Psychotherapy Is An Effective Way To Treat Gambling Addiction

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Why does gambling addiction arise and is it true that someone is more inclined to it, and someone less?

I have noticed in my psychotherapeutic practice (this is also confirmed by expert research, for example, "Costs and Treatment of Pathological Gambling" by Henry Lesier) that the first path to gambling addiction is parenting habits. For example, my father took one of my clients with him to the slot machine salon as a child. When he grew up, he himself began to lose large sums. And this, of course, influenced his relationship with his wife. Another way is economic. My client, who lost more than 40 thousand euros, started gambling when his parents needed money for a complex operation. Interestingly, his father could find funds, but this still did not stop the client. The third way is psychological dependence. It arises on the effect of reward with the release of dopamine (a neuroendocrine mediator that forms sex drive), which activates the reward-pleasure chain (M. Jarhauser). Each of these paths leads to psychological dependence.

We can say that people who have had healthy attachment problems are prone to any addiction.

We do not have clear studies as to who is more prone to addiction, but based on the theoretical assumption of healthy addiction that forms in a family with a child with parents, we can say that people who have had healthy attachment problems are prone to any addiction. For example, in childhood, there were not enough emotionally warm relationships. People with gambling addiction often recall emotionally cold relationships that were not enjoyable. Now they find pleasure in the game.

What are the best treatments for gambling addiction? Can you single out the countries that have achieved significant success in this matter?

Psychotherapy is a very good treatment. The most effective areas of psychotherapy are existential analysis (the Third Vienna School), cognitive-behavioral therapy, humanistic directions of psychotherapy.

In countries such as the USA, Japan, Singapore, there is a very good experience in treating gambling addiction, since the practice of opening a casino was embodied there, and at the same time professional psychological and social assistance to players. For example, Singapore opened its first casino in 2010, and in 2018 13,580 people applied for online help, and about 1000 for professional help. danger and provides professional assistance.

Then what mechanisms of player protection should be used in Ukraine after the legalization of gambling?

I believe we need to develop professional and social services. So, the standards of gaming associations include the fight against gambling addiction (see The National Center for Responsible Gaming and American Gaming Association). As an example, I will list some organizations that help gamblers and their families, as well as educate society about the dangers of gambling addiction:

• Gamblers Anonymous (photographed in 1957);
• Gam-Anon International (1968);
• National Council of Problem Gambling (1972);
• Risk Education for Athletes Program (1972);
• National Coalition Against the Legalization of Gambling (Tom Gray, Joseph A. Dan);
• National Center for Responsible Gaming (1996);
• GamCare (1997).

It is important to refer to international experience and standards taking into account the social context in Ukraine. Online advertising must also be controlled. I often see ads that offer to play a game, but in contrast, there are almost no ads for psychological assistance to players. It is necessary to properly educate the population about the consequences of gambling. For example, few people talk about such statistics of gamblers in the United States:

• the amount of debts of dependent men in different states ranges from $ 38,664 (Wisconsin) to $ 113,640 (Illinois);
• life debt - $ 61,000. One can only assume how this affects the player's family, work and environment. Lies and stress are constant companions of game addicts;
• in the families of the players, the suicide rate is three times higher than in the entire population; depression, intestinal diseases are a constant problem;
• 12-18% of players attempted suicide, 45-49% had a plan of suicide, 80% wanted to die;
• 26-30% of marriages of addicts fall apart;
• 69–76% of pathological gamers have work problems;
• 9–20% are methadone addicted;
• 70–76% of players experience a depressive disorder.

In Georgia, they began to change the legislation, because, in the opinion of society, the dominance of advertising provoked a surge in pathological gambling. Does advertising really have such an impact on the formation of behavioral disorders?

Yes, I agree with that completely. We need to understand that the ways gambling addiction affects the psyche are much more complex than alcohol addiction, for example. Adam Alter, a marketing professor at New York Business School, says about the nature of the impact of computers or smartphones: “The problem is not that people lack willpower, but that there are a thousand people on the other side screens, whose task is to destroy your self-control. " Facebook is known to involve understanding the workings of complex psychological manifestations. For example, the "feedback" effect discovered by Michael D. Zeiler was the basis for the so-called "like". The Kahigl has an equally technologically sophisticated system of automata, well described in Alter's Irresistible. Therefore, play is not a passive stimulus. The way our psyche works and the formation of addiction, in particular, under the influence of the media - we still little realize and appreciate this in our society. Adam Alter's research is highly indicative of the assertion that addiction and advertising are severely damaging to mental health.

What should be the role of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in the implementation of a gambling addiction treatment program?

Take care of the mental health of the population. This is the main goal, especially when we talk about gambling addiction. It is also important to start doing research in Ukraine. Without them, we feel lost. And they form the direction and effectiveness of our treatment, the use of advertising and its impact.

Given the lack of profile statistics, how long will it take for the government to identify the approximate number of gambling addicts?

If officials begin to communicate with the Ukrainian Associations of Psychologists, with scientists, then this can be done in eight months (so that the sample data is valid).

They will always play, and this is the choice of every person

How, then, can we help Ukrainian players who are already addicted?

It is necessary to pay attention to how it was done in Japan and Singapore. I believe that we need to train psychologists and social workers who can provide qualified assistance to players. Government agencies should communicate with psychological associations, media, advertisers in order to form media support for helping addicts. This is worth starting to talk about. Many gamblers are afraid to talk about their addiction. Some people don't know what game addiction is and what the criteria for addiction are. Relatives seek the help of a psychologist even when the game has already spent 10 or 30 thousand dollars. And what did you do before?

There is an opinion that the mentality of the foreign and Ukrainian player is different. A foreigner views gambling as an opportunity to have a good time and spend a small amount of money. The Ukrainian, on the other hand, can take the last money out of the house and go into debt for the sake of a ghostly chance of winning. Do you think this is true?

It is true that our mentality is different. On the one hand, in the West, the economic standard of living is higher than in Ukraine. On the other hand, we have more mystical thinking than rational. We often rely on nature, God, a miracle is a feature of our worldview. Somehow it will be! We take something on credit, not thinking how to give it back, and the loan amount often exceeds income.

Do you think that the stricter government control, the less problems gambling brings?

I don't think so. They will always play, and this is the choice of each person. This is the right to free choice. Prohibition is not a way out, but a reason to search for a dependency object. Therefore, what is needed is not a ban, but a regulation and control mechanism. My close friend and colleague, a public figure and psychologist from Germany, Dr. Hermann Hartfeld, said about this: “We play everywhere. People also have psychological problems, but the government believes that the ban will lead to illegal games. And so there is control, and psychologists work with addicts. The time will probably come when drugs will be legalized in our country, since illegal drug use leads to a thousand deaths. With the legalization of hashish, as in the Netherlands, there is a control - and they have less mortality than in Germany. Each country must decide with scientists what is better or worse for it."