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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreating compulsive gambling can be challenging. That's partly because most people have a hard time admitting they have a problem. Yet a major component of treatment is working on acknowledging that you're a compulsive gambler. If your family or your employer pressured you into therapy, you may find yourself resisting treatment. But treating a gambling problem can help you regain a sense of control — and perhaps even help heal damaged relationships or finances.
Treatment for compulsive gambling involves three main approaches:
- Psychotherapy. A form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) may be especially beneficial for compulsive gambling. CBT focuses on identifying unhealthy, irrational and negative beliefs and replacing them with healthy, positive ones. Group therapy also may be helpful. In group therapy, you're able to tap into advice, feedback and support from people facing similar issues.
- Medications. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers may help emotional issues that often go along with compulsive gambling, but not necessarily compulsive gambling itself. Medications called narcotic antagonists, which have been found useful in treating substance abuse, may help treat compulsive gambling.
- Self-help groups. Some people find self-help groups such as Gamblers Anonymous a helpful part of treatment. Gamblers Anonymous doesn't have the track record of Alcoholics Anonymous, however.
Even with treatment, you may return to gambling, especially if you spend time with people who gamble or in gambling environments. If you feel that you'll start gambling again, contact your health care professional or sponsor right away to head off a full-blown relapse.
- Pathologic gambling. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed.: American Psychiatric Association;2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Dec. 1, 2008.
- Questions and answers. Gamblers Anonymous. http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/qna.html. Accessed Dec. 1, 2008.
- Unwin BK, et al. Pathologic gambling. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 1, 2008.
- About problem gaming: FAQ. National Council on Problem Gaming. http://www.ncpgambling.org/about_problem/about_problem_faq.asp. Accessed Dec 1, 2008.
- Dodd ML, et al. Pathological gambling caused by drugs used to treat Parkinson disease. Archives of Neurology. 2005;62:1377.
- Unwin BK, et al. Pathologic gambling. American Family Physician. 2006;61(3):741.
- Compulsive gambling. Minnesota Department of Human Services. http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id_008574. Accessed Dec.1, 2008.
- Grant JE. Gender differences in pathological gamblers seeking medication treatment. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2002;43:56.
- Ibanez A, et al. Genetics of pathological gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies. 2003;19:11.
- Regard M, et al. Brain damage and addictive behavior: A neuropsychological and electroencephalogram investigation with pathologic gamblers. Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology. 2003;16:47.
- Kringelbach ML, et al. The functional neuroanatomy of the human orbitofrontal cortex: Evidence from neuroimaging and neuropsychology. Progress in Neurobiology. 2004;72:341.
