GAMBLING ADDICTION AUSTRALIA: Understanding Gambling Addiction.

Gambling addiction or the clinical term "Pathological Gambling Disorder" is sweeping through our society today, causing more destruction, human brokenness, family disintegrations, suicides, financial ruin, crime and spiritual bankruptcy than any other addictions in our society today, next to alcohol addiction. Gambling addiction is affecting every sector of our population, and discriminates against no one. 

New research has found an explosion in internet sports betting.

The study, conducted by researchers at New South Wales' Southern Cross University, found  online sports betting has doubled in popularity, with the take growing by 15 per cent in just five years.

Dr Gainsbury the chief researcher says online gambling is attracting new customers, which is not surprising with the aggressive marketing happening at the moment, with extrordinay sponsorship deals between online bookmakers and the main media players, as well major sport organisations.

Fifty-two per cent of people who gamble online actually prefer that mode, compared to land-based gamblers. It's that accessibility and convenience that's really driving them to use the mode. And some people actually prefer it and don't like the land-based venues, so we're seeing a new subset of Australians who are engaging in this gambling activity. Worryingly, the experts confirm younger people are parting with their cash more often.

A disturbing example of this....Nathan, only in his mid twenties, but his sports gambling addiction has already cost him greatly He reportedly lost over probably $1.5 million, and in terms of how much he gambled, it's probably been over $3 million or $4 million - that's including winnings and losings - in the space of four years, He says he had the job and the assets at first to support his betting, but when the losses began to mount that all changed. Nathan's story is typical of the new breed of gambling addicts..

Interactive (online) gamblers tend to be male, they tend to be younger, they're from a higher education, so they're more likely to have university degrees, they certainly have access to the internet at their work or at their home, as well as mobile phones and tablets etc.

The social effects are only just becoming apparent. There is evidence that there are higher problem gambling rates among people who gamble online and these internet gamblers are more likely to gamble in a greater number of activities and also more frequently engage in gambling, after all you can now gamble online 24 hours a day 7 days per week 365 days a year. You can gamble from home, privately, without anyone knowing that you're doing it.

Dr Gainsbury says there is also an emerging threat from simulated gaming, pushed through social media like Twitter and Facebook. The concern is particularly for children, that again it's normalising gambling, they're enjoying it, and because it's not regulated as a gambling game, the pay-out rates aren't randomly determined, she said.

She says there is a good chance children will transfer the simulated gaming experience to the real thing, with devastating consequences. Professor Jeffrey Derevensky from Canada's McGill University agrees.

He says online games like pokies, roulette and poker are becoming increasingly popular among adolescents.

"Gambling has become very normalised. We see it everywhere. We see pokie parlours, we go to clubs, we can see it in purchasing a lottery ticket," he said.

"Because it's so easily accessible, parents and educators are not educating children about the warning signs of when something that starts off as fun can become problematic."

Professor Derevensky says international researchers are concerned about simulated gaming sites being purchased by gambling companies.

"Big companies like Caesars International or IGT are buying these companies, not just because it's a fun type of game that children can learn, but also so that they can migrate over," he said.

So what is gambling addiction? 

Clinically, gambling addiction is known as Pathological Gambling Disorder (DSMVI 312.31). It has specific diagnostic criteria, and it has a biological effect similar to that seen in cocaine addiction.

This is now a scientifically proven fact in the most recent neurological research into Pathological Gambling and addiction.

So why has gambling addiction become a major public health problem in our society? Well this is simple, massive accessibility. A more in depth look reveals other serious reasons behind this question. Firstly, only 10% of the problem is directly related to the gambling itself, or money, it is about the individual and what gambling offers to them. Ninety percent of gambling addiction today comes from Electronic Gaming Machines (EGM) or what is commonly referred to as “pokies”. These machines have the addictive properties similar to heroin or “crack cocaine”. For the individual predisposed to addiction, these machines provide high risk of swift and severe addiction.

Many individuals I have seen become severely addicted to this form of gambling within 6 months of first playing the machines. They display the severity of addiction similar to heroin and cocaine addicts, along with similar withdrawal symptoms, once they choose to stop. Also the suicide rate is 5 times greater than any other addiction. So we are talking about a very serious public health problem. Unfortunately most of the general society in Australia still sees gambling addiction as some form of moral weakness or as some flaw in some human beings. This is sadly is a big mistake.

ESCAPE: (Gambling addiction “its not really about the machine or the money”)

Gambling addiction, like drug and alcohol addiction begins with intensely negative childhood experiences that predispose the individual to high levels of negative affect. This, in turn, leads to various escape routes, some of which include addictive behaviors. In many recent studies, most individuals affected by pathological gambling endorsed dissociative items more frequently. These items referred to feeling like a different person while gambling, feeling in a trance after a period of gambling, feeling outside oneself while gambling, and experiencing memory blackouts after a period of gambling.

Some of the underlying issues linked to gambling addiction, are similar to those found with drug and alcohol addiction. They include sexual and physical child abuse, emotional and spiritual abuse, domestic violence issues, childhood neglect and general family of origin disfunctionallity. The result of these issues in childhood creates a retardation of emotional development being carried into adulthood. Gambling, as with any other addictive behaviour, provides the escape or coping mechanisms for the individual.

This however only works for a short period of time usually, and eventually creates more pain, thus leaving the individual with more and more need to escape or medicate with the gambling behaviour, until finally they cross the biological threshold of full blown addiction. At this point serious and irreversible alteration of brain chemistry occurs. The individual generally will continue on this process until an intervention of some sort occurs. Usually this will only happen when the individual is in great despair, with usually financial and emotional crisis. Unfortunately some people see suicide as the only way out, and there is plenty of evidence to back that up, with many clients in our treatment centre reporting attempts of suicide prior to seeking treatment.

SOME INDICATORS: Of Pathological Gambling

Some of the indicators as per the DSMIV criteria are;

1. preoccupation with gambling (e.g., preoccupation with reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money to gamble)

2. need to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired level of excitement

3. has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop gambling

4. is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling

5. gambles as a way of escaping from problems, painful emotions, or to relieve a dsyphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, anxiety, guilt or depression)

6. after loosing money gambling, often returns another day to get even (chasing ones loses)

7. lies to family members, therapist or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling

8. may commit illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling

9. jeopardized or lost significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling

10. relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation because of gambling.

If you answer yes to at least 5 or more criteria, then it is probable you have Pathological Gambling Disorder. I would strongly encourage you to seek professional help immediately. Pathological Gambling is treatable and recovery is possible. However there must be a strong desire for change before recovery can be effective.

Treatment includes first breaking the addictive cycle, followed by emotional work and cognitive corrective work, and finally spiritual work. Real recovery from gambling addiction will take most individuals up to 2 years of solid work to achieve a high level of healthy ongoing recovery after abstinence from gambling is achieved. Unfortunately there are no “quick fixes” and a controlled return to gambling is not an option for the clinically diagnosed Pathological Gambler.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS IN THE GRIPS OF GAMBLING ADDICTION CALL US TODAY AND LET US HELP YOU. PH 07 560 66315 (7DAYS)

Website www.coachingwithsubstance.org.au
Email: info@coachingwithsubstance.org.au

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We are Australia's leading award winning addiction treatment and rehab consultants for gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex, eating and internet addiction, along with eating behavioural disorders and co-dependency for Australasia and New Zealand.

Maria Pau is a 4x No. 1 best-selling author on the subjects of addiction and co-dependency and spiritual wellness. She is the Program Director of Coaching with Substance, the first of its kind in Australia as registered public benevolent institution, charity and not-for profit association that focuses on wellness using coaching principles of peak performance. We run a cutting edge holistic addiction treatment program and outpatient rehabilitation consultancy firm that ensures you are released from the shackles of addiction once and for all.

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