COMPULSION, BBC2, Thursday, April 14, 9.00 pm. An hour and a half about a compulsive gambler, "this intimate film, which heralds a series of documentaries on compulsive behaviour..." portrays the subject's struggle with his addiction.
Additionally, BBC3's 'Body Hits' host Dr John Marsden discusses (in the Radio Times for next week) a forthcoming series on the psychology of modern life, and says about 'addictive personalities':
Q: Can you be addicted to gambling the same way you are to alcohol or drugs?
Dr: It's unlikely that there's a single gene responsible for gambling in the way that one has been identified for alcoholism, but gambling comes under a group of disorders called behavioural addictions, which would also indicate Internet addiction, or sex addiction. They affect a relatively small number of people, but they are very real addictions.
Q: How does gambling affect sufferers?
Dr: We are beginning to understand the biological changes in brain activity. Gambling can affect the adrenal system and that sets off neurological feedback, which possibly mimics the process that occurs with drug consumption. Great strides have been made in looking at interactions between genetic makeup and environment and there could well be a genetic basis to excitement-seeking.
Q: Have other traits been identified?
Dr: Addicts are not equipped to deal with the stresses of everyday life and it's important to point out how poor their coping skills are. Coping skills are what stop us from drinking ourselves into an early grave. Some people find solace in alcohol, others in drugs, and those with gambling habits find release in casinos, online poker rooms and in betting shops. The result is financial harm, impacted relationships, and overwhelming feelings of remorse and guilt. The problem is that gambling addicts suffer from disorders of perception, and believe they can bet themselves out of a hole. It's a vicious circle and almost impossible to get out of.
Additionally, BBC3's 'Body Hits' host Dr John Marsden discusses (in the Radio Times for next week) a forthcoming series on the psychology of modern life, and says about 'addictive personalities':
Q: Can you be addicted to gambling the same way you are to alcohol or drugs?
Dr: It's unlikely that there's a single gene responsible for gambling in the way that one has been identified for alcoholism, but gambling comes under a group of disorders called behavioural addictions, which would also indicate Internet addiction, or sex addiction. They affect a relatively small number of people, but they are very real addictions.
Q: How does gambling affect sufferers?
Dr: We are beginning to understand the biological changes in brain activity. Gambling can affect the adrenal system and that sets off neurological feedback, which possibly mimics the process that occurs with drug consumption. Great strides have been made in looking at interactions between genetic makeup and environment and there could well be a genetic basis to excitement-seeking.
Q: Have other traits been identified?
Dr: Addicts are not equipped to deal with the stresses of everyday life and it's important to point out how poor their coping skills are. Coping skills are what stop us from drinking ourselves into an early grave. Some people find solace in alcohol, others in drugs, and those with gambling habits find release in casinos, online poker rooms and in betting shops. The result is financial harm, impacted relationships, and overwhelming feelings of remorse and guilt. The problem is that gambling addicts suffer from disorders of perception, and believe they can bet themselves out of a hole. It's a vicious circle and almost impossible to get out of.
