How addictions interact

How addictions interact
By Tom Larkin / As you were saying...

“It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem.” — G.K. Chesterton

Gambling and drinking alcohol interact and reinforce one another.

For most people, gambling and drinking are not self-defeating. However, about 80 percent of alcohol is consumed by about 20 percent of the drinkers and about 80 percent of money lost comes from about 20 percent of the gamblers. Disproportionately they are returning veterans, the less educated, minorities, the formerly incarcerated and mostly working people with moderate to low incomes.

Nevada has the highest per-capita alcohol consumption rate. Lottery revenues in Massachusetts would decrease significantly if Keno machines were removed from drinking establishments. Lottery and casino managers understand full well that increased drinking leads to increased gambling profits.

Proponents of expanding gambling in Massachusetts attempt to minimize the gambling and drinking connection. They use outdated projections suggesting gambling addiction is insignificant, unique and manageable compared to alcohol problems. That is not true. According to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, about one of three active gamblers has some level of mild, moderate to severe problem and the prevalence of this behavior will increase as availability increases:

■ Mild (at risk gamblers) — about 18 percent of active gamblers
■ Moderate (problem gamblers) — about 9 percent of active gamblers
■ Severe (pathological gamblers) — about 4 percent of active gamblers
Irrational instant gratification thinking drives all addictions. Alcohol disinhibits. It is considered a gateway to gambling and other related self-defeating behaviors and feelings, including smoking, drug abuse, domestic violence, child neglect, suicide, increased debt, criminal behaviors and the intensity, duration and frequency of many emotional problems.

More than 50 percent of people with gambling problems are estimated to have alcohol and other drug problems. About one-third of people with drinking problems are estimated to have gambling problems. Alcohol and/or drug use are involved in about 80 percent of arrests and incarcerations. About 30 percent to 40 percent of the incarcerated are estimated to have gambling problems. Repeated criminal activity is “a gamble.” It can be defined as a persistent, hard to change pattern of risky behaviors. About two out of three of the formerly incarcerated are rearrested within three years, according to a 15-state, 2002 U.S. Justice Department study. For those who stay sober, recidivism rates drop to about one out of three. Therefore, recidivism is clearly related directly to relapse.

Self-referrals for gambling problems are much lower (3 percent) when compared to people who self refer for alcohol (15 percent) and drugs (25 percent). It is reasonable to assume self-defeating gambling behaviors are underreported. The commission study found the number of pathological gamblers double within a 50-mile radius of new casinos.

Many elected officials fail to understand how addictions are acquired, interact and reinforce each other. Therefore, they can’t see the problem.

Tom Larkin is a psychologist and president of United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts.