Gambling addiction: a psychological and social problem

Pathological gambling is more than a disorder that affects individuals; it affects society.

When we talk about addictions, we tend to assume that we are referring to dependence on a legal or illegal drug: alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, the constant use of opiates, etc.

However, one of the most prevalent addiction disorders today does not involve the use of any product that enters our circulatory system and then passes to the brain. It is a behavioral addiction and is therefore based solely on a habit, i.e. a set of actions defined by interaction with the environment, and not by what enters the body. It is pathological gamblingalso known as pathological gambling, also known as pathological gambling or gambling addiction.

What is gambling addiction?

Anyone who believes that we can only develop addictions by introducing into our body molecules that interact with our neurons is mistaken. Pathological gambling is an example of the fact that we are capable of developing dependency disorders only by engaging in certain habits for a certain number of occasions.

And the fact is that pathological gambling is a full-blown addiction; it is not just in a metaphorical sense.. It appears in the main diagnostic manuals used by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. It is one of the non-substance addictions, which, although they have characteristics that distinguish them from drug addiction, are also capable of generating serious health problems and causing significant physical wear and tear.

Among its effects and symptoms we find the appearance of anxiety peaks when a long time has passed without gambling, the appearance of impulses that lead to risk personal and work life in order to continue gambling, the feeling of loss of control (the need to continue gambling is felt, even if it is to recover the lost money), and the rapid deterioration of personal and family relationships, as well as a greater exposure to poverty.

In addition, one feels the need to gamble larger and larger amounts of money, even if it means going into debt.even if it means going into debt. This is a dynamic that can be seen in all addictions: it is necessary to get more and more involved in order to "satiate" oneself and relieve the tension produced by a few hours without consummating the addictive behavior.

On the other hand, people who develop any type of addiction are more likely to develop another, so that in psychotherapy and psychiatry consultations it is very common to find people with a tendency to gambling and alcoholism, opioid addiction, etc. people with a tendency to compulsive gambling and alcoholism, opioid addiction, etc.

Based on data from the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, an entity linked to the Ministry of Finance, it is currently estimated that the lifetime prevalence of pathological gambling in Spain (i.e. the percentage of inhabitants of Spain who develop this type of addiction at some point in their lives) is approximately 1 in every 100 peoplewhile 0.3% have developed it in the last year.

Characteristics that make compulsive gambling a danger

These are several of the characteristics of gambling addiction that make it a serious danger for both the person and his or her close environment.

1. It mainly affects the vulnerable classes

The idea that gambling houses proliferate mainly in working class neighborhoods with a large number of vulnerable residents is not new.

In fact, a study carried out in the 1990s with a sample of more than 1,600 people living in Galicia suggested that approximately 43% of those affected by pathological gambling had no income, as they were unemployed, students or housewives.

Today this tendency of pathological gambling to affect the lower-middle classes is still there, although it is no longer concentrated in the lower-middle classes.although it is no longer concentrated among people without stable employment. According to the aforementioned study by the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling, the portion of the Spanish population most affected by pathological gambling is made up of men who are employed and whose family unit has an income of between 900 and 1500 euros.

Beyond the exceptional large casinos strategically located in tourist areas, medium-sized gambling houses appear mainly in places where there are more people exposed to poverty, as denounced by several Spanish neighborhood organizations.

For example, an article in El Español recently drew attention to the fact that between the Ciudad Lineal and Quintana metro stops, in one of the poorest parts of Madrid, there is a betting shop for approximately every 10 portal numbers.

The hope of being able to win a lot of money at once contributes to many people who already have few economic resources to worsen their situation and get into debt. and get into debt. This also affects their families, especially if the person bets on assets such as a car, house, etc.

2. Enjoy a very standardized market

The bookmaker market is in vogue. Their marketing campaigns are omnipresent in the world of soccer, for example, and they advertise a lot on the Internet, even with the support of well-known faces on television and YouTube videos.

This normalization in media that are seen by many young people means that people start experimenting with betting at a very early age.

3. The anonymity of the Internet

Since betting websites have become popular, anyone can decide to start betting and be doing so in a matter of minutes from the privacy of their home, without from the privacy of their home, without exposing themselves to the prying eyes of friends and neighbors. This has become a gateway for new players, and demographics that typically would not gamble.

4. The illusion of being able to win a lot of money

Gambling addiction is based on cognitive distortions that lead us to think that gambling is better than not gambling. The truth is that, mathematically, there is much more chance of losing a lot of money than winning a fairly high amount, comparable to what is spent. However, the idea of tempting fate and winning a fortune in an instant has such a powerful emotional charge that it manages to capture our attention, to make us think about that possibility more than ever.to make us think about this possibility beyond rationality.

What to do?

Many psychologists specialized in psychological assistance for patients are trained to help people with gambling addiction as well as with other types of addictions.

Recovery requires commitment, perseverance and effort, but with the support of a professional, it is much easier to recover. with the support of a professional it is much easier and the success rate higher.. Because in the therapy sessions we create the necessary changes, both in the way of thinking and in the way of interacting with the environment, to leave gambling addiction behind.

Bibliographical references:

• Becoña, B. (1993). The prevalence of pathological gambling in Galicia (Spain). Journal of Gambling Studies, 9:353 - 369.
• El Español (2019). A gambling house every 100 meters: gambling preys on poor neighborhoods in Madrid.
• Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (2015). Study on prevalence, behavior and characteristics of gambling users in Spain 2015. Available at https://www.ordenacionjuego.es/es/estudio-prevalencia.