Horace Heffner wrote: > > On Dec 31, 2008, at 4:28 AM, R C Macaulay wrote: > >> Compulsive gambling is one of the most insidious forms of addiction. > > So true. And the addiction is compounded by free drinks and environments > and games specifically designed for psychological impact.
And it can be triggered by completely innocent actions on the part of the "soon-to-be" compulsive gamblers. Anyone with RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) may be at risk for becoming a compulsive gambler, at least if neither they nor their doctor happens to be aware of one of the more bizarre side effects of the drugs used to treat the condition. See, for example: http://www.mdvu.org/emove/article.asp?ID=920 http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2007-rst/3918.html http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/08/09/primarysource/entry3152310.shtml As some shrinks have observed, compulsive gamblers of any sort tend to be very reluctant to talk about their problems, and often try to hide their compulsion from friends, family, and doctors. Consequently the number of "victims" of this particularly strange side effect may be a great deal larger than the number of documented cases. Addictive behaviours of all sorts seem to be closely tied together from the point of view of what's going on in the brain, and messing with the dopamine receptors is never a good idea. State lotteries also are funded in part by compulsive gamblers, and in fact generally "tax" the least well to do the most heavily. This is highly unfair; the lotteries are among the most regressive of taxes. Unfortunately, they are politically far more popular than the more "fair" graduated income tax, and in fact the people lotteries hurt worst are exactly the ones who want states to continue to offer them. > However, > according to Wiki [see Strickland reference below], 70% of the gambling > profits come from people who are not "problem" gamblers. > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slot_machine > > "It is estimated that thirty percent or more of the profits from > gambling machines come from problem gamblers." [Strickland, Eliza > (2008-06-16). "Gambling with science: Determined to defeat lawsuits over > addiction, the casino industry is funding research at a > Harvard-affiliated lab". Salon. See: > http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/06/16/gambling_science/] > > I think there is a serious need to scientifically determine just how > many problem gamblers would not have been exposed to their problem if > they knew the full truth about gambling machines, and to determine how > effective proper training in this regard can be in assisting treatment > of existing patients. > > It is also clearly important to determine what means is effective for > training the other 70% of people as well. > > Best regards, > > Horace Heffner > http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/ > > > >
