Gambling.

[hedbanger]

Is it really possible to get addicted to gambling?

Every so often I hear of extreme cases where I can't help but think, "Damn, they'd almost have to be addicted." I have a cousin who works in a casino, and she said that when people get on a machine they think will "hit," (win) they will play it for literally days; sleeping in the seat, even messing themselves.


But at the same time I think that it must just be a weakness of the mind... How can a person get addicted to an activity?




What do you think?

[barbara0207]

No, psychologists do not see it as a 'weakness of the mind' but as an addiction. It works in a similar way as alcoholism or drug addiction. Only in this case the chemicals are not introduced into the body from outside but produced in the body itself. The same chemicals are produced when something makes you feel happy. I think they're called serotonine. Therapies are similar to those that are used for other addictions. (People can also get addicted to computer games or the internet.)

[Demian]

The only winner at a casino is the house. A chronic gambler will realize this with their intellect but not internalize it enough to cause them to stop gambling. At this point it is clearly an addiction, because the gambler will lose their house, marriage, etc. just like an alcoholic or drug addict when the compulsion is fully formed.

[Bakiryu]

It's like a drug, you just can't stop. i love gambling but i've never been in a casino. I'm lucky thought.

It's like being book-addicted too :D :lol:

[NikolaiI]

It could be a weakness of mind. Actions follow your mind, so if you have a discplined mind, you could stay away...

However there are differences between games like Roullette and games like Texas Hold 'Em. Texas Hold 'Em is a game of skill, even if luck is involved. The reason for this is that there are certain ways to play that will win money, and other ways to play that will lose. It is compounded by the fact that sharks, or good players, can spot bad players very easily and make money off them. And they say you should play simply against bad players, instead of trying to do complex tricks, just bet what the cards are worth, because the bad player doesn't even know that. But there are books you can read, lots of them...there's one "professional," who was in the world series, I think, who said he'd only been doing it for 3 or 4 months- he'd just read all the books he could find and then he was gosu. For other games, chess especially, this isn't enough. Chess players have to study for years before they're grandmaster, but in Hold 'Em it just takes 4 months...Argh!

Obviously I know more about Hold 'Em than other games..."The Gambler" is a very good book, by Dostoevsky, where he describes gambling addiction...it's a very exciting book. Dostoevsky had gambling problems; I think Tolstoy did too.

[Virgil]

The mind/brain is still the most unknown human biological organ. If you have read and believe in Freud or any other psychology prior to the 1970's, throw it in the trash can, it's all garbage.

As to gambling, from Wiki:

Problem gambling is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The term is preferred to compulsive gambling among many professionals, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the gambler meets certain criteria.

And further down:

According to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery Recent evidence indicates that pathological gambling is an addiction similar to chemical addiction. It has been seen that some pathological gamblers have lower levels of norepinephrine than normal gamblers.

According to a study conducted by Alec Roy, M.D. formerly at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, norepinephrine is secreted under stress, arousal, or thrill, so pathological gamblers gamble to make up for their underdosage.

Further to this, according to a report from the Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions there was an experiment constructed where test subjects were presented with situations where they could win, lose or break even in a casino-like environment. Subjects' reactions were measured using a fMRI, a neuro-imaging device very similar to a MRI. And according to Hans Breiter, MD, co-director of the motivation and Emotion Neuroscience Centre at the Massachusetts General Hospital, "Monetary reward in a gambling-like experiment produces brain activation very similar to that observed in a cocaine addict receiving an infusion of cocaine."

Deficiencies in serotonin might also contribute to complusive behavior, including a gambling addiction.

The brain is an organ like any other. To explain it's function, there has to be a biological phenomena, not some mystical garbage like an oedipal complex.

[SleepyWitch]

It could be a weakness of mind. Actions follow your mind, so if you have a discplined mind, you could stay away...

nah, I don't think so. I don't really know too much about this, but psychologists say everyone's got a potential for addiction. once this is awakened, it won't go away, e.g. if you were an alcoholic and you quit, you'll always be more at risk than someone who never drank. or if you stop smoking, you might get addicted to something else afterwards. could be anything really (olives, chocolate, stamps), it doesn't need to be something harmful.
I don't think it's got to do with a disciplined mind. e.g. when I'm reading some linguistics stuff for a course, my mind is highly disciplined in that it asks all kinds of questions, tries to find out what the author is talking about, and keeps different categories and levels of analysis separate (which is something most of my fellow students don't manage to do!!).
so you could argue I've got a disciplined mind in that respect, right? but on the other hand I smoke and I'm not very likely to give it up for good any time soon.

[Virgil]

so you could argue I've got a disciplined mind in that respect, right? but on the other hand I smoke and I'm not very likely to give it up for good any time soon.

:eek2: Horrors, Sleepy, you smoke? I thought you were so health conscious. Aren't you a vegetarian and a swimmer, and enjoy other exercise? Smoking is way worse than any of the other bad things you've given up. It really does shorten your life, affecting both cardio and pulmonary (sp?), not to mention the increase risk of cancer. I hate to be a preacher, but for your own health please consider doing whatever it takes to give it up.

Edit: I know I can be sarcastic and/or witty (at least from my point of view :p ), every sentence above is completely sincere and is truely concerned with your health. Actually I wonder how many people on lit net smoke? I should start a poll. Perhaps tonight when I get home and have more time.

[SleepyWitch]

:eek2: Horrors, Sleepy, you smoke? I thought you were so health conscious. Aren't you a vegetarian and a swimmer, and enjoy other exercise? Smoking is way worse than any of the other bad things you've given up. It really does shorten your life, affecting both cardio and pulmonary (sp?), not to mention the increase risk of cancer. I hate to be a preacher, but for your own health please consider doing whatever it takes to give it up.

Edit: I know I can be sarcastic and/or witty (at least from my point of view :p ), every sentence above is completely sincere and is truely concerned with your health. Actually I wonder how many people on lit net smoke? I should start a poll. Perhaps tonight when I get home and have more time.

thanks Virg, I know your concern is sincere. I'm trying to give it up, but this is not the best time, seeing as I'm writing my thesis..
yeah, of course I know about the health risks.. lots of veggies smoke, though... I'm not a veggie because it's healthy (I don't think it's any healthier or unhealthier than eating moderate amounts of meat), but because of the animals.
I'll try to give up after I finished my thesis.

[Pensive]

I'm not a veggie because it's healthy (I don't think it's any healthier or unhealthier than eating moderate amounts of meat), but because of the animals.

Maybe you shall stop smoking because of the sake of those human-beings who get annoyed by it? Also for those who want you to live longer. Sometimes when we think we are doing good to others, we are being nice to ourselves too. :)

Goodluck!


]But at the same time I think that it must just be a weakness of the mind... How can a person get addicted to an activity?

Yes, addictiveness to gambling is possible just like that with internet, toys, drugs, alcohol, etc. A person can get addicted to something when he likes it too much?

[SleepyWitch]

Maybe you shall stop smoking because of the sake of those human-beings who get annoyed by it? Also for those who want you to live longer. Sometimes when we think we are doing good to others, we are being nice to ourselves too. :)

yep, nice idea. but i don't really annoy anyone by smoking, seeing as I always go outdoors to have a smoke. i don't smoke in restaurants or in our flat.
well, it does annoy my bf nevertheless, but he doesn't have the authority/stubbornness to make me stop

[papayahed]

Have you seen the movie Dead Again? There's a scene with a guy and a nursing home and a tracheotomy and cigarrettes. It made me want to quit smoking and I don't even smoke. I was gonna take up smoking just to quit after watching that scene...

[Pensive]

yep, nice idea. but i don't really annoy anyone by smoking, seeing as I always go outdoors to have a smoke. i don't smoke in restaurants or in our flat.
well, it does annoy my bf nevertheless, but he doesn't have the authority/stubbornness to make me stop

You do annoy your boy-friend. See he cares for you, and don't trouble him! :) It's not as easy to let go of this habit but it's worth a try, really...

[Virgil]

thanks Virg, I know your concern is sincere. I'm trying to give it up, but this is not the best time, seeing as I'm writing my thesis..
yeah, of course I know about the health risks.. lots of veggies smoke, though... I'm not a veggie because it's healthy (I don't think it's any healthier or unhealthier than eating moderate amounts of meat), but because of the animals.
I'll try to give up after I finished my thesis.

Now here I'm being witty/sarcastic depending on your point of view: You mean you are more concerned about the health and life of animals than your very own? :D