Breaking the link between depression and gambling

By: Georgia Ashworth (clinical psychology registrar) & Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Research has shown for some time that depression and gambling addiction are linked. However, the relationship between the two is far from simple. In fact, you could say ‘it’s complicated’.

Firstly, we know that gambling can be a way to relieve unpleasant feelings. Someone that is experiencing symptoms of depression (e.g., low mood or motivation, feelings of hopelessness) is more likely to gamble. And they’re more likely to gamble in the hopes of experiencing the highs of gambling, which in turn alleviate some of the underlying feelings of depression. Over time, gambling becomes a way of coping and a short-term solution to these feelings. It provides a sense of excitement, or an escape from unpleasant emotions. However, this band-aid approach leads to a vicious cycle where the gambling behaviour is reinforced over and over again as a way of feeling better. This connection is so strong that research has found evidence to suggest that depression is amongst several factors that can lead to gambling addiction. Helpful questions to consider might be, what does gambling offer me that I don’t get in other areas of my life? How do I feel when not gambling? What emotions am I trying to escape? Do I gamble more when I’m feeling low?

The second relationship to consider is how gambling addiction contributes to depression. Gambling has been shown to negatively impact an array of life domains including financial, physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, and relationships. When these areas begin to suffer, stress inevitably rises and the risk of depression increases. Emotionally, gambling can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and low self-esteem, all of which increase someone’s vulnerability to developing depression. It can be helpful to take stock of the impacts of gambling, whether this be money lost, relationships harmed or negative feelings toward yourself. Whilst difficult, bringing attention to the losses can help in building motivation to change, and a starting point for developing goals moving forward.

So, what does all this mean? Essentially, gambling addiction can be the result of depression, and the cause of greater levels of distress. If gambling is being used to cope with underlying low mood then seeking help and learning more helpful coping strategies for depression is recommended. If gambling is contributing to feelings of depression through creating more stressors, firstly take stock of these stressors and devise some goals of what you would like to change. It is always best to do this with the support of a mental health professional or gambling support group. Depression and gambling have a close relationship, but with the right support the vicious cycle can be broken.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/breaking-the-link-between-depression-and-gambling/

Reacting to the Recent: Mental Biases in Gambling

By Kelly Tow (clinical psychology registrar) & Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

If someone asked you to quickly recite everything that happened yesterday, how do you think you would go? How about if you had to remember everything that happened last week, last month, or over the past year?

There’s a strong chance that you’d remember a bunch of key events or activities that were meaningful to you, but a huge number wouldn’t come to mind immediately — especially things that were less recent.

This is completely normal. While our brains are extremely clever, it’s simply not possible for us to quickly recall an almost-infinite number of events that we’re exposed to throughout our lives. We do, however, tend to be better at remembering and mentally imagining things that have happened more recently, compared to things that happened a while ago.

This tendency to remember recent events and feelings more easily can significantly impact our decision-making. This is because, as humans, we tend to place greater weight on events and feelings that we can easily recall or imagine, and therefore we place greater weight on recent events.

It makes sense that our brains focus on the things we can easily recall… it’s an important mental shortcut. If our brains didn’t take shortcuts like this, we’d find ourselves spending endless hours thinking over the past and deliberating our every action! However, such short-cuts can also lead our brains to miss important information and create ideas and assumptions that are not completely accurate. Let’s call these ‘Thinking Errors’.

It's very common for people to make thinking errors when gambling, and there are many different types of thinking errors that impact decision-making in gambling. In two other articles, we talk about common thinking errors known as ‘The Gambler’s Fallacy’, and ‘Confirmation Bias’. In this article, we’ll discuss the thinking error known as ‘Recency Bias’.

‘Recency bias’ is the thinking error introduced above, which causes people to (unknowingly) place far greater importance on events that happened recently when evaluating situations and making decisions. Through this process, people often inadvertently disregard or forget about earlier events that were equally relevant.

This is seen in plenty of areas of life. For example, we often tend to recall a poorly written plotline that happens at the end of a movie more prominently than an equally poor plotline that occurs partway through the movie. Likewise, if we make several mistakes at the beginning of our workday but later in that same workday we begin to perform exceptionally well, we are likely to go home feeling better about our day than if those exact same mistakes had instead occurred at the end of the day.

Recency bias can impact gambling decisions in a similar way. In sports betting, for example, our unintentional focus on recent events (such as recent team performance) can often lead us to unintentionally disregard other important information (such as information about the team, their skill, and/or their prior performance).

For example, imagine you’re following the AFL or cricket. A team who is usually considered the underdog wins a game. Soon after, they win their next game – but this time in an epic sporting moment (for example, a final-second goal or a five-wicket-haul). We so easily get caught up in the associated emotion and excitement of moments like these; in fact, it’s probably one of the things that makes sport so enjoyable to watch! However, amongst all this emotion and excitement, recent events like these become very prominent in our minds and often form the basis for our subsequent predictions, causing us to unintentionally disregard other relevant details.

For example, in focusing on the epic win, we might inadvertently forget or disregard the underdog’s lesser performance in multiple prior games within the same season or their poor historical performance against other teams.

The issue with all of this is that recency bias (and, more generally, our tendency to focus on memorable events) can make us feel overconfident in our predictions, despite not having the full picture in mind. This overconfidence may then cause us to place riskier or larger bets, making us susceptible to greater losses and experiencing the often-difficult consequences of this.

If your gambling has ever been affected by recency bias, you’re certainly not alone. ‘Thinking errors’ like recency bias are extremely common, and often we don’t notice them until they’re pointed out to us. Starting to recognise and understand thinking patterns and biases can be a helpful first step in managing your gambling.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/reacting-to-the-recent-mental-biases-in-gambling/

How to deal with guilt and shame from gambling

By Georgia Ashworth (clinical psychology registrar) and Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

From time to time, everyone acts in ways that they aren’t proud of. With regards to gambling this could include thinking about past experiences, moments of dishonesty and money lost. It could also include any lapses in progress or urges to gamble.

When we make mistakes, it’s normal to experience guilt as it drives us to make amends with others and encourages us to make healthier choices moving forward. However, it is also common to experience a sense of shame following mistakes that we make. Where guilt tells us that we’ve done something wrong, shame tells us that there’s something wrong with us. This could sound something like ‘I am a liar’, ‘I’m a bad person’, or ‘I’m not worthy’.

These self-critical beliefs can perpetuate feelings of depression and low self-worth, which can lead to problems for mental health. Therefore, whilst trying to stop or reduce gambling, it is important to be aware of any thoughts that may lead to feelings of shame.

Reducing Rumination

One way to manage feelings of shame is to reduce rumination. Rumination is a mental process where the same event is thought about excessively and repetitively. To do this, begin by seeing the situation for what it was, ‘Last week I put $100 into the pokies’ and the emotion that you’re experiencing, ‘I’m frustrated by this’.

From here, our thoughts could spiral into rumination, over-analysing and self-criticism. Instead, try planning how you will move forward. Reflect on your triggers and how these could be managed better next time, or talk to someone about what happened and what your plan is.

Self-Compassion

Another way to manage feelings of shame is through increasing self-compassion. Self-compassion is the idea that we treat ourselves with the understanding, comfort and support that we would provide to others in difficult situations. Being self-critical or even punishing towards ourselves is common following mistakes, however this increases feelings of shame and keeps us stuck.

The first step in becoming more self-compassionate is noticing the emotion that you’re feeling, and naming it without judgement. This could sound something like ‘At the moment, I’m feeling shameful about my recent gambling’.

Then, it’s important to validate that emotion, rather than try to suppress it or punish yourself for feeling it e.g. ‘things are really difficult for me right now’.

And finally, ask yourself how you can comfort or care for yourself as you would a close friend who was going through a difficult time. This could include gentle reminders that we are all human and we make mistakes, or that there may be times where you experience lapses in progress.

It could also include doing an enjoyable or soothing activity, catching up with friends, or revisiting goals and reflecting on progress. Self-compassion provides the emotional support needed during difficult times, and helps to get back on track.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/how-to-deal-with-guilt-and-shame-from-gambling/

What triggers the urge to gamble?

By Samantha Hayes (clinical psychology registrar) & Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Do you find that some days are harder to get through compared to others? That some days the urge to gamble might be stronger than others? Maybe it’s the weekend, or it’s your lunch break on pay day. Maybe it’s when you withdraw money from the ATM. Maybe it’s during Friday night football, or after having a couple of drinks with your friends. These could all be situations that trigger the urge or desire to gamble.

A trigger is something in your life that has the potential to set off a reaction that is similar to how you have reacted in the past. It is often a cue that is related to our habits and routines that we develop over time. A trigger can be developed from repeating the same behaviours in the same environment over time. For example, you may have gambled every pay day, and therefore when pay day comes around again, you continue to get urges to gamble.

The development of a trigger creates a neurological pathway in the brain, where a set of factors are associated with an outcome (e.g., pay day becomes associated with gambling). The brain then holds on to these factors and every time a similar situation occurs, it triggers you to respond in the same way as before. The more we repeat this pattern (e.g., gambling on pay day), the stronger, faster, and more automatic that pathway in the brain becomes.

The brain can be triggered by all sorts of things, including sights, sounds, taste, textures, people, places or feelings. These can then evoke thoughts, feelings or urges. For example, maybe the sound of a jackpot may make it too tempting to walk past the gaming room, or an ad for the football makes you want to pull out your phone to place a bet.

Even when you haven’t gambled in a while, these triggers can still lead to the same desire or urge to gamble. For example, returning to your local pub or attending a sporting match after a long period away, may signal to your brain to react and reactivate this pattern of behaviour.

Recognising the situations or factors that make you more likely to gamble is an important step on your journey to cutting down or quitting. It is important to understand that our triggers create instinctive and potentially impulsive responses that can be difficult to ignore. Some triggers may be more difficult to manage than others. There are also some other factors that may make your triggers harder to manage such as stress, alcohol, substances, or emotional distress.

We cannot always avoid our triggers so developing strategies to help manage can be beneficial. Write out a list of your triggers, to help you build awareness of what they are. When those situations occur, the first step may be stopping whatever you are doing - physically stop yourself and pause, even just for a moment. This can create the smallest of changes to your behaviour.

Take a breath – taking a deep breath can help you to decide whether this is an urge you want to respond to or not. Observe what is happening for you – are there thoughts, feelings or urges that have been triggered.

Proceed – make a decision of how to proceed based off your goals and values. Sometimes, just taking a pause before we act, can help us to not respond instinctively and allow us to consider if there is another action we can take. While this pause may not be enough to reduce the urge, there are also other strategies that you can utilise such as urge surfing, mindfulness, engaging in other activities to distract yourself or going for a walk to clear your head.

It may also be possible to challenge your thoughts that may be associated with these triggers. As we experience situations that triggered us in the past, and we do not engage in the same behaviours that we previously did, we reduce the strength of our triggers. We start to build alternative pathways in the brain, and reduce the strength of previous associations (e.g., reduce the automatic activation of gambling on pay day). We start to recognise that while a trigger may lead us to want to gamble, we can build the capacity to resist the urges and engage in alternative actions.

All of this can be difficult but you do not have to do so alone. For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/what-triggers-the-urge-to-gamble/

How to support a family member who is struggling with gambling

By: Samuel Ma (Clinical Psychology Registrar) & Dr Anastasia Hronis (Clinical Psychologist)

If you have a family member experiencing difficulties with gambling, you are in a unique position to provide assistance, support and help start recovery. Although this can often be a challenging process, family support makes an enormous difference. Below are some ideas of how you can help.

First, encourage a discussion with your family member around gambling concerns. This will cultivate a sense of connection and openness. Actively listen to their thoughts, experiences and feelings, and try to do so in a non-judgemental way. While you may not have the same experiences or perspectives on matters relating to gambling, listening without passing strong opinions or judgement will help them feel heard and supported.

Problematic gambling often creates psychological distress, financial pressure and relationship changes. It may therefore be beneficial to discuss triggers for gambling, so that both you and your loved one have a greater awareness of what their triggers may be. These may include specific events, social environments, emotions, times of the day, or people.

Second, consider helping to create a healthy environment for your family member’s gambling recovery. You can encourage help-seeking through free and confidential, professional support services like Gambler’s Help.

Reaching out to your General Practitioner and obtaining a Mental Health Care Plan could also be helpful. As a family member, you could offer to attend an initial appointment with your loved one to mitigate stigma and offer support.

Once your family member has received support, understand that improvement is a non-linear process and lapses are a common component of recovery. Support your loved one to utilise strategies from professional supports and provide a secure financial environment (e.g., not loaning money, seeking financial advice) where necessary.

Finally, family members should actively engage in self-care themselves. Research tells us that a person experiencing significant problems with gambling can affect up to six other people around them, with moderate-risk gamblers affecting up to three others, and low risk gamblers affecting one other person in their life. Treat yourself with compassion if you notice you are being affected by the gambling behaviours of someone else.

Check out our resources for families of people living with mental health or gambling concerns. Engage in your own self-care actively through socialisation, prioritising a healthy lifestyle (diet, exercise, sleep), and seeking professional support for yourself where necessary.

Although support is valuable, recognise that gambling is the responsibility of your family member. In the long term, this provides them with a sense of autonomy and agency. Above all, recall that your family member is defined by more than their experiences with gambling. Their values, relationships, and passions remain, and with support these can be prioritised once again.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/how-to-support-a-family-member-who-is-struggling-with-gambling/

7 ways gambling can harm you — and what to do about it

By Natalie Herron (Clinical Psychology Registrar) & Dr Anastasia Hronis (Clinical Psychologist)

If you are thinking about your gambling and gambling behaviours, an important question to ask yourself is, what is gambling costing me in my life?

For many people, gambling can result in a lot of harm, not only for themselves, but those they’re close to. In fact, there are seven distinct ways in which people can experience gambling-related harm to varying degrees. These seven areas are:

• relationship difficulties (e.g. conflict or tension with important loved ones)

• health problems (e.g. excessive worry or stress, sleep problems)

• emotional distress (e.g. feeling worthless or not good enough)

• financial problems (e.g. accumulating debt)

• issues with work (e.g. being distracted at work because you’re thinking about gambling)

• cultural problems (e.g. loss of identity)

• criminal activity (e.g. stealing to finance gambling).

(For more information see Types of harm from gambling (responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au)).

Considering how impactful gambling can be, how can you build motivation to change your behaviours?

Something that might be helpful for you to do is develop a pros/cons list of acting on gambling urges. For example, are there any advantages to gambling and acting on the desire or impulse to gamble? What are the disadvantages? (Maybe they’re some of the points mentioned above). Also importantly, what are the advantages of resisting the urge or impulse to gamble? What are the disadvantages? This list will be personal for you, but here is an example below to get you started:

Acting on the urge to gamble:

Pros:

• Feels good in the moment

• Provides a temporary escape

• Can be a temporary distraction from problems

Cons:

• My partner will be angry with me

• I won’t be able to pay the bills

• I’ll feel so guilty that I won’t be able to sleep

• Losing money

• In the long run, I risk developing a serious addiction to gambling

Resisting urge to gamble:

Pros:

• I will feel proud of myself

• I won’t have to worry about finances or paying bills

• I won’t have to experience feelings of guilt or shame

• It helps me work towards the life I want to live

• I will be able to spend quality time doing the things I find meaningful — like playing with my child instead

Cons:

• It is really uncomfortable because the urge to gamble is so strong

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/7-ways-gambling-can-harm-you-and-what-to-do-about-it/

If you do write these out, be sure to carry them with you so they’re easily accessible. Also consider rehearsing your pros and cons over and over again! When rehearsing them, it can be extra powerful to imagine the positive short-term (just today) and long-term (tomorrow and beyond) consequences of resisting the urge, as well as considering the short-term and long-term negative consequences if you were to gamble.

Chasing losses: The goal post that keeps moving

By Kelly Tow (Clinical Psychology Registrar) & Dr Anastasia Hronis (Clinical Psychologist)

Have you ever put a lot of time and energy into something, only to reach a point where things just aren’t working out, but you feel you’ve invested too much valuable time and energy that it just doesn’t feel right to stop?

It’s a very common experience. It comes down to the fact that we, as humans, often find it hard to ‘cut our losses’ at the right time. Whether it’s that entire hour you spent trying to solve a puzzle to no avail, those hours you spent trying to fix something that just couldn’t seem to get fixed, or that movie that you knew was absolutely terrible about halfway through but that you just kept watching because, well, you’d already watched the first half and it seemed too late to stop… most of us have had trouble cutting our losses at some point in our lives.

However, the issue is that we tend to worsen the result for ourselves when we don’t cut our losses at a good time.

For example, in the case of the terrible movie that we’ve found ourselves halfway through, we are faced with two options: The first option is to watch the rest of the movie. The second option is to stop the movie and do something else with our time. We often end up choosing the first option because we say things to ourselves like “It might get better” or “I’ve already watched the first half, so it’s a waste of time if I don’t watch the second half”. The problem here is that we have a pretty good idea that the rest of the movie is going to be equally as disappointing as the first half. In this sense, by choosing to continue watching, we are just setting ourselves up to waste another portion of our time on something that is not valuable to us. In contrast, if we chose to turn off the movie, knowing that it wasn’t likely to get much better, we would have the opportunity to use that time watching a better movie, or doing something else more fun or more valuable with our time.

So, what does this have to do with gambling? Well, our very same thought processes also apply to gambling, which makes it extremely hard to know when it’s the right time to cut our losses and stop.

After people experience a big loss in gambling, or after they notice how much money they’ve lost over the course of a gambling session (or a series of gambling sessions), it’s very common for people to then find themselves feeling desperate to win their money back.

That is, the more you lose, the more desperate you feel to gain the money back, and the more bets you find yourself placing to try and break even or to finish on an up. What makes this all the more challenging is that some losses actually feel like “near-misses”. A near-miss is when the outcome from placing a bet feels like you could have almost won (for example, your horse comes second in a race, or you get “cherry-cherry-lemon” on a poker machine). These near-misses can encourage a person to feel hopeful for future wins. Therefore, even though winning outcomes are determined largely or purely by chance, a person can develop a feeling of control where they believe they can recoup past losses.

The issue is that this can all be a very vicious cycle and typically leads to further losses. This is because the unfortunate reality is that the odds are not in our favour. So, when you place additional bets, you’re likely to lose even more, and to subsequently feel even more desperate than you did before. It’s like trying to reach a goal post that just keeps moving further and further away.

Just like the example of the terrible movie, while it might not seem the most desirable or comfortable option to tap out at a low point in gambling, doing so will stop you from worsening the situation further. It will stop you from losing more of your time, energy, and money.

Of course, tapping out is easier said than done. So, if it’s something you’ve found yourself struggling with, one of the best things you can do is to take a break after a loss, clear your mind (for example, by using Mindfulness Strategies, going for a walk, and/or heading home) and actively remind yourself that placing further bets is very unlikely to help the situation. Also try to check in with yourself and notice if you are interpreting a loss as a “near-miss”. If you notice the urge to place a further bet, you can experiment with strategies like Urge Surfing to help you to move through the urge. By clearing your mind a little and resisting the urge to chase your losses, you’ll be better placed to consider the most appropriate step forwards.

For some people, the most appropriate step forwards might include seeking some additional support to work through the situation. If you’d like some support on this topic or any other gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/chasing-losses-the-goal-post-that-keeps-moving/

Spotlight on self-exclusion

By: Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

If you’ve been struggling to manage your gambling, then self-exclusion may be a useful option for you to consider.

Self-exclusion is a voluntary process where a person bans themselves from entering specific gambling venues, or from accessing online providers. All Australian gambling providers are required to provide the option to customers to self-exclude from accessing their venue or their products. Self-exclusion may not be available from gambling websites that are registered outside of Australia.

So, when might self-exclusion be an option for you to consider?

There are several signs that indicate a person might be struggling with gambling. If you identify with any of these signs, then it may be worth you considering self-exclusion as an option to manage or restrict your gambling.

Signs that you may be having difficulty with gambling include:

• Thinking about gambling regularly/every day

• Hiding your gambling from family and friends

• Borrowing money to gamble

• You let bills go unpaid

• Gambling is affecting other areas of your life such as work or relationships

• You use gambling as an escape from problems in life

• You find you need to gamble more or for longer periods

• You feel anxious, sad, embarrassed or guilty about your gambling

• You’ve tried to cut back your gambling in the past but haven’t been successful at maintaining it.

What is the process involved when you opt for self-exclusion?

Different states and territories have different regulations, processes, and time frames for self-exclusion. If you are wanting to discuss the options for self-exclusion, speak with your gambling operator about the process, or click here for more information.

By law, Australian gambling providers must give consumers the option to self-exclude from their venue. You can ban yourself from venues like clubs, pubs, casinos or TABs. Venue operators will work with you to assist you to enter into a voluntary self-exclusion agreement that bans you from entering the gaming areas of that club, pub or casino.

You will enter into a deed which excludes you for an agreed minimum period of time. The deeds often authorises venue management to take reasonable steps to remove you from the restricted gaming area of these venues if you breach the agreements of the deed.

You can also self-exclude from gambling websites. Most reputable gambling websites will allow you to block yourself from holding an account with them. Be wary of using offshore gambling sites which are illegal, and can sometimes disguise themselves to seem Australian based, with “Aussie” branding and slogans. Self-exclusion may not be available from sites registered outside of Australia. For a list of gambling websites which have been verified as being Australian based, click here.

In the coming months, Australia will also launch “BetStop”, a national self-exclusion register. Once ready, people will be able to self-exclude from all licensed interactive wagering services for a minimum period of 3 months and up to a lifetime. BetStop will be a free service. If you choose to self-exclude, wagering providers will be required to close all your betting accounts and must not let you place a bet, let you open a new account and send you marketing messages.

To find out more about BetStop and keep updated with the national self-exclusion register launch, click here.

For some, self-exclusion is a step taken when other methods of minimising harm have been tried without much success. For others, self-exclusion can be the first step. If you would like to talk to someone about your gambling contact Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858. Or visit here to find out more about self-exclusion.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/get-help/help-yourself/self-exclusion/

Values: What are they, and why do they matter?

By: Samuel Ma (registered psychologist, clinical psychology registrar) and Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Values play a critical role in the way we think and interact with the world around us. They shape the decisions we make, the way we relate with others, and motivate us to achieve lifelong goals. But what exactly are values, and why are they important in the context of gambling?

Values are our “deepest desires” that guide our way of life. They specify how we want to relate to ourselves, other people, and our community. Values are different to goals, in that goals are observable, specific, and achievable. A common analogy is that values are the direction you may be travelling on a road trip, such as North-West. However, the stops that you make along the way, whether it be a country town, landmark, or lookout, are goals that can be completed.

Values can be thought of as an inner compass, that might guide us in a particular direction in life. Values, unlike goals, may not ever be completely achieved, but rather shift in importance as we progress through our life. Values can, however, be very useful in helping us set goals for ourselves that are meaningful and fulfilling. When we live a life that aligns with our values, we tend to have greater satisfaction and quality of life.

Values shape us on an ongoing basis - not just today, tomorrow, but the months and years ahead. They are deeply ingrained qualities and are therefore broad in nature. Importantly, values reflect what is important to us as individuals, free from obligation or the expectations of others. There are no right or wrong sets of values, rather which is or isn’t important to us. Common values include creativity, persistence, safety, intimacy, gratitude, or skilfulness. The list is endless!

Values are critical when considering accessing help and support around gambling. Some common values that may underlie recovery include self-acceptance, self-compassion, engagement, independence, and gratitude for close relationships. Spend some time reflecting on what life directions are important to you, and how gambling may or may not fit into these values. For many people, gambling can take away from living a life consistent with personal values, and we know this often be true for those living with a gambling addiction. Consider how you may capitalise on your unique strengths when building a life consistent with your values.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/values-what-are-they-and-why-do-they-matter/

Embracing Mindfulness

By: Natalie Herron (registered psychologist, clinical registrar) and Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Mindfulness is a term you might have heard a bit of recently, but what is it?

Mindfulness is a practice which aims to ground ourselves in the present moment. When used effectively, it helps us to focus our awareness of what is happening within ourselves, while balancing what is going on outside of ourselves. Being mindful is essentially the opposite of engaging in habitual or automatic behaviours.

An inherent aspect of mindfulness is to be able to observe our surroundings and participate in experiences without judgement. This can be particularly effective for thoughts which might be uncomfortable or distressing, as it allows us to change our relationship with our thoughts instead of struggling with our thoughts. For example, mindfulness skills can be particularly helpful if we find ourselves often getting caught up in the past (e.g., “I can’t believe I did that!”) or worrying about the future (e.g. “What if this happens again?”).

The overall goal of mindfulness is to build flexibility to acknowledge thoughts, feelings, and behaviours as they come up, and to be able to let them pass without judgement. Importantly, research has shown that those who practice and develop the skill of mindfulness, experience a variety of health benefits. Some of these include improved mood, reduced stress, enhanced physical health, and overall improvements in well-being.

The great news is, mindfulness practice isn’t just about sitting on your lounge room floor in an uncomfortable position trying to meditate. In fact, the most effective mindfulness strategy is the one which works best for you. Here are just a few ways you can start to practice mindfulness:

Mindful activity

Focus your mind by taking a moment to simply observe, describe, and participate fully in your chosen activity. Use your senses to fully be aware of the activity you are doing mindfully. E.g. if you are washing the dishes mindfully, notice the feeling of water on your hands, the sound of water splashing, what the soap suds look like etc.

Grounding using our senses

Can you calmly and slowly name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste? This exercise helps us ground ourselves into the present moment, and can be particularly useful during times of emotional distress or if you’re experiencing urges to gamble.

BodyScan

Sit down in a comfortable position, letting your body relax into your seat. Take a deep breath in, and slowly breathe out. Start to bring attention to your body. Draw your attention to the top of your head. Can you notice any sensations? If so, describe them. Continue this down your body, releasing any tension as breathe in and out, noticing any sensations are they arise.

Guided meditation

Try some meditation which uses imagery, music, or breath to help you focus or open your mind and guide you through the activity. Consider using YouTube and other apps to try these out.

Mindfulness strategies can be used when we are feeling calm, relaxed and in control, but can also be used when we are feeling overly emotional, stressed, or when we are having urges. It is always recommended that you practice skills and strategies like these mindfulness exercises, when you are calm and in a good mental state, so that they become easier to use when you are not.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/embracing-mindfulness/

Spotlight on Schema Therapy

Breaking Negative Patterns

As humans we all have basic, fundamental needs. The need for food, the need for shelter, for safety and for clothing. However, in order for a person to grow, develop and flourish, there are a number of core emotional needs which also must be met. These include the need for secure attachments with other people; the need for safety and predictability; for autonomy and a sense of identity; for acceptance and empathy; the need for freedom of expression; and the need for spontaneity.

When some or all of these core emotional needs are not met throughout childhood (e.g. due to difficult childhood experiences or abuse), individuals can develop unhelpful and self-defeating emotional and cognitive patterns that are called schemas. Schemas encompass beliefs about oneself, others and the world, which develop during childhood and can continue into a person’s adult life. These schemas are often rigid and the individual accepts the beliefs and feelings without question. These can include beliefs such as “I’m not good enough”, “I’m unlovable” and “people will leave me”. Such beliefs can lead to significant dysfunction in a person’s life, problematic relationships and chronic mood difficulties.

How does Schema Therapy work?

Schema Therapy is an evidence-based treatment. It incorporates elements from a number of other therapeutic frameworks, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy, Attachment Theory and Gestalt Therapy. Schema Therapy looks at core themes within a person’s life to help them break negative, rigid and unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.

To help a person break these unhelpful patterns, Schema Therapy uses a combination of cognitive, experiential and behavioural strategies, while also engaging the therapeutic relationship to foster change. A person’s schemas and unhelpful patterns develop over the course of their lifetime and can be very rigid. For this reason, Schema Therapy is a longer-term treatment option (e.g. 15 or more sessions), as it focuses on the core dysfunctional themes in a person’s life as well as symptom reduction.

Who would benefit from Schema Therapy?

Schema therapy is particularly effective for people presenting with diagnoses or features of personality disorders, including Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition, individuals with chronic mood disorders who relapse or have failed to respond to other therapies may benefit from a Schema Therapy approach. It can also be helpful for people with childhood traumas, eating disorders and addictions, to address underlying schemas driving these issues.

Schema Therapy or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy?

Both Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Schema Therapy have been shown to be effective treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder. While both use principles of cognitive and behaviour therapies, there are some key differences between them. Both therapies aim to help the individual improve emotion regulation however. While DBT focuses on directly teaching skills to manage emotions, Schema Therapy addresses issues underlying emotional dysregulation to improve a person’s functioning and management of emotions.

In addition, Schema Therapy places greater emphasis than DBT on the relationship between patient and therapist as a mechanism for change. Schema Therapy also incorporates experiential and emotion focussed intervention strategies which DBT does not, in order to explore and resolve dysfunctional schemas. These experiential strategies include imagery work and Gestalt chair work.

If you would like to know more about how Schema therapy could be of benefit to you, please contact us.

Seeing what we want to see – thinking errors in gambling

By: Kelly Tow (clinical psychology registrar) and Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Let’s face it... As humans, we tend to like being right.

… And sometimes we are right! However, as humans, we also undoubtedly spend plenty of time not knowing things, because we can’t possibly know everything about anything.

The reason that we can’t know everything is that there’s an endless amount of information in the world around us and it would be impossible for us to take it all in. As such, our brains are cleverly designed to take short-cuts that help us to process large amounts of information quickly.

If our brains didn’t take these clever little short-cuts, we’d spend hours and hours deliberating every little thing we do in our daily lives, and we’d never get anything done! However, despite being important, such short-cuts can also lead our brains to miss important information and generate some ideas and assumptions that are not completely accurate. We sometimes call these incorrect ideas and assumptions, ‘Thinking Errors’.

It's very common for people to make thinking errors when gambling, and there are many different types of thinking errors that people can make. In another article, we talk about a common thinking error known as ‘The Gambler’s Fallacy’. In this article, we’ll talk about another common thinking error known as ‘Confirmation Bias’.

Here are some thoughts and phrases that could be examples of ‘Confirmation Bias’:

“They’re the best team. They only lost those games because of injuries and dodgy refs.”

“I’ve used this strategy before. I know it works.”

“The machines pay out more at night.”

Such thoughts and phrases can feel so reasonable and accurate that we don’t even question them. However, given that these thoughts and phrases can sometimes justify our decisions to place further bets or to place higher bets, it’s important to understand the role of ‘confirmation bias’.

‘Confirmation bias’ is a thinking error that causes humans to (unknowingly) favour information that supports the beliefs they already hold. That is, we are naturally better and more interested in searching for, noticing, and remembering things that confirm the stuff we were already thinking.

In other words, our thinking errors cause us to focus on information that fits neatly into what we already know and believe, and to inadvertently ignore contradictory information.

Let’s look at those previous examples and understand how ‘confirmation bias’ fits in:

“They’re the best team. They only lost those games because of injuries and dodgy refs.”

… It’s natural to have a favourite team, or to have a team that we feel most confident in. However, in this example, our thinking error causes us to focus only on information that confirms our beliefs about our chosen team being the best, and to disregard other evidence.

That is, when we are given evidence that our favoured team actually might not be the best (i.e. our team recently lost some games), we find ourselves trying to discount that evidence.

For example, although our team’s good players were injured, and even though there was some dodgy refereeing, there were probably other factors that also contributed to the loss.

Maybe the opposition was playing unexpectedly well, and our players’ injuries resulted from them working extra hard in the face of this expected competition? Maybe our team’s remaining players had a bad game that day? Maybe the referees made dodgy decisions for both teams that day, but we only noticed when those decisions that impacted our team? Our thinking errors cause us to ignore, forget, or discount such information, leading to an over-confidence in some potentially biased beliefs.

“I’ve used this strategy before. I know it works.”

…When a betting strategy works, we will likely remember it. However, our thinking error means that we typically forget some of those times in-between the wins; we forget how many times our strategy actually didn’t work for us. This can cause us to feel over-confident in our strategy and can lead to poorer betting decisions.

“The machines pay out more at night.”

… Such beliefs often come from having experienced a win, or a few wins, at a particular time of day. In this case, we likely had a few good wins at night at some point. We then build up the belief that the machines work best for us at night and begin subconsciously noticing all the times we win at night and all of the times we don’t win during the day. We likewise disregard the times we won at other random times of the day and we disregard all the times that we lost at night.

If your gambling has ever been affected by confirmation bias, you’re certainly not alone. Thinking errors like confirmation bias are very common, and often we don’t notice them until they’re pointed out to us. Starting to recognise and understand thinking patterns and biases can be a helpful first step in managing your gambling.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/seeing-what-we-want-to-see-thinking-errors-in-gambling/

Communication is key – how to have the tough conversations

By: Georgia Ashworth (psychologist) and Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Like most things in life, struggling with gambling can be made more manageable with the support of friends and family. Research shows that having social support significantly increases the ability to manage or abstain from gambling, and helps to maintain hard earned gains. However, surrounding yourself with supportive people often means having some pretty difficult conversations, and sitting with the uncomfortable feelings that come along the way. Whilst our normal human response is to avoid situations that cause anxiety and fear, there are a number of ways that having these conversations can be made easier and more effective.

Firstly, it is important to have a plan of what you would like to share with others. Think about what information you think would be helpful for others to know. This could include:

• how long you’ve had difficulties with gambling;

• how often you gamble;

• and the types of gambling you struggle with (e.g. online gambling, sports betting, poker machines).

Additionally, it could be helpful to let loved ones know about:

• your intentions and goals, whether you’re wanting to stop completely or reduce your gambling;

• what your triggers are;

• and how you plan to work on your gambling, including any treatments or programs you might be engaging with.

Loved ones may be interested in how they can help, so it would be useful to think carefully about what you need from them. This could include:

• regular check-ins and a commitment to being honest with each other;

• practical support, e.g., planning events at venues without gambling, and/or help with setting and keeping to gambling limits.

Whilst being open and honest is important, be sure to consider what you don’t feel comfortable sharing, or what wouldn’t be helpful. This is a personal choice and will likely depend on who you’re speaking with. It’s important to remember that you have a right to privacy and only need to share what will be helpful.

When planning the conversation, there are several things to consider, including:

• where? A private, comfortable space is best, where each person feels they can share openly

• when? Set aside a fair amount of time, as these conversations shouldn’t be rushed

• how will others respond? Expect questions, and remember to listen to what others are saying as they come to understand the situation

• what will you do afterwards? Consider rewarding yourself for having the conversation or planning how you might like to unwind.

And finally, a few helpful ways to start the conversation might include:

‘As important people in my life, I wanted to share with you that I’ve been struggling with gambling.’

‘Gambling has become a problem for me, and I’d like to talk about it with you.’

‘I’ve been having a hard time lately and wanted to speak with you about it, would that be ok?’

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/communication-is-key-how-to-have-the-tough-conversations/

What to expect when seeing a counsellor

By: Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

If you’ve been contemplating going to see a counsellor to get help for your gambling, then this article is for you. The process of going to see a counsellor can be quite daunting, so let’s talk about what therapy involves and how it can help.

Having a conversation with your doctor/GP can be a useful first step to navigate the process of getting a referral to a mental health clinician. There are many different types of professionals that may be able to assist you – counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, financial counsellors etc. Your doctor will be able to recommend what sort of professional would be best to help you, and can provide a referral.

Your first couple of sessions with a counsellor are usually “get to know you” sessions. The counsellor will ask you a number of questions to understand not only your current situation, but also your past. The counsellor will likely ask you about more than just your gambling patterns. They will also want to know about your relationships, work, day-to-day life, general stressors, other potentially addictive patterns, and more. They will also ask about your general mood and mental health, and whether you may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, trauma or other conditions. This is all what we as therapists refer to as an “assessment”.

Following on from this, you and your counsellor will work together on setting some goals and coming up with a plan. You and your counsellor may discuss whether it is better for you to take an abstinence approach to your gambling, or to work on reducing your gambling.

Depending on your needs, counselling can cover the following:

• Understanding why you may have developed difficulties with gambling

• Understanding what your triggers are to gamble

• Understanding what might be getting in the way of you stopping or reducing gambling

• Learning skills and strategies to manage the urge to gamble

• Learning skills and strategies to manage general mental health, and improving overall social and emotional wellbeing

• Identifying and modifying negative or unhelpful patterns of thinking

• Building healthy ways to manage feelings of stress, anxiety, low mood and loneliness

• Processing past traumas

• Building a support network

• Developing healthy relationships with people in your life

• Providing recommendations for programs, apps, websites, self-help resources that can assist you in managing your gambling urges

If you don’t feel like the first counsellor you see is the right first for you, don’t be disheartened. For many people, it takes a few sessions with different counsellors before finding someone that they feel comfortable with. Gambling counselling can often be about much more than gambling itself, and therapy can help you to build a life that feels meaningful, satisfying and fulfilling.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/what-to-expect-when-seeing-a-counsellor/

Gambling and alcohol - A risky combination

By: Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Have you ever noticed that your gambling gets out of control when you drink? Or perhaps the reverse - that you drink more when you gamble? 

It’s common to see people mixing drinking and gambling. Gambling and drinking are both legal in Australia and for many people, are ways to socialise with others. The reality is however, that mixing alcohol and gambling can actually be quite a risky combination. 

For some people, drinking leads to excessive gambling, while for others, gambling may lead to excessive drinking. It’s hard to know what causes what, and it may vary from person to person. In these cases, the focus really becomes less about “the chicken or the egg”, and more about the risky combination of both alcohol and gambling. 

When we drink, alcohol has an impact on the part of the brain called the Frontal Lobes. The frontal lobes of our brain are responsible for cognition, thoughts, memory, judgements, decision making, and impulse control. Drinking alcohol makes it much more difficult to regulate ourselves, reduces our inhibitions and makes it harder to make sound and rational decisions. Drinking alcohol can result in us taking risks we wouldn’t ordinarily take. 

For some people, combining alcohol and gambling results in:

• Drinking more than they intended to

• Spending more money gambling than they intended to

• Stay at the venue for longer than intended

• Experiencing changes in mood as a consequence of drinking and gambling.

Gambling in itself can be an emotional roller coaster, and drinking can amplify that experience. 

If you’re planning to spend time drinking or gambling, consider if you can have one without the other. If you are intending to both drink and gamble, think about ways in which you may be able to set pre-defined limits for yourself e.g. limits of money or time. Consider signing up for voluntary pre-commitments or placing limits on the betting apps ahead of time. Making these decisions once you’ve already have had something to drink can be very difficult, so planning in advance is always key. 

Remember, one size does not fit all. For some people, having a drink and placing a bet may be possible without significant consequences or a loss of control. For other people, it is best to avoid the combination completely, especially if you are someone who is vulnerable to having difficulty controlling either your drinking or gambling. 

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/gambling-and-alcohol-a-risky-combination/

The Nature of Depression: An Updated Review

The Nature of Depression: An updated review presents connections between depression and other neurological and psychiatric disorders; reviewing comorbidity with addiction, trauma, anxiety and psychosis. Our clinic director and Clinical Psychologist Dr Anastasia Hronis, was given the opportunity to co-write Chapter 8 within this book, unpacking the relationship between gambling and depression.

Weighing up the risk - When your loved ones stop supporting you

By: Samantha Hayes (clinical psychology registrar) and Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

Are your loved one’s starting to comment on your gambling behaviours? Your partner isn’t supportive of your gambling? Feeling judged by your family?

This can feel extremely confronting and can often leave you feeling isolated and wanting to hide your habits. Often it can be hard to hear your partner or family express their concerns about your gambling. It is normal if your first instinct is to be defensive and dismiss them. When our loved one’s comment on our actions, it can often feel personal and can be really uncomfortable. It can bring up feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment, anger, remorse, and even desperation. To manage these difficult emotions, it is often easier to push our loved ones away, hide these habits, and/or deny everything, however this often just creates greater strain on our relationships.

It is important to consider if your partner or family are coming from a place of concern and care. Gambling can place a lot of pressure on relationships; time spent away from each other, sensitivity discussing finances, etc. It is essential to consider how your gambling could be affecting your partner or family as ignoring these consequences can lead to greater problems within your relationships. If your partner or family raises their concerns with you:

• Take a moment to breathe, especially if you are feeling defensive. Your brain will automatically start trying to protect you by going into a defensive mode (e.g., either shutting off or becoming angry and aggressive) as it will feel threatened that someone is trying to take gambling away from you. Taking some deep breaths allows the body to calm down and regulate so you can actually hear and process what your loved one is saying.

• Allow your loved ones to speak openly and honestly. Allow them to express themselves so you can understand their concerns and then consider whether gambling has become detrimental.

• Take some time to consider what they have said. Considering someone else’s perspective can be confronting but it allows you to see how it impacts others and the impact on your relationship. Discussing it with other people you trust may also be beneficial to gain other perspectives. Talking to others can also help to develop strategies to reduce or quit gambling and expand your support network.

• Have an honest discussion with your loved ones, explaining your perspective. Allowing them to understand what you experience, can help them to support you longer term.

Creating a support system around you can be beneficial. Spending more time around people that understand your experiences and support you to reduce or stop gambling can be helpful.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/weighing-up-the-risk-when-your-loved-ones-stop-supporting-you/

Sports betting – can we have one without the other?

By: Georgia Ashworth (clinical psychology registrar) and Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist)

As the weather starts to cool and the nights become longer, sporting codes around the country are kicking off for the season. For sports fans this means weekends spent supporting their favourite teams, spending time outdoors and enjoying quality time with friends and family. Unfortunately, it also means gambling ads, multi bets, tipping competitions and office sweeps. In Australia, sports and gambling have become such a synonymous pairing that it has become difficult to imagine one without the other. So how can we experience the joys of our favourite sports whilst being mindful of gambling?

Firstly, consider why sports betting is tempting. Asking yourself questions such as 'Would I be thinking about placing the bet if I hadn't seen that ad?', 'Am I betting just because they're my team?' 'Am I trying to keep up with my friends?'. The better that behaviours can be understood, the easier they are to recognise and change. Also, taking a moment to consider your thoughts can delay the decision to gamble and lead to healthier choices.

Next, be mindful of the environment and how this could be a trigger for gambling. Are there places that encourage you to gamble? Watching sports on the big screen at the pub might be great time, but if it’s leading you to gamble it could be worth thinking about locations with less gambling-related cues e.g., signs, screens, pokie rooms. Change things up and host a night at home with friends, or seek out a venue where gambling is less present. Many venues are moving towards #proudlypokiesfree, offering a similar atmosphere without the same availability of gambling.

If you’re planning to watch the game with friends, it’s important to think about how you might respond to peer pressure and plan for difficult questions. This might include being assertive with your responses, setting clear boundaries, or redirecting conversations if it keeps coming back to why you’re not gambling. Also, it's always a good idea to be upfront with a trustworthy friend who can provide support and help keep you on track.

Finally, remember that the urge to gamble will pass. Most urges last no longer than 1 hour, so whilst the first half of the match may be challenging, the second half should be easier.

For more support on this topic or any gambling issue you might want to talk about, call Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/sports-betting-can-we-have-one-without-the-other/

“Due for a win”: Thinking errors in gambling

By: Dr Anastasia Hronis (clinical psychologist) and Kelly Tow (clinical psychology registrar)

It goes without saying that our brains are incredibly complex.

They take in huge amounts of information from the world around us and use it to help us to understand everything we see and experience. However, our brains are also designed to work extremely quickly and in doing so they often take short-cuts.

Unfortunately, at times, these short-cuts can lead our brain to produce ideas and assumptions about the world that are not entirely accurate. Let’s call these incorrect ideas and assumptions, ‘Thinking Errors’.

It's extremely common for people to make thinking errors when gambling. This is partly because gambling involves probability, and our brains don’t always recognise how complex probability is. There are lots of different types of thinking errors that people make when gambling. One particularly common one is known as ‘The Gambler’s Fallacy’.

Here are some thoughts and phrases that are examples of the Gambler’s Fallacy:

“It hasn’t landed on red for a long time. Red is due for a win.”

“The machine will pay out soon”.

“I’m on a winning streak, so I should keep going.”

At a glance, these phrases can seem completely reasonable and are sometimes reasons that people place further bets. When we look closer, however, we will realise that, in each of those statements, the chance of winning the next bet (or any subsequent bets) is actually no greater than it was before.

As an example, imagine you flip a coin five times. On the first flip, the chance of it landing on heads will be 1 in 2. This seems simple enough. However, now imagine that on your second, third, and fourth flip, it continues to land on heads. This is where our brains often fall into this common thinking error known as the Gambler’s Fallacy.

In this scenario, the Gambler’s Fallacy often leads people to believe that the chance of the coin landing on heads (after four consecutive heads) has changed. For example, people might think, “Surely all the heads have been used up by now… Surely it won’t be a head again, it will have to be a tail next”.

However, in reality, the chance of the coin landing on heads remains exactly the same. It remains just as it did on the first flip… 1 in 2. This is because every flip is completely independent of the last. The coin has absolutely no idea what side it landed on last. Nor does it care!

Keeping this in mind, let’s take a look back at those three common phrases we mentioned earlier…

“It hasn’t landed on red for a long time. Red is due for a win.”

… Our thinking error tells us it’s very likely that the ball will land on red soon. However, the roulette ball unfortunately has no idea what colour it landed on last. Every single time it is spun, it has the exact same chance of landing on black as it does of landing on red, irrespective of how many times it has landed on black in a row.

“The machine will pay out soon”.

… Our thinking error tells us that pokies which haven’t won for a while are more likely to win soon. However, pokies essentially run on random number generators. Each number is randomly generated, completely independently from the last. This means that the time it takes to generate a win will remain entirely random and different machines of the same type are never any more likely to win than others at any given point in time.

“I’m on a winning streak, so I should keep going.”

… Our thinking error tells us that our previous wins were all connected, and we are now likely to win again. However, each previous win was independent of the win before it, and any subsequent bets will remain independent of the previous bets. The chance of winning stays the same with every new bet, so there is no change in our likelihood of winning the next bet if we won the bet prior.

If you’ve ever experienced any of these thinking errors, you’re certainly not alone. They’re very common, and often we don’t notice thinking errors until they’re pointed out to us. Starting to recognise and understand thinking patterns like these can be a helpful first step in managing your gambling.

Read the full summary here:

https://gamblershelp.com.au/lets-talk-gambling/due-for-a-win-thinking-errors-in-gambling/

Regulating the Game 2022

This week, Dr Anastasia Hronis presented alongside Alan Feldman, Distinguished Fellow in Responsible Gaming from UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation on the topic of responsible gambling for Regulating the Game 2022.

“Feldman and Hronis believe that more needs to be done to separate responsible play from gambling addiction – the latter of which comes with a significant negative stigma.

“To date, we’ve had quite a reactive approach and honestly, it still is quite reactive. But if we stick with that we’ll forever be playing catch up,” said Hronis. 

Hronis explains that gambling addiction is particularly hard to get ahead of as it is “silent” when compared to other forms of addiction.

“When we compare it to some other forms of addiction, like alcohol or drug use, it’s often the case that when the problem starts to become quite severe, someone’s usually around to notice. For example, your family, friends, colleagues are going to notice you’re slurring your words, that you’ve [shown] up to work smelling like alcohol, but with gambling, and the advancements in gambling technology, the addiction can potentially get much worse before anyone even realizes.”

“A person can quite literally be betting around the clock with no one knowing,” she said.

Feldman and Hronis believe that more needs to be done to separate responsible play from gambling addiction – the latter of which comes with a significant negative stigma. 

“You can experience gambling-related harm without having a gambling problem, just as you can experience alcohol-related harm without being an alcoholic.”

“I think that’s potentially one of the reasons why some of the messaging around Responsible Gambling isn’t hitting the target. It’s too closely entangled with problem gambling or having some sort of addiction.”

“We have not eliminated alcoholism, we have not eliminated harm that is related to alcohol abuse. Those things haven’t happened. But with a majority of people, we have at least broadly defined the outlines of responsible play. And I don’t think that in the industry, that’s quite happened yet, and I think we’ve got 

Read the full summary here:

https://agbrief.com/news/australia/08/03/2022/the-future-of-rg-will-be-about-destigmatizing-responsible-play-experts/