Many people occasionally gamble small amounts at a local state-approved casino or on trips to Atlanta or Las Vegas. They are social gamblers, like social drinkers, and some spend quite a bit of time in a casino but they are not out of control.

Most people gamble for excitement, novelty, and fun; some do it to escape stress. Unfortunately, the people who need money the most, gamble the most.

People who make less than ten to fifteen thousand dollars a year gamble six times more often than those who earn over fifty thousand dollars a year. About 1/3 of problem gamblers are women.

We aren't talking about gambling for fun here; we are discussing a powerful habit or mindset that occupies most of your free time, wipes out your savings, leads to stealing, writing bad checks, and neglecting your children, and destroys relationships.

Gamblers drop over 50 billion dollars every year, 30% comes from problem gamblers. That's more money than spent on movies, recorded music, theme parks, and sports events combined! That's huge.

Ironically, gambling brings in 12 billion to 37 state governments, but those states spend only 20 million to help the addicts, with ruined lives, get treatment, education or prevention.

Robert Custer, MD, writing for the Illinois Institute for addiction, describes three common phases in gambling addiction. First, there is a winning experience or phase, a happy time that hooks them into hoping for more windfalls.

They quickly become unduly optimistic ("I have a feeling I'm going to win") and start betting larger amounts. Second, is the inevitable losing phase. Still bragging about previous winnings, they now start to gamble alone and obsess more about winning back their losses.

The problem, as they now see it, is how to get more money so they can recoup their losses. They start lying about their activities and losses; they raid or beg for spouse's and relative's money; they may become withdrawn, anxious, and irritable when they can't pay their debts.

Last is the desperation phase. Many feel hopeless panic knowing they are in an impossible economic situation. They may blame others or get very depressed, about half abuse alcohol or drugs. Divorce, arrests (2/3's commit crimes), mental breakdowns, etc. are not uncommon.

The Illinois Addiction Recovery web site (see above) has a test to help you determine if you have a gambling problem. Over 85% of Americans have gambled at least once, so remember it is causing problems and getting into trouble that defines a serious addiction.

Gamblers with significant problems make up only about 1%-2% of the American population. It is important to note, however, that teenagers are three times more likely than adults to become problem gamblers.

Each "problem gambler" costs the taxpayers about $3000 a year, according to the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Council.

Moreover, as the state-run lotteries become more popular with huge payoffs, addiction rates go up. Every gambler in some part of his/her mind recognizes that in the course of time he/she will almost certainly lose money. Yet, gambling enthusiasts somehow contort their minds into believing that they not only can win but have a "good chance" of winning. It is very irrational thinking.

There is evidence that Cognitive-Behavioral treatment focusing on correcting misconceptions about gambling (as well as teaching problem-solving, social skills, and relapse prevention) can be successful (Sylvain, Ladouceur & Boisvert, 1997).

However, most of the gambling treatment centers associated with hospitals and psychiatrists are, like alcohol programs, associated with 12-step programs (see Gamblers Anonymous or call 1-213-386-8789).

The Gambling Help Line (1-800-522-4700 or 1-800-GAMBLER) offers crisis counseling and information, including treatment and GA group locations. Gam-Anon can be reached at 718-352-1671.

The search engines, such as Yahoo and Alta Vista, list some of the gambling treatment programs available around the country. Few treatment centers will serve gamblers who have lost their savings and health insurance, and can't pay for the services. Gamblers in serious trouble only have Gamblers Anonymous.

More information is available from the National Council on Problem Gambling. Also, some states have comprehensive Web sites concerned with several types of addiction, such as the Illinois site cited above and the Michigan Compulsive Gaming Help Line. Other Web information sources include Gambling Treatment which is just one of about 10,000 treatment centers (see the search engines).

Hazelden offers several books about this addiction, mostly testimonials, inspirational, or informational, not many explicit self-help approaches. Indeed, the general view seems to be that gambling addicts with serious problems must seek treatment, not try to do self-help themselves.

Walker's (1996) book while descriptive does not offer a lot about treatment and even less about self-help methods. Of course, self-control is probably possible for most people who are just starting into the losing phase. This entails just staying away from gambling, i.e. cutting your losses, and avoiding, at all costs, the temptation to "chase" your losses (trying to recoup your losses by betting more). If that doesn't work, get help.

--------

This article is an excerpt from Ch. 4 of the book by Clay Tucker-Ladd, PhD:
 Psychological Self-Help http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/