Have you heard about gambling therapy?
Even though, gambling is supposed to be fun and easy-going in it's core, sometimes things go too far. Some gamblers might experience symptoms of addiction, which causes an inability to control one's impulse to gamble. Of course, there are numerous modern psychological approaches to battling this issue without it leaving a lasting mark on a person's mental health. This blog post is dedicated to reviewing some of the characteristics and symptoms of gambling addiction, as well as looking at a few of the best options for tackling this condition available for UK residents, such as the organisation Gambling Therapy.
Problems with gambling can happen in any age of social status. Sometimes gambling quickly crosses the line from being fun and harmless to an unhealthy obsession with serious consequences. Addiction can appear regardless of the form of gambling one is invested in – whether that is scratch cards, poker, slots, roulette, or others. This can cause problems at home or work and even lead to behaviours, uncharacteristic for someone, such as stealing and running up huge debts.
0.5% of the UK adult population consists of problem gamblers. Men tend to have a higher tendency to become addicted and start gambling at an earlier age than women. However, women appear to progress to problematic gambling faster than men.
Pathological gambling is a type of impulse-control disorder, often characterised by significant impairment in social and occupational functioning, legal and financial difficulties. Of course, one can have a gambling problem without being totally out of control. This is why it is of utmost importance that this issue is caught in the early stages and the person is given access to accurate treatment. Organisations such as GamCare provide such support for UK players.
Other disorders from this type include kleptomania, pyromania, compulsive buying, compulsive sexual behaviour and others. Excess gambling is not that different in terms of the psychological process that cause it, but unlike some of the others, it can lead to severe financial problems and massive debt.
There is no one specific cause to be blamed for excess gambling. Both biological and environmental factors can influence its development. It has been discovered that there are significant similarities between substance abuse and problem gambling as they both activate the brain’s reward centres. The brain releases huge amounts of dopamine, providing a strong sense of satisfaction to gamblers.
People who suffer from addiction usually experience a deficiency of norepinephrine, which is responsible for feelings of arousal and thrill. Thus, the rush of gambling can supplement those biochemical needs. Furthermore, people who experience depression or have borderline personality traits are more prone to gambling addiction than others.
Pathological gambling can sometimes be referred to as a “hidden illness” due to the lack of obvious physical signs like those in drug or alcohol abuse. Another common characteristic is the denial and minimisation of the problem from the gamblers themselves.
These are indicators when you have to consider about help:
Responsible gambling is incredibly important as addiction can creep up on you without you realising it and have detrimental effects. So, try to gamble within some boundaries, both financial and timewise, that are relevant to you. The good news is that many of the top UK online casinos offer a variety of tools to prevent addiction as well as partnerships with responsible gambling organisations.
One of these organisations is called Gambling Therapy, which main aim is to provide support and help for gambling abuse. They use various therapy methods to help troubled gamblers out there. One of the programmes is a 12-week course of individual and group therapy combined with the benefits of living as part of a therapeutic community. Residents are supported to adopt new coping skills that help them attain recovery and integrate back into the world without gamble. They are working 24/7.
Furthermore, there is also a service, designed specifically for women problem gamblers. It consists of 12 weeks filled with therapeutic group workshops, which aim to bring together a positive and supportive network of women, who will battle this condition side by side. They also offer online support for clients and encourage friends and family to get involved in the process of recovery as well. In the next few paragraphs, we will give an in-depth overview of some of the psychological methods used in this organisation as a way to tackle addiction.
One of the most commonly used methods for tackling addiction used in the organisation Gambling Therapy is through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Due to the presence of cognitive distortions (faulty thinking), impulsiveness, and poor decision-making in pathological gamblers, one of the most successful types of therapy for gambling addiction is, in fact, CBT.
Cognitive distortions are thoughts and beliefs that are not based on facts. For instance, a gambler might believe that wearing a lucky charm would increase his odds of winning at slots.
Logically, wearing any lucky items does not influence the outcome of the client’s play, but believing that it could cause the person to gamble beyond their intended limit. Research has shown that CBT reduces gambling by helping the person identify the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that lead to gambling. Different strategies can then be developed to help clients change their thought processes and decision-making. CBT teaches clients proven strategies and skills to identify and change problematic thoughts and behavioural patterns. Research also showed that CBT is effective for problem gambling in diverse populations, offering equal chances of recovery regardless of the person’s age, gender, ethnicity, or psychiatric comorbidity.
The methods included physio-acoustic treatment with music listening, individual verbal interviews, group discussions and cultural activities. The number of participants engaged in gambling activities decreased during the treatment phase. Qualitative analysis revealed that the role of music was important in dealing with the strong emotions linked with the problem as well as describing the traumatic aspects of gambling by the symbolic means (images, paintings, stories etc.) stimulated by music. Music also tended to stimulate and deepen the discussion in some sessions where discussion seemed to be trifling or troublesome.