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Treatment for Gambling Addictions
by Jerry "Jet"
Whittaker
Aug
28, 2006
Treatment for Gambling
Addictions – Hidden Illness
Gambling addictions in medical terms are also referred
as “Hidden Illness” as there are no visible symptoms. In
a broader sense gambling addiction can be explained as a
gambling behavior, which causes disruptions in major
areas of life: psychological, physical and social. As
been a rising problems with many people, thus a
comprehensive study has been done gambling addiction.
After immense research and experimentation a very
effective medical treatment has been developed to cure
the problem. These treatments are very much similar to
therapies used for other forms of addiction. Many
doctors and mental health professional use these
therapies:
1. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
is part of cognitive-behavioral therapy that targets
the unhealthy, irrational and negative beliefs and
behaviors and helps the addict replace them with healthy
and positive ones.
2.
Group Therapy
Through group
therapy an addict is enabled to seek advices, feedback
and support from other people on how to deal the
addiction. The addict is provided with a Gambler
Anonymous that provides self-help peer support and a
12-step program, created on the line of Alcoholics
Anonymous. For people who are not sure about their
gambling addiction, Gambler Anonymous provides with a
list of 20 questions as a screening tool and also
supplements a list of local chapters.
3.
Residential treatment programs
Residential
treatment programs are provided by specially
trained personnel. These programs are specially
organized to provide both general and specialized
non-hospital-based interdisciplinary services 24x7.
4.
Inpatient
treatment programs
In an Inpatient
treatment program the addicted is provided with
coordinated and integrated services in the hospital
setting. Treatment is provided 24x7 that include the
daily therapeutic activities in, which the patient is
required to participate. The Inpatient treatment program
mainly focuses on providing protective environment,
which includes medical stabilization, support, treatment
for psychiatric or addictive disorders, and supervision.
5.
Counseling by a Certified Gambling Counselor
You can also
take counseling form a certified Gambling Counselor who
has completed a course of study in the relevant science
and has been certified for the same.
6.
National
Accreditation Organization
There are a few
national accreditation organizations that provide with
gambling therapies. They mainly include the NCGC-National
Gambling Counselor Certification Board, CCGC-American
Gambling Counselor Certification Board and the American
Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive
Disorders.
7.
State
Certification Organization
You can even go
for the State Certification Organization, which will
provide you a 30 hours gambling specific training and a
direct supervision.
Pathological
Gamblers or addicted gamblers have shown higher rate
of suicide compared to persons addicted to any other
activities. Thus if any of your loved ones is addicted
to gambling consult your doctor right now!
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