Gambling: The Hidden Addiction

Owls are masters of camouflage and are nocturnal hunters. Similarly a gambling addiction often develops in plain sight of family members or work colleagues and gamblers spend night after night gambling at casino’s or online. This disorder, even though it does not involve addiction to a substance, has devastating effects not only on the sufferer but on the family, especially in terms of long term financial losses. Lives are ruined and sometimes lost as problem gamblers consider suicide as the only way out of this powerful addiction.This workshops sheds light on this addiction and its characteristics, manifestation and effects. It discusses treatment options and explains diagnosis as well as co-occurring disorders. This workshop will be valuable to both the layperson and the professional.Course Outline:Section One: Introduction to GamblingResearch and gambling statisticsSigns of a gambling disorder according to GAHistory of diagnosisActivity: Case Study 1Section Two: Is it an addiction? The neuroscience of addictionRisk factorsActivity: Case Study 2Co-morbidityActivity: Case Study 3Section Three: When are you addicted?Types of gamblersActivity: Case Study 4DSM-VActivity: Case Study 5Activity: Case Study 6ConsequencesActivity: Case Study 7Online gamblingVideo-clipSection Four: Working with GamblersTreatment optionsActivity: Case Study 8Effects on gambling employeesSelf-care