This book provides new insights into contemporary betting shops, with a particular focus on the manner in which losing bets are dealt with by customers. Drawing on research undertaken in Ireland, it demonstrates that customers tend to shift responsibility for monetary losses onto factors external to themselves as part of a collective process engaged in to restore self-esteem, and considers the role played by announcements made in betting shops in creating an atmosphere of inclusion - and the implications of this for ‘problem gambling’. Through an analysis of newspaper representations of the first legally operating betting shops in Ireland, which opened in the 1920s, the author places the contemporary betting shop in historical context and examines trends in gambling across the British Isles with reference to social class and the security or precarity of work. An interactionist study not only of gambling but also of responsibility and the connection between the micro-world and social structures, this volume will appeal to sociologists with interests in symbolic interactionism and strategies of blame.
This book provides an overview of the state of the art in research on and treatment of gambling disorder. As a behavioral addiction, gambling disorder is of increasing relevance to the field of mental health. Research conducted in the last decade has yielded valuable new insights into the characteristics and etiology of gambling disorder, as well as effective treatment strategies. The different chapters of this book present detailed information on the general concept of addiction as applied to gambling, the clinical characteristics, epidemiology and comorbidities of gambling disorder, as well as typical cognitive distortions found in patients with gambling disorder. In addition, the book includes chapters discussing animal models and the genetic and neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder. Further, it is examining treatment options including pharmacological and psychological intervention methods, as well as innovative new treatment approaches. The book also discusses relevant similarities to and differences with substance-related disorders and other behavioral addictions. Lastly, it examines gambling behavior from a cultural perspective, considers possible prevention strategies and outlines future perspectives in the field.
Over the past decade, legal wagering has expanded rapidly in North America. In 1998 alone, people lost 50 billion dollars in legal betting and it is estimated that illegal wagering is twice that amount. A recent government report, based on the broadest population survey, concludes that the lifetime and pathological gamblers in the U.S. range between 4 and 10 million persons and is growing. If we include the families affected by problem gambling then the potential impact is indeed prodigious. Virtually no community in the U.S. and Canada is left untouched by entertainment or problem gambling. Treating problem gambling has evolved from a small group of practitioners in the 1980's working in specialty impatient units into an international enterprise that affects the caseload of many mental health professionals. Owing to its quiet origins, problem gambling treatment strategies are not well known throughout the clinical community. Consequently the average clinician is him/herself "learning as they go." This approach does not benefit either client or therapist. As the book's first chapter makes clear, problem gambling differs significantly from substance abuse, its nearest clinical relative. Not attending to these differences leads to poor results and clinical failure. This book is the one essential tool needed by clinicians treating or likely to treat problem gambling. Written by a clinician with wide experience, it is intended for the general clinician treating or likely to treat problem gambling desiring a comprehensive, yet user-friendly guide. Assessment and treatment of problem gambling and those affected by it is discussed Includes diagnostic instruments developed by the author An integrative approach is taken with a special focus on cultural concerns and clinical applications for women and minorities Integration of spirituality in treatment is covered
The Psychodynamics and Psychology of Gambling is the first volume in the four-volume The Gambling Theory and Research Series. Author Mikal Aasved felt a need to fill what he perceived to be a lack of background sources or reviews of literature pertaining to gambling theory and research. This series will present major findings of leading researchers as they study the causes and effects of gambling, both recreational and excessive. This first entry in the series reviews the most influential psychodynamic and psychological theories that explain why people gamble. Psychoanalytical theorists discussed include Freud, Von Hattingberg, Fenichel, Bergler, Simmel, Greenson, Stekel, and others. Aasved includes sections on behavioral (learning or reinforcement theory) psychological approaches to gambling with discussion of Skinner's ideas and research findings as well as Pavlov's principles. This book begins with the question 'Why do people gamble?' and offers many theories proposed by clinicians, laboratory and field researchers, and participants as they seek to explain the motivation behind gambling. The differences between gambling as entertainment and gambling compulsion is a focus of much research. Aasved addresses ideas set forth as to why some people are able to control their gambling and others cannot, even when it means sacrificing their jobs, family, and material possessions. This text provides a comprehensive background into theories of addiction research as studied by leaders in the field.
A gripping, true story of one man’s forty-year struggle with compulsive gambling and his hard-won recovery. "My history of gambling really began before I was born." So opens Born to Lose, Bill Lee's self-told story of gambling addiction, set in San Francisco's Chinatown and steeped in a culture where it is not unheard of for gamblers (Lee's grandfather included) to lose their children to a bet. From wagering away his beloved baseball card collection as a youngster to forfeiting everything he owned at black jack tables in Las Vegas, Lee describes what gambling addiction feels like from the inside and how recovery is possible through the Twelve Step program.
As states have moved from merely tolerating gambling to running their own games, as communities have increasingly turned to gambling for an economic boost, important questions arise. Has the new age of gambling increased the proportion of pathological or problem gamblers in the U.S. population? Where is the threshold between "social betting" and pathology? Is there a real threat to our families, communities, and the larger society? Pathological Gambling explores America's experience of gambling, examining: The diverse and frequently controversial issues surrounding the definition of pathological gambling. Its co-occurrence with disorders such as alcoholism, drug abuse, and depression. Its social characteristics and economic consequences, both good and bad, for communities. The role of video gaming, Internet gambling, and other technologies in the development of gambling problems. Treatment approaches and their effectiveness, from Gambler's Anonymous to cognitive therapy to pharmacology. This book provides the most up-to-date information available on the prevalence of pathological and problem gambling in the United States, including a look at populations that may have a particular vulnerability to gambling: women, adolescents, and minority populations. Its describes the effects of problem gambling on families, friendships, employment, finances, and propensity to crime. How do pathological gamblers perceive and misperceive randomness and chance? What are the causal pathways to pathological gambling? What do genetics, brain imaging, and other studies tell us about the biology of gambling? Is there a bit of sensation-seeking in all of us? Who needs treatment? What do we know about the effectiveness of different policies for dealing with pathological gambling? The book reviews the available facts and frames the intriguing questions yet to be answered. Pathological Gambling will be the odds-on favorite for anyone interested in gambling in America: policymakers, public officials, economics and social researchers, treatment professionals, and concerned gamblers and their families.
Is someone you care about gambling your life away? You don't have to be a gambler yourself to suffer from the often disastrous effects of excessive gambling. Behind the 8-Ball is the must-have guide to reclaiming your financial, legal, and emotional freedom. Spouses, parents, siblings, children, friends, and coworkers of the gambler will learn how to: Understand why some people lose control of their gambling Recognize the compulsive gambler and realistically assess the financial and emotional damage he or she is causing you and others Accept that you can't control someone else's gambling Encourage the gambler to seek help Recover from being involved with a gambler For anyone who is or has ever been involved with someone who gambles too much, this supportive, informative volume delivers all the tools and motivation you need to rebuild your life. "This book is essential for gamblers, families, friends, and professionals who need to know more about the personalities of gamblers ... It is a precise, updated, and accurate look at how gambling affects families." - Timothy W. Fong, MD, co-director, UCLA Gambling Studies Program "This book remains as important today as ever and has remained the standard reference for family members of gamblers." - Keith Whyte, executive director, National Council on Problem Gambling
'If thinking about addiction is going to change, the study of excessive gambling is likely to be one of the richest sources of new ideas' (Jim Orford). In this book, the authors present research into gambling, showing the psychological variables that govern the erosion or maintenance of self-control over gambling behaviour. These studies provide an empirical basis for a model of impaired control of gambling. Impaired control, in its broadest sense, is considered to be the defining psychological construct of all the addictive behaviours and occupies a central position in conceptualising the addictive aspects of gambling.
CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title for 2009 2008 Best Reference, Library Journal "The scope, depth, breadth, currency, arrangement, and authority of this work reflect the thorough, in-depth approach of the entire editorial and publishing team . . . Advancing current thought and models in the field, this work provides an unparalleled attempt to approach this important subject from many perspectives. Moreover, each volume has a list of entries, a reader′s guide, and information about the authors and the contributors. The reader′s guide incorporates substantive topics, e.g. assessment, testing and research methods, biographies, coping . . . this is an essential addition to graduate and research collections." —Library Journal Professional counseling involves helping clients, individually or in groups, or as couples and families, deal with various career, vocational, educational, and emotional problems. Whether performed by psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, or counselors, thousands of professionals throughout the United States, as well as the world, are providing counseling services to fellow human beings to help them address and resolve the various problems of living that exceed their coping resources and social support. The Encyclopedia of Counseling provides a comprehensive overview of the theories, models, techniques, and challenges involved in professional counseling. With approximately 600 entries, this definitive resource covers all of the major theories, approaches, and contemporary issues in counseling. The four volumes of this Encyclopedia are flexibly designed so they can be use together as a set or separately by volume, depending on the need of the user. Key Features · Reviews different types of counselors, their different professional identities, and their different models of graduate education · Examines important historical developments that have shaped the evolution of the counseling profession into its current form · Provides a comprehensive compilation of information about established and emerging topics in mental health and personal/emotional counseling · Addresses problems in personal/emotional counseling ranging from concerns about normal developmental processes and common life transitions to debilitating problems of great severity · Discusses the major social, scientific, and professional forces that have shaped the evolution of cross-cultural counseling and psychotherapy · Offers complete information on conventional and up-and-coming areas of interest in career counseling Key Themes · Assessment, Testing, and Research Methods · Biographies · Coping · Counseling—General · Economic/Work Issues · Human Development and Life Transitions · Legal and Ethical Issues · Organizations · Physical and Mental Health · Professional Development and Standards · Psychosocial Traits and Behavior · Society, Race/Ethnicity, and Culture · Subdisciplines · Theories · Therapies, Techniques, and Interventions This ultimate resource is designed for laypeople who are interested in learning about the science and practice of counseling. It is also a useful source for undergraduate and graduate students and professionals from other specialties to learn about counseling in all its forms and manifestations.
