Pathological Gambling Rolling dice once and suddenly winning a huge amount of money. Only, that person knows the satisfaction because almost everyone enjoys becoming a bit richer, but he would have no idea about when this satisfaction will lead him to addiction? The thinking “I am sure I will be winning this time” never allows that person to realize the amount of time and money he had spent on gambling. National surveys in 1995 and 1998 found that 61% to 63% of Americans gambled at least once a year (National research council staff). Pathological gambling is different from normal recreational gambling. Normal gambling is viewed as a source of entertainment. Pathological gambling, on the other hand, is the inability of a person to resist impulses to gamble which may turn out to be evil for self, family, and society. “When the gambler enters the desperate phase and begins to chase his losses”, Sanger said “he is ready to sell his daughter’s graduation dress or steal from his mother’s retirement fund to get money to gamble” (Breo, Losing Streaks). Pathological gambling is more common in adult men than any other age groups. According to current research, among 120 million adult Americans who gamble, approximately 11 million will end up being pathological gamblers (Paul and Townsend 1998). People will often point out their social or economic problems to be the main reasons for gambling. However, research shows that people gamble not only for excitement but also with the hope of
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
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).
According to New York Times in 1999 report: “More than five million Americans are pathological or problem gamblers, and another 15 million are at risk of falling into the same morass, according to a study reported last month by the
The goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy is the same person who would cause the fall of Macbeth. Because of Hecate and the 3 we’ird sisters, Macbeth, and later Maclcom becomes the king of Scotland.
(Asian-Nation) These rates are ridiculously higher than the rate we find throughout our entire nation. Current data suggests that only 1.6% of Americans can be classified as pathological gamblers, and about 3% are considered problem gamblers. (Asian-Nation) Within the immense gambling world in America, roughly 80% that take part are Asian Americans. (Asian-Nation)
For my Disorder paper topic, is it okay that I change my topic from learning disabilities to Pathological Gambling instead? I find the topic of Pathological Gambling more interesting and already have my three references for the topic. Plus, the disorder covers the subtopics we are supposed to answer.
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,
The harm principle states that the actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent harm to other individuals. The harm principle applies to Sarah Jones due to her negligence of her (3) minor children. Sarah had been a gambler for over three years, and that time she’s a slightly stressful situation into a major problem addiction. She began betting on bingo but soon that wasn’t a satisfying high any longer. So, Sarah started going to the casino’s. Gambling is an addiction for some, and for her, it was just that. For her to lose $85,000, and have to take out a second mortgage on her house; or to never be at home during the afternoon or evenings that's a serious problem. The fact that she is gone so often that her children aren't getting
America was founded on the back of the black slave. The first black slave was brought into America in 1619 by the Dutch, and the industry spread like wildfire (History.com Staff). The southern economy relied on slave labor for tobacco and cotton until some of the states’ soil became so nutrient poor that they found a new cash crop, breeding slaves. However, those of Hispanic descent have only in recent years faced discrimination proportionate to African Americans. With the increase in anti-immigration culture, Hispanics are being stigmatized as well as falling victim to hate crimes. In recent history however, the U.S. has made continuous strides in equality for the black and Hispanic populations, but years of discrimination and abuse has aided in keeping our colored minorities from making progress in our society.
The fourth member who shared the experience of gambling addiction was a 28 years old male who had master’s degree and worked in the financial department in a bank. He just stopped for the last two years and joined the Gamblers Anonymous. He did not realize that he had a problem. He started his gambling habit by playing poker with friends and playing online in 2000. He declared that he owed six figures plus interest to the credit card companies. He did not have a concept about keeping money. Furthermore, he claimed that what he enjoyed during gambling was the impulse. El-Guebaly, Mudry, Tavares, & Potenza (2011) also supported, "pathological gambling have been described as ego-syntonic, meaning they are often preceded by feelings of pleasure,
The neurochemical changes that take place when restricting food and binging are mirrored by those with addiction to drugs and alcohol. A dysfunction hypothalamus is an additional part of the brain that is involved in controlling appetite and eating patterns. The hypothalamus is thought of as the on and off switch for producing and suppressing feelings of hunger (Wadden et. al, 2004). Research demonstrates that those given MRI’s show abnormal activity in both the ventromedial hypothalamus and the lateral hypothalamus (Cash & Smolak, 2011). Both parts work together to create the homeostasis one’s appetite. Those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa may have an abnormal activity in the lateral hypothalamus that creates a sense of hunger. Whereas
Addictions come in different forms for instance, there are behavioral addiction and substance addictions. Both of these addictions are similar and have some of the same results. For someone who has a substance addiction they can not control themselves from consuming whatever drug they are addicted to, if they did try and stop their body could relapse, or they become could become ill. Behavioral addictions in some cases can be just as severe. For instance Gambling is a behavior that can become very addictive, and lead to many problems if one lets it. Gambling is still a topic that has not been studied enough, the research available on it is very limited. However, when abused gambling is a serious behavioral addiction and the more research that
Much like substance abuse, pathological gambling can often take over an individual’s life and jeopardize their ability to fulfil, social, family or work-related responsibilities. For example, family discordance (Lorenz & Yaffee, 1986), and large debts and bankruptcies are highly common (Fong, 2005). 60 percent of pathological gamblers are also found to commit illegal acts to support their gambling (Rosenthal & Lorenz, 1992). This makes the continuation of behaviours or activities despite their adverse consequences a key component that defines both pathological gamblers and substance abuser (Lesieur & Rosenthal, 1991). As Shaffer and Korn (2003) note, people with kleptomania and pyromania are driven by impulse, and report a sense of relief once completing the behaviour. In contrast, pathological gamblers report experiencing enjoyment during the act, and often distress afterwards, once gambling’s ceases or losses are incurred. All this suggests that problem gamblers clinically resemble alcoholics or drug addicts.
There are some people that only gamble once or twice a year for fun if they go on a business trip, honeymoon, vacation, etc. These of people don’t find this is a problem and they actually don’t see anything negative about it because they know how to control themselves. There are other people who feel the need to gamble every day, even upon awakening. They see this as their way of life and what they don’t see the fact that they could lose everything and leave their life in shambles. There are ways to tell if you could be a compulsive gambler. These ways to tell begin with the simple fact of whether or not you spend
Walking into the flashing lights, the happy people and seeing people win; are all the start of a bad beginning. Gamblers have a different mindset them some and they need help most of the time. The worse thing for a person just starting out is to see people win because they believe they are going to do the same thing and even more. That is almost never how it turns out; it usually starts with betting small, but gamblers always raise their bets over time even if they are winning or losing. There have been a few people in my life that have been addicted to gambling including myself. My grandma and grandpa are big into it, but a few years ago my grandpa decided enough was enough and got help from a professional. My grandma on the other hand did not and still is a heavy gambler to this day. My father was the biggest gambler I ever knew and I would go as far as saying he was the biggest gambler in Cape Girardeau at the time. I remember planes from Vegas coming to pick us up, getting all the food we wanted and vacations, and staying everywhere for free.