Pathological Gambling

What is pathological gambling?

Pathological gambling is an addiction to the excitement and risk created by gambling. People who are pathological gamblers cannot stop even though it causes personal, work, or legal problems.

Many people enjoy gambling once in a while. However, the difference between occasional gambling and pathological gambling is like the difference between social drinking and alcoholism. Pathological gambling can ruin your life as well as the lives of your family.

How does it occur?

Most problem gamblers begin gambling, on average, at age 10. More men than women suffer from this disorder, and men are more likely to seek treatment for it. The cause for pathological gambling is not known, but gambling addiction is similar to alcohol and drug dependence in some ways. In the beginning, gambling is very rewarding. You may start gambling in order to:

feel successful
rebel or release anger
be accepted by other people
escape from painful feelings
feel like a winner
solve money problems.

What are the symptoms?

Pathological gamblers have at least 5 of these signs:

being unable to stop thinking about gambling
needing to gamble with more and more money in order to achieve the desired excitement
trying and failing to control, cut back, or stop gambling
feeling restless or in a bad mood when they try to cut down or stop gambling
gambling as a way to escape from problems or to feel less helpless, guilty, anxious, or depressed
trying to make up money lost in gambling by gambling to break even ("chasing" losses)
lying to people about how much time they spend gambling
committing illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling
having school, job, or relationship problems because of gambling
trying to get other people to cover financial problems caused by gambling.

How is it diagnosed?

Your health care provider or therapist will ask about your symptoms and will make sure you do not have a medical problem. Your therapist will also check for other problems, such as substance abuse, mood disorders, and personality disorders.

You may also be asked to complete a questionnaire called the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). This helps to measure how serious your gambling problem may be.

How is it treated?

Medicines such as naltrexone (ReVia), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), and citalopram (Celexa) may help you control your thoughts, urges, and behaviors. Mood stabilizers such as lithium and divalproex sodium (Depakote) may help. Antipsychotic medicine such as olanzapine (Zyprexa) may also be helpful.

Cognitive behavior therapy may also help you overcome pathological gambling. A good treatment program should include counseling for you and your family members.

Studies have shown that treatment is effective in many cases. Many different programs exist, ranging from Gamblers Anonymous to inpatient treatment centers. There is no one program that is right for everyone.

What can I do to help myself stop gambling?

If you have the urge to gamble, stop and call someone.
Think about the consequences of your gambling.
Find something else to do right away to help yourself stop thinking about gambling.
Let someone else handle your money, for example, arrange for the bank to make automatic payments for you.
Keep a limited amount of cash on you at any given time.
Participate in sports or other hobbies at least once or twice a week.
Spend time with your family.

When should I seek help?

If your gambling is causing personal, social, family, work, or legal problems, it is time to get help.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File BHV3318F.HTM Release 9.0/2006