'How does a person become addicted to gambling?'
Over time, the repeated release of dopamine associated with drugs alcohol or gambling causes neuroadaptations (rewiring of the brain) that can lead to the loss of control over the behavior, which is the hallmark of addiction.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, January 18, 2013
ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP/Getty Images
BILL: That's from Elise. “Fred makes over $100,000 a year in sales but we just had to declare bankruptcy over our debts,” she said. “Sad but common enough, especially at this time of the year,” says Arnie Wexler, a leading expert on compulsive gambling and a recovering compulsive gambler himself. "Playoff games and the Super Bowl are to the compulsive gamblers what New Year's Eve is to the alcoholic."
DR. DAVE: According to the National Gambling Study Commission, there are 5 million compulsive gamblers and 15 million at risk in the U.S. What did you say to Elise?
BILL: For help with that, I turned to Dr. Robert Swift, Professor of Psychiatry at Brown University. “Drugs, alcohol, and compulsive behaviors such as gambling all release a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This in turn produces reward (pleasure), relief of distress, and a sense that the behavior that triggered the dopamine release is important or valuable. However, over time, the repeated release of dopamine associated with drugs alcohol or gambling causes
neuroadaptations (rewiring of the brain) that can lead to the loss of control over the behavior, which is the hallmark of addiction.”
DR. DAVE: In its new diagnostic manual, The DSM 5, the American Psychiatric Association includes compulsive gambling as the only non-drug “behavioral” addiction. We are dropping the word chemical dependency altogether and simply going to a category of chemical and behavioral addictions.
BILL: I always thought the phrase “chemical dependency or obsessive-compulsive this or that” made no sense. I never remember anyone raising their hand at an AA or NA meeting and saying, “Hi, I’m Mary and I am Chemically Dependent to Pot” or “I’m Tim and I'm Alcohol Dependent.” But what does it mean when you say that gambling is the only behavioral addiction recognized in the DSM 5?
DR. DAVE: It says the research has met the gold standard of solidly identifying gambling as an addictive disease, specifically one that changes brain chemistry, induces craving and leads to control loss.
BILL: And disorders like Tiger Woods' hypersexuality or Oprah's binge eating? They're no longer considered addictions?
DR. DAVE: Not without further research. Even the exploding range of internet addictions is put in a back appendix for further research.
BILL: But back to Elise. As we march up to the Holy Grail of binge gambling—Superbowl 2013 – where can she turn for help?
DR. DAVE: Gambling Addicts, Problem Gamblers and their loved ones have the best national health resource that exists for any of the addictions. At 1-800-522-4700 they can get help from a professional at 28 call centers that serve all 50 states, every day of the year, 24 hours a day!
BILL: So who runs these call centers? Some readers complain that for-profit alcohol and drug rehabs offer “free help services” as come-on bait.
DR. DAVE: This is absolutely independent and run by the National Council on Problem Gambling. There is no conflict of interest with any of the gambling treatment programs. It is funded by government revenues collected from lotteries and the gaming industry, along with donations. It also has a more useful website than any other addiction location on the internet: National Gambling Addiction Resources.
BILL: Both the pharmacists dispensing prescriptions and the bartenders serving alcohol are getting more and more trained to separate the drug seekers and drunk booze hounds from the non-addicted customers. Do you see anything like that happening in the gambling world?
DR. DAVE: My daughter and I flew down to Las Vegas last month to see the Moody Blues in person before they went back to England. I found myself walking through the sports wager areas of the casinos, commonly called the “Sports Book”.
BILL: Same places that will be swollen to overflowing on Super Bowl weekend. But so?
DR. DAVE: It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see at least a half dozen addicts sticking out like a sore thumb—but unlike their bartending friends at the lounge down the hall—there was no cutting them off; just letting them double their bets and chase whatever wild ass wager was left to bet on.
BILL: I’ve seen those delirious end-of-the-night bets--$400 on “What player will gain the most yards in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.”
DR. DAVE: I’m waiting for the day where a person making bets like that will be treated like the guy holding his car keys in one hand and begging for “just one more double”.
BILL: I’m sure that Elise, with her mortgage on the line, hears you loud and clear.
***
Dr. David Moore is a licensed psychologist and chemical dependency professional who is a graduate school faculty member at Argosy University’s Seattle Campus. Bill Manville’s most recent work, “Cool, Hip & Sober,” is now in ebook form, available at all online bookstores. A Book of the Month novelist too, Bill privately teaches “Writing To Get Published” – whmanville@yahoo.com
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