GAMBLING DISORDEER
No, not my usual Saturday evening review of my bets and the standard question of “why that and not this” to explain the day! This is now the official label of those with hassles with their gambling. Max has asked me to write some comments on this topic given that I have worked for nigh on forty years with those so afflicted as part of my now retired clinical practice as a psychiatrist.
Because of my interest in punting my colleagues began referring folks with gambling issues to me thinking I knew something about it.
Wrong! I might have had a vague idea about finding winners, but large losses were new to me. Hence some study and research which over the years led to me meeting many hundreds with the problem. Back then it was called compulsive gambling but in psychiatry a compulsion is technically the urge to do something unhelpful that is resisted but ultimately is carried out anyway. That was not the usual behaviour of those with gambling patterns that led to large losses – the urge to gamble was felt and responded to with minimal resistance if any.
Hence a name change – to pathological gambling. Then over time this was felt to be too pejorative and now we have the above label. Same problem though. So, how do we judge an individual to be falling under this diagnosis?
Well, estimates say 1% of the population meet the criteria but a further 5% or more may still be having harm from their gambling so the impact may be wider, especially on family and friends including workmates, than the research suggests.
These issues are often debated at conferences and in Australia there is a body called the National Association for Gambling Studies (NAGS) which has met annually to look at this and many other aspects of gambling.
I was one of the founding members 33 years ago and for my sins created the name. A tad tongue in cheek as horse racing was then the main form of gambling problems, so NAGS seemed appropriate.
To my delight occasional endeavours to change the name have failed! However, the name does not reflect the changing times. Back then 66% of clients were losing in the horse racing field. This swung around in the mid 1990’s to now be 66% poker machines- reflecting the arrival of said products in the pubs in N SW. Same problems though.
How do you know if someone has a diagnosis? Well, guidelines exist in the official manual of Psychiatric labels and a brief run through may give a feeling for the thinking. Four of those listed are needed to qualify.
The first two involve increasing bets to achieve excitement and being restless or irritable if not able to gamble. These are deliberately lined up with tolerance and withdrawal from alcohol excess and I have always felt them to be weak indicators- most I saw did not report these strongly if at all.
Next is repeated attempts to cut back or control gambling and this is a valid point. Then a criteria is being preoccupied with planning activities – another one I was not strongly persuaded on. Probably self-defence, as I enjoy studying form and trying to find ways of winning and of course, it is a job for the few professionals out there.
Gambling when feeling distressed obviously as a way to at least temporally relieve that distress is frequent although that distress can be caused by gambling. Chasing of losses is a
biggy- one of the major causes of big glosses. There is no “a winner is due “in racing or machines. Long runs of outs affect all, including professionals.
Lying to partners is a feature – because gambling is not obvious as booze and drugs are -many a partner only found out about the problem when the bailiff knocked at the door- or the police!
Jeopardizing or losing a relationship or job occurs and relying on others to provide money to pay debts -bail them out -competes the list.
My advice to those approached for money e.g. parents was “don’t” but it can be hard especially if consequences may follow the losses. This has been a quick run through what can be a difficult subject, and I am sure Max’s readers have their gambling under control and any losses are within a budget for entertainment.
If not, or someone you know is affected, then free and unmarked on phone accounts a call to 1800 858 858 or online to Gambling Help should assist. There, I said all of that more slowly than you sometimes hear it elsewhere!
