During my first visit to a casino, I was anticipating much excitement since my friends, family, and patients went often and seemed to have such a great time. But I must admit that I was not that impressed. I even stayed in one of Vegas’ jewels, the Venetian, with it’s over the top architecture, shops, and other amenities. After only slightly enjoying the buffet, I could not figure out what all the hype was about. I did not understand blackjack, I could only pull down a lever so many times on the slot machines, and the cigarette smoke was unbearable! In addition, when my allotted $20 was gone, I was ready to go. For me, spending money had to provide something tangible like a handbag or piece of jewelry. However, that is not the case for the millions of Americans who suffer with a gambling addiction.
Approximately six to nine million Americans have a gambling problem. Pathological gambling is basically an impulse driven desire to gamble regardless of the consequences and this desire is totally uncontrollable. It is also called compulsive gambling and addictive gambling.
For problem gamblers, the divorce rate is twice that of non-gamblers. The spouse usually finds out about the habit because either the house was foreclosed or the car was repossessed. Gambling problems usually begin in the teens for men and between 20-30 for women. Compulsive gamblers are more likely to be men. In the US, male pathological gamblers on average accumulate about $55,000-90,000 of debt as compared to $15,000 in women.
The same part of the brain involved in alcohol and drug addiction is the same area affected in pathological gambling. Gambling causes dopamine spikes in the brain which produces a euphoric feeling. With time, the ecstasy associated with gambling diminishes because of the tolerance effect. Essentially your brain starts to get used to your daily routine and riskier activities and wagers are needed to experience the previous level of excitement.
Pathological gambling can lead to other conditions such as depression, alcoholism, and financial problems. Not much is known about what causes compulsive gambling. As mentioned earlier it affects men and women and involves various cultures and socio-economic levels. Women are more likely to gamble to escape problems. You are more likely to have a gambling problem if your father or mother also had a problem. Medications such as those used to treat Parkinson’s can cause an increase in compulsive behavior in some people. People with certain personality traits like those who tend to work a lot or those who get bored very easily are at risk of having a gambling problem.
There are three main approaches to treating compulsive gambling: psychotherapy, medications such as anti-depressants, and self-help groups like Gamblers Anonymous which is based on the 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program. But the first step is getting the affected person to acknowledge that they have a problem. Unfortunately, for most of these people they have to hit rock bottom first.
Per the Psychological Association, certain symptoms help define pathological gambling:
1. Borrowing money to help pay for losses
2. Lying about how much money was used to gamble and the time involved
3. Having unsuccessful attempts at quitting or cutting back on gambling
4. Gambling large amounts of money in order to feel the excitement
5. Engaging in crimes to get money for gambling
Therefore, if you or a loved one are experiencing any of those symptoms or have concerns about your gambling, seek help. You can seek help from a professional by calling the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 800-522-4700. This confidential hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information or literature, visit www.ncpgambling.org.
Yours in Service,
Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.
Assistant Professor
SLUCare Family Medicine
yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com
