One of the issues about behavioural addictions is that they are often taken less seriously than drug and alcohol addictions. Not least from a position of stigma – where behavioural addictions sometimes get equated to ‘a lack of willpower’ and ‘weak character’ etc, but I find that even the client him/herself is not always showing …
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Tag Archives: problem gambling
Gambling addiction & Suicide
Another story of a young high achieveing man whom sadly took his own life due to shame and mounting debts incurred by pathological gambling. For those who work with Problem gambling suicide attempts and thoughts of ending ones life are unfortunately not an uncommon theme. Gambling addiction tends to go hidden from loved ones until …
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Problem Gambling moves into new section of DSM-5…
A new updated version of DSM-5 (Diagnostic manual of mental Disorders) is being introduced this month and Problem gambling will be relocated from ‘Impulse control disorders’ into the new section of ‘Behavioural addictions’which will appear in the broader chapter of substance-related and addictive disorders. According to Dr Potenza, a leading gambling researcher from Yale university, …
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Problem Gambling and Cognitive Distortions
Gambling distortions in Problem Gamblers Many studies have supported the presence of distorted gambling amongst problem gamblers. Below we have listed some of the more common cognitive distortions (thinking errors) that act to maintain gambling, even when the negative consequences of gambling are becoming apparent. We will over the next couple of days introduce one …
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The development of a gambling problem
Gambling usually begins as an innocent pleasure, and sadly for some leads to addictive gambling which has disastrous consequences for the problem gambler and his/her family. Although gambling does not produce the cognitive or physical impairment associated with alcohol or drug abuse, an obsession with gambling can be just as devastating. Problem gambling can destroy social, …
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