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Gambling Recovery ServicesA gambling disorder was long considered a behavioral problem or character flaw. Its symptoms were difficult to uncover, and those with a gambling problem were extremely reluctant to admit to it. Family members, close friends and co-workers were often unaware or also hesitant to bring the problem to light. Compulsive gamblers typically ran up credit card debt, passed bad checks, emptied family bank accounts and committed other crimes to support their habit, and were given total culpability and little leniency by the court system. As the problem grew, instances of personal bankruptcies, suicides and divorce soared.
Statistics show that roughly five percent of New York residents have a gambling problem. In Western New York, however, that percentage is higher and, in 2003, there was a 15 percent increase in personal bankruptcies in Erie County, as well as an increase in fraud and larceny crimes. The addition of several gaming facilities in WNY has made the problem more apparent; however, the lottery, bingo games, sports and even the Internet have provided opportunities for people to get seriously involved with gambling. The process of treating someone for a gambling addiction is very similar to treatment for a drug addiction. Many of the same techniques are used. Horizon provides individual, group and family/significant other gambling recovery services. These services are designed to help consumers recover from gambling addiction by:
SymptomsGambling can be defined as any activity (e.g. a game of chance or skill) where an item of value is placed at risk in an attempt to gain something of greater value. A person exhibiting any or all of the following symptoms may have a gambling disorder:
Services and Treatment OptionsHorizon provides treatment for persons presenting with pathological gambling problems co-occurring with a substance abuse diagnosis. Our services are designed to meet the needs of these consumers and their families/significant others, and are designed to interrupt the cycle of compulsive gambling that results in multiple negative emotional, social, family, vocational, financial and legal consequences. To be eligible to receive counseling through Horizon for gambling problems, a consumer must have a DSMIV diagnosis in substance abuse with pathological gambling. Frequently-asked QuestionsHere are the answers to some frequently-asked questions about gambling: How do I know if I am a pathological gambler? Only a qualified professional can make the diagnosis of pathological gambling. However, if your gambling is causing difficulties in your life – including in your financial stability, family relationships, social relationships, work functioning, health status, ability to manage your emotions, legal status, etc. – there is a good chance you may have a problem. What causes gambling addiction? We don’t know the specific causes of gambling addiction. However, causes can include the influences of our life experiences including those of early life/childhood, trauma and current stressors. The degree to which each of these is a factor differs for each individual. Is compulsive gambling really an addiction? While we don’t fully understand any biological bases, pathological gambling shares many of the same psychological features that we find in chemical dependency and other compulsive disorders. Of greatest significance in recognizing it as an addiction is the inability of persons with pathological gambling to quit gambling despite often-serious consequences in multiple areas of their life. Will I have to quit gambling during treatment? Our primary goal with our each consumer is his or her discontinuing all gambling behaviors. We work with consumers toward achieving this goal over the course of treatment, and maintaining it following treatment completion. What if I want to quit one form of gambling but not another? Abstinence from all gambling is our expectation because it results in the lowest likelihood of relapse. Continuing to gamble in any form while trying to quit another form undermines successful recovery. Will I ever be able to gamble again safely? If you have a pathological gambling problem, any future gambling increases your risk of relapse and is not recommended. Self TestWant to find out if you have or if someone you know has a gambling problem? Visit www.ncpgambling.org/about_problem/about_problem_test.asp Other helpful websitesVisit these other helpful websites to learn more about problem gambling:
These links are provided to assist visitors to this site in obtaining information related to substance abuse and treatment. The links represent a variety of agencies and non-government organizations. By displaying links, Horizon is not endorsing the organizations represented nor making any claim as to the accuracy and validity of the information found on their websites
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In 1980 the American Psychiatric Association incorporated “pathological gambling” into its diagnostic and statistical manual, legitimizing disordered gambling as a psychiatric illness within the mainstream mental health field. Today gambling is considered to be a “disease of impulse control.”