and borrow large amounts of money to gambling more frequently. Depression, migraines and anxiety are only a few of the mental illnesses that are common among students addicted to gambling. Personalities can be completely changed and behaviors altered, such as lying to friends and family, thinking about or committing illegal acts to finance their gambling, or developing suicidal thoughts. All of these reasons are why gambling among college student needs to be banned.