Priorities and pathology
Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by at least five of the following:
- is preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble)
- needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement
- has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling
- is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling
- gambles as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression.
- after losing money gambling, often returns another day in order to get even (“chasing” one’s losses)
- lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling
- has committed illegal acts, such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement, in order to finance gambling
- has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling
- relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling
I figure this is a better description than you get on the back of some pamphlet, and also knowing exactly how these things are determined could give everyone a better understanding of how serious things may or may not be for them individually. I know I’m a little disturbed that I fit some of those criteria…
Mark
Hey all
Crazy work week means I don’t write, sorry. So, I saw one of those commercials on late night television, talking about gambling addiction. I’m sure you’ve seen the one where people are ordering food in a Japanese restaurant, and their friend doesn’t arrive because he’s off playing online poker. Anyways, we’ve all seen something similar, regardless of the vice, but I figured many people don’t really know how to determine if someone is an addict.
When it comes to mental health, there’s a book that is referred to called the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual”, or DSM, and the most current one (I believe) is the DSM-IVR (fourth edition, revised). Basically, when addressing mental health issues, professionals consult the DSM, find the appropriate section they believe the person is suffering from, and then basically (well, it’s more complicated, but to simplify) compare the symptoms being presented and checking them off on the DSM’s checklist. If the person meets enough of the criteria, – presto you have <insert mental illness here>.
When it comes to pathological gambling, the DSM “checklist” is as follows”
