SAC 3 gambling & addiction

Question 0

Key indicators of addiction

Answer 0

• salience
• mood modification
• tolerance
• impaired self control
• withdrawal
• conflict
• relapse

Question 1

Define addiction

Answer 1

Addiction occurs when an individual feels a constant desire to use specific substances or engage in certain activities.

Question 2

Physical dependence

Answer 2

Evident by withdrawals or cravings when activity is withdrawn or unavailable

Question 3

Psychological dependence

Answer 3

The mental desire to experience the effects of the activity

Question 4

Problem gambling

Answer 4

Is when an individual has difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling.

Question 5

Continuous gambling

Answer 5

Occurs with extreme frequency

Question 6

Non-continuous gambling

Answer 6

Occurs on an interval.

Question 7

Pathological gambling disorder

Answer 7

Is characterised by continuous gambling behaviour that disrupts personal, family and/or work related activities.

Question 8

Symptoms of a pathological gambling disorder

Answer 8

• preoccupation with gambling
• tolerance
• loss of control
• withdrawal
• escape
• chasing
• lying
• illegal activity
• risked relationships
• bailout

Question 9

Biological contributing factors

The Dopamine Reward System

Answer 9

• Dopamine is release every time a person gambles and wins, and also in anticipation of receiving a reward.
• Dopamine maintains a gambling addiction. -Is located in the midbrain.

Question 10

Classical conditioning & gambling

Answer 10

CS-gambling (anticipation)
UCS-receiving a reward.
UCR-dopamine released
CR-dopamine released.

Question 11

Biological treatment factors

Naltrexone

Answer 11

• inhibits the neurotransmitter dopamine at the synapse to stop it working.
• it does not cause physical dependence and can be stopped without withdrawal symptoms

LIMITATION-naltrexone has side effects such as nausea and toxic effects on liver.

Question 12

Psychological contributing factors

Social learning theory

Answer 12

• combination of learning and cognitive processes used to explain the onset and/or maintenance of addictive gambling.
• motivation to perform depends upon response (reinforced or punished)
• young people are targeted by gambling industry
• never any emphasis on losing—all on winning.
• gives children the impression that gambling is socially acceptable.

Question 13

Psychological contributing factors

Symbolic models

Answer 13

-the higher the status of the model, the more likely that the observer will imitate the behaviour.

Question 14

Psychological contributing factors

Schedules of reinforcement

Answer 14

• gambling is a variable ratio reinforcement a.k.a random ratio.
• gambler believes that every time they dont receive a payout they are getting closer to winning.

Question 15

Psychological treatment factors

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Answer 15

-aims to assist the individual to examine their thought processes and examine other alternatives when looking at their situation.
-first step is to obtain info on the individuals gambling distortions (eg: role plays & diaries)
-second step is educating the person to develop an awareness of concepts.
-encourage individual to directly challenge and correct their thoughts.
-behavioural=assist in managing arousal, anxiety or tension.
-common method=imaginal desensitisation.
Goal=to extinguish arousal.

Question 16

Psychological treatment factors

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Answer 16

• Freud’s theory that all mental disorders are caused by unresolved psychological conflicts.
• aim: to help people understand the cause of emotional distress which for problem gambling revolves around oedipal complex.
• try to achieve abstinence from gambling.

Question 17

Psychological treatment factors

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Answer 17

Therapists use a range of techniques:
Free association: clients speak what is on their mind.
Dream interpretation: clients share their dreams
Identification of defence mechanism:denial and omnipotence (most common in gamblers)
Transference: client unconsciously responds to therapist.
Limitation: hard to scientifically examine unconscious and obtain empirical data.