Gambling Addiction Medication

by Jerry "Jet" Whittaker
Sept 25, 2006
 

Gambling Addiction:

Gambling addiction, which often refers as pathological gambling, is a very burning problem for our society. Pathological Gambling is an addiction in the sense that the person can't stop to play gambling despite he knows that he cannot afford it. Gambling addiction is also similar to drug or alcohol addiction. Once people addicted with gambling it is very difficult to overcome such problem and it’s become a psychological disorder for the gambler. Though gambler gambling for money but pathological gambler not always addicted for money only. They actually addicted to action. Pathological gambling can lead to financial problem, relationship problem and attempted suicide in some cases. Addicted gambler always neglected their family and responsibilities.

Disorders and Symptoms:

Gambling addiction is treated as a major mental disorder in medical science. It is characterized by the sudden euphoria of winning and frustration of repeated losing. The main symptoms that are often seen on addicted gambler are

• Preoccupied with gambling (i.e. reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble)

• Secretive about his/her gambling habits, and defensive when confronted

• Increasing bet amounts when gambling in order to achieve the desired excitement (“high”)

• Trying unsuccessfully to control, cut back or stop gambling

• Restless or irritable when not gambling

• Gambling to escape problems

• “Chasing” losses with more gambling

• Lying to family and others about the extent of gambling

• Committing crimes to finance gambling

• Jeopardizing or losing relationships, jobs, education or career opportunities because of gambling

• Relying on others to bail him or her out relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling

Medication:

Medication is really help as effective treatment for gambling addiction. Gambling addiction problem increases in such a manner that it is now an issue for drug researcher who busy to develop new variety of drug to control gambling addiction. Because of this effort, a new drug called Naltrexone has been introduced as a treatment for alcohol and drug addictions, which also shows promising results for gambling addicts. The United States has involved itself in researching the matter. They try to develop some advanced medicine that may effective to control pathological gambling. Again, the medical community feels that appropriate treatment needs further researching.

But sociologist don’t think that medication do any help in treatment of gambling. They only believe on counseling and education. But still people have faith on medication of gambling addiction.

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