March has been designated as “Problem Gambling Awareness Month” (Problem Gambling Awareness Month). A conference was held in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the beginning of this month, and the topic of discussion was this problem, as well as potential solutions to the problem. There will be a conference on the problems caused by gaming. Click here to find out more news about this discussion.
Why Is This Important?
Given the data on who is most likely to develop a gambling disorder, it is impossible to overstate the importance of expanding one’s knowledge of gambling disorders and becoming state-certified as a treatment provider.
The Catalyst blog examined some of the factors that can be used to predict the presence of a gambling disorder in the post titled “What Are the Odds Your Mental Health Client in Nevada Has a Gambling Problem?” The most impulsive 25% of respondents had three times the number of gambling disorder symptoms as the least impulsive 25% of respondents. Anxiety and depression have also been linked to gambling disorders and impulsive behavior.
Those suffering from depression had twice the number of gambling disorder symptoms (Welte et al., 2017). Welte and colleagues (2017) According to the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), nearly 73.2% of pathological gamblers also had an alcohol use disorder, and 50.8% also had a personality disorder (Petry et al., 2005). Because of the high rate of comorbidity between gambling disorder and other mental health conditions, behavioral health professionals must screen and evaluate all clients, but especially those with substance use disorder, as well as mood, anxiety, and personality disorders.
This is one of the field’s implications. Waiting until a client initiates a conversation about gambling disorder should not be an option because clients are unlikely to do so due to stigma, a lack of perceived need for treatment, and the belief that treatment for gambling disorder is ineffective. It is not an option to wait until a client initiates a conversation about a gambling disorder.
Adults who did not receive mental health care cited the following reasons as some of the barriers to treatment of comorbidities in the blog post “A Beginner’s Guide to Gambling and Opioid Use Disorder for Behavioral Health Providers,” which was written by Catalyst and titled “A Beginner’s Guide to Gambling and Opioid Use Disorder for Behavioral Health Providers”:
- 52.2% of respondents said they couldn’t afford the price.
- 23.8% of those polled said they had no idea where to go for treatment.
- 23.0% of respondents said they did not need treatment for the problem.
- 13.6% of respondents said they were afraid of being arrested.
- As a result, 12.4% of respondents believe their neighbors will have a negative opinion of them.
- 11.1% of those polled said they did not believe treatment would be beneficial.
- 10.6% of those polled said they simply did not have the time.
- 10.1% of respondents expressed concern about the information’s confidentiality.
The following are some of the ways that mental health service providers can help prevent the comorbidity of undiagnosed gambling disorders:
Understand the concept of gambling disorder from the standpoint of mental health
Most people understand that problem gambling entails betting real money or valuables on the outcome of a game of chance. Fewer people are aware that bingo, lottery tickets, and even the stock market can be considered forms of gambling.
Gambling has the potential to have a significant impact not only on the lives of those who gamble but also on the lives of their loved ones and close friends. When most people hear the word “gambling,” they think of casinos, slot machines, and card games. The criteria developed for the DSM-5 fifth edition can help define and recognize gambling disorders.
Screen your customers for gambling disorders
Regularly
A gambling disorder may not manifest in a person until they have made significant progress in the treatment of another mental health condition, according to research. As a result, screening in the early stages of treatment, which is critical for determining whether a patient has a co-occurring disorder, is insufficient (Crockford and El-Guebaly, 1998; Cunningham-Williams, et al, 2000). Screening allows you to refer someone who meets the initial criteria to a clinical professional who is trained to conduct an in-person evaluation. The screening day for gambling disorders will be held on March 8, 2022.
Make use of the recommended Screening Tools
The NORC Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Problems, the DSM-5 Gambling Disorder Criteria, and the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS) Self-administered tests are just a few of the many that have been developed for screening for gambling disorders (NODS-SA).
Additional information on screening tools can be found in the Gambling Disorder Screening Day Toolkit, which was created for the NCPG by the Cambridge Health Alliance Division on Addiction. The NCPG commissioned the creation of this toolkit.
Advocate for treatment programs and services that can help people with gambling addictions, as well as those who care about them and their friends and family. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of advocacy, join others who already “know the ropes” by joining the NCPG. You may even decide to attend the Problem Gambling Advocacy Day in Washington, DC, to increase your involvement, build relationships with other advocates, and educate federal legislators about gambling disorders.
You can educate your clients, as well as other people who are a part of your practice or other spheres in which you have influence, during your regular work activities by making information readily available and bringing it up to the level of conversation. This can be as simple as providing a list of NCPG resources, or it can entail contacting your state affiliate to obtain resources specific to your states, such as self-help resources, support resources for family and friends, and treatment resources.
The Gambling Commission of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
After the event, members of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling had nothing but positive things to say about it. Participants at the conference discussed various methods for assisting people who have a gambling addiction.
The most important thing I took away from the discussion was the realization that gambling addiction is not limited to a single region or country, but is a global problem, and that people who are struggling with it should not be ashamed to seek help. The conversations that took place at the conferences centered on the various resources that are available to people who are currently experiencing this situation. I wish you luck at the most recent online casinos where you can play for real money.
Attendees at the conference included medical professionals, members of the general public, and employees of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. People came from all over New England to attend this open to public meeting. The fact that numerous new casinos are being built in the state of Massachusetts was one of the factors that led to the decision to host it there.
Even though very few attempts are being made to address the issue of gaming addiction, the group is concerned about the rapid expansion of betting venues. This is even though there are very few places where people can gamble. The participants are hopeful that raising awareness of the issue will be the first critical step toward resolving the problem of problem gambling and making the necessary support available to those in need.
Responsible Gambling Awareness Month is observed in October
The slogan “Have the Conversation” served as the starting point for the theme of Problem Gambling Awareness Month in 2015. According to the experts, a significant proportion of people have family members who are addicted to gambling, but these people rarely bring it up in conversation. People who are aware of a problem but refuse to seek help from family, friends, or experts despite knowing they need it. The goal of the organizations involved is to raise awareness of the fact that the first step toward treatment for problem gamblers is to address the issue with another person. This is the intention of the organizations involved.
Read more at bettop7.org to ensure that when you gamble, you do so responsibly.