Gambling Disorder

According to the article “Gambling Worry as India Firms Bet Big on Online Games,” published in
BBC’s website, Faisal Maqbool, a 31-year-old project coordinator with a construction firm, lost close
to 400,000 rupees ($5,000; £4,010) in five months due to his habit of playing an online card game.

Habits can develop when good or enjoyable events trigger the brain’s “reward” centers. This can set
up potentially harmful routines, such as overeating, smoking, drug or alcohol abuse and even
gambling. Addiction professionals and the public are recognizing that certain non-substance
behaviors—such as gambling—bear resemblance to alcohol and drug dependence. This article
focuses on why gambling is becoming a huge problem and how to get rid of this habit.

What Is Gambling?

Gambling is any game of chance in which money changes hands. Anyone who’s bought a lottery
ticket or played bingo has gambled.

It’s common in most cultures around the world. Gambling is often done in family settings, condoned
or encouraged by parents. Many people enjoy gambling as recreation without causing harm to
themselves or others. Yet some people cannot control their impulse to gamble, even when it takes a
terrible toll on their lives. The younger you start, the more likely you are to get into trouble later on.

Gambling disorder (GD) is recognized as an addictive disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders- 5th Edition (DSM-5).

Why Gambling?

According to Dr. John Welte of the University of Buffalo, across the lifespan, gambling problems are
even more common than alcohol dependence. They are also much more common in males, in young
people and in people who live in relatively poor neighborhoods. “People are hoping that winning will
improve their lot. That makes them more vulnerable to developing a gambling problem.”

Why Is Gambling Irresistible to Some Folks and Not Others?

Using advanced imaging techniques, Dr. Alexander Neumeister of Mount Sinai School of Medicine
looked at the brains of people with gambling problems and alcohol problems. He measured the
number of special receptors involved in regulating impulse control and other factors.

“A key feature of addiction is impaired impulse control,” says Neumeister. “Abnormal function of the
forebrain leads to reduced tolerance to waiting.” The resulting impatience may cause people to act
without considering the consequences. “Our imaging clearly points toward the importance of
impaired forebrain function in addiction.”

Pinpointing areas in the brain’s reward center, Neumeister’s team found that people with alcohol
addiction and gambling problems show different functioning of these special receptors compared to
healthy people. The differences were related to the severity of addiction.

What Is Problem Gambling?

Problem gambling is defined by some researchers as gambling that causes harm to the gambler or
someone else, in spite of a desire to stop. It can progress to a recognized psychiatric diagnosis called
pathological gambling.

What Is Pathological Gambling?

Pathological gambling (PG) is a non-substance or ‘behavioral’ addiction in which elements, such as
impaired self-control, may be shared amongst individuals with PG and those with substance use
disorders (SUDs).

“Pathological gambling comes with a constellation of problems that contribute to chaos,” says Dr.
Donald Black of the University of Iowa. “It’s associated with worse physical health, excessive
smoking, excessive drinking, not exercising, not seeing primary care doctors and worse dental care.
It also fuels depression, family dysfunction, crime, bankruptcy and suicide.”

Signs of Problem Gambling

Most people who gamble do not have a problem, but some lose control of their gambling. Seek help
if:

 You always think about gambling.

 You gamble with money you need for other things.
 You keep gambling even though you may feel bad afterward.
 You get nervous when you try to quit.
 You need to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same buzz.
 You lose money, but you return to “chase” losses by gambling even more.
 You spend work, school or family time gambling.
 You tell lies to hide your gambling.
 You lose a job, educational opportunity or relationship because of gambling.
 You find that no matter how hard you try, you cannot stop.

Getting Rid of Gambling Habit

Anybody can have a gambling problem, and no one should feel ashamed or be afraid to seek
treatment. If you have concerns about your gambling, ask for help. Your healthcare provider can
work with you to find the treatment that’s best for you.

Psychotherapy or talk therapy is the first step to get rid of this habit. Psychotherapy is a term for a
variety of treatment techniques that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions,
thoughts and behavior. Most psychotherapy takes place with a licensed, trained mental-health
professional and a patient meeting one-on-one or with other patients in a group setting. Cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches people how to think differently about problems and then act on
that knowledge. It has been found to be effective in reducing gambling and related problems. Using
both therapies together can be very effective.

Bad habits may be hard to change, but it can be done. Enlist the help of friends, co-workers and
family for some extra support.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458066/

https://medlineplus.gov/compulsivegambling.html

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04467502?recrs=abc&cond=%22Gambling
%22&draw=2&rank=1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3671380/

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2011/05/when-stakes-turn-toxic
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2012/01/breaking-bad-habits

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61317075