For many people gambling can be a fun pastime, whether it’s buying lottery tickets, placing a bet on the horses or at the football games. But it’s important to recognise if it becomes a problem and know where to get help.
For some people, the urge to gamble can become so strong that it interferes with their daily lives. They may have to lie, hide or borrow money to fund their habit and it can even lead to financial crisis such as debt problems. If this sounds like you, it’s worth getting in touch with a charity such as StepChange who can offer free and confidential debt advice.
A person can develop a problem with gambling in any age or gender, but it is most likely to start during adolescence or young adulthood. Pathological gambling (PG) is a serious disorder that causes recurrent and maladaptive patterns of gambling behaviors, which can be difficult to control. About 0.4%-1.6% of adults meet the diagnostic criteria for PG, and men tend to develop PG more rapidly than women.
There are several ways to treat a gambling addiction, including self-help and therapy. Psychotherapy is a term that describes a variety of treatment techniques that aim to change unhealthy emotions, thoughts and behaviours. It usually takes place with a trained mental health professional such as a psychologist or clinical social worker.
One of the most effective treatments for gambling addiction is cognitive-behaviour therapy, which teaches a person to resist unwanted thoughts and habits. This type of therapy can also teach a person how to challenge irrational beliefs, such as the belief that a series of losses or near misses signifies an imminent win.
Other therapies can involve group support, where a person shares their experiences with others who have similar issues. This can be particularly useful for a person who feels isolated because of their gambling problem, or for a family member dealing with a loved one’s addiction.
Psychiatry has come a long way in understanding and treating gambling addiction. Ten years ago, the idea that a person could be addicted to something like gambling was controversial, but now researchers agree that in some cases it’s just as serious as an addiction to drugs. They have learned that some people are vulnerable to the effects of gambling, because of genetic predisposition or other factors such as childhood trauma and stressful life events. A new classification of a gambling disorder in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) recognizes this. This shift reflects the growing recognition that gambling is a disease, just like any other behavioural addiction. In the future, we may be able to offer tailored treatments for specific types of gambling addiction. This will allow us to improve the quality of care and reduce the burden on our healthcare system. For example, we could develop a medication that targets specific brain circuits involved in reward and motivation, or an antidepressant that helps people control their impulses.