Genes affect the degree of reward that individuals experience when initially using a substance (e.g., drugs) or engaging in certain behaviors (e.g., gambling), as well as the way the body processes alcohol or other drugs.

Psychology Of Gambling Books

Gambling is a fascinating concept when looked at through the eyes of psychology. Make no mistake about it – the casino is well-versed in all of the ideas explained in this article, and they use them to manipulate your decision making. This knowledge might not make you more successful, but it can help put the entire thing in context. Gambling addiction is a serious issue and affects many individuals. Alexander Pushkin uses his story to bring awareness to the negative outcomes that may result from engaging in this dangerous play. This is something that is still very relevant to today’s society as well. Cavanna, Andrea E. Psychology of Gambling: New Research. The Psychology of Gambling book. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers.

Psychology Of Gambling Addiction

Addiction is a chronic disorder with biological, psychological, social and environmental factors influencing its development and maintenance. About half the risk for addiction is genetic. Genes affect the degree of reward that individuals experience when initially using a substance (e.g., drugs) or engaging in certain behaviors (e.g., gambling), as well as the way the body processes alcohol or other drugs. Heightened desire to re-experience use of the substance or behavior, potentially influenced by psychological (e.g., stress, history of trauma), social (e.g., family or friends' use of a substance), and environmental factors (e.g., accessibility of a substance, low cost) can lead to regular use/exposure, with chronic use/exposure leading to brain changes.

These brain changes include alterations in cortical (pre-frontal cortex) and sub-cortical (limbic system) regions involving the neuro-circuitry of reward, motivation, memory, impulse control and judgment. This can lead to dramatic increases in cravings for a drug or activity, as well as impairments in the ability to successfully regulate this impulse, despite the knowledge and experience of many consequences related to the addictive behavior.

Adapted from the Recovery Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Div. 50 (Society of Addiction Psychology) promotes advances in research, professional training and clinical practice within the broad range of addictive behaviors including problematic use of alcohol, nicotine and other drugs and disorders involving gambling, eating, sexual behavior or spending.

What You Can Do

The Psychology Of Gambling Addiction

• Understanding How People Change is First Step in Changing Unhealthy Behavior
  Stages-of-change research has been used to develop dozens of behavior change programs, including HIV prevention, to help people live longer, healthier lives.
• How Psychologists Improve Care
  Medications have been the gold standard for treating opioid use disorder, but behavioral interventions can improve treatment for opioid addiction and address the comorbid conditions that go along with it.
• Life-saving supports
  Psychologist-designed programs that include housing, work and family interventions for people with opioid use disorder show promise.

Research on Addiction

• Prevention as the first line of defense

  By teaching people to manage pain without opioids, psychologists are helping to prevent those at risk from sliding into misuse

• Breaking free from addiction

  Learn more about effective behavioral and pharmaceutical therapies to treat addiction.

• Psychology’s Unique Role in Addressing the Opioid Crisis

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. With many people affected from prescription and nonprescription opioid abuse and overdose deaths, psychological science and psychologists can help.

• Cell phone addiction rings true for teen psychologist

  High school senior Michelle Hackman won a $75,000 college scholarship with a project on cell-phone addiction.

• Fighting food addiction

  Yale University graduate student Ashley Gearhardt has found connections between substance abuse and food cravings, and is pioneering a new field along the way.

• Speaking of Psychology: Women and smoking

  In this podcast, expert Sherry McKee, PhD, explores why women have a harder time quitting smoking than men.

News

• 75,000 Americans at risk of dying from overdose or suicide due to coronavirus despair

  May 8, 2020, CNN

• Why you might be drinking too much during lockdown

  May 10, 2020, BBC News

• Looking for ways to protect against pandemic PTSD

  June 2, 2020, San Francisco Chronicle

• Pandemic unleashes a spike in overdose deaths

  June 29, 2020, Politico

• The power of reframing a mental health diagnosis

  August 6, 2020, Psychology Today

Related APA Publications

Psychology Of Gambling Journal

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