Gambling addiction 'changes brain dynamics'

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by Change | 10 Dec 2009

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New research has suggested that people suffering from a gambling addiction have a different brain pattern to those who do not suffer from the problem, providing more evidence that a gambling addiction is as much a physical problem as a drug or alcohol add

People with a gambling addiction have different brain dynamics to those who do not suffer from the problem, a new study has claimed.

Providing more evidence that people with a gambling addiction need the same kind of care and addiction support that is given to drug addicts, the research suggests willpower alone will rarely be sufficient to break a gambling addiction.

Experts at the Loma Linda University Medical Center and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), discovered that people with gambling addictions chase their first rush in a similar way to drug and alcohol addicts.

While a drug addict will chase their first rush by increasing their dosage, a gambling addict may choose to chase the rush by increasing the amount of money they are betting, the researchers found.

"The higher executive functioning skills and problem solving become impaired. It's similar to patients with methamphetamine addictions," explained Timothy Fong of UCLA.

Experts have warned 2009 could see a significant surge in the number of people heading to rehab centers suffering from gambling addictions because of the global recession.

There is a fear that many people may get hooked on gambling while attempting to win their fortune amid fears over redundancy.

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