Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: thedoc on 08/07/2013 13:38:02

Title: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: thedoc on 08/07/2013 13:38:02
Is the mechanism for addiction to drugs the same in gambling or computer games at a neurobiological level?
Asked by David Bailey


                                        Visit the webpage for the podcast in which this question is answered. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/neuroscience/show/20130620-2/)

[chapter podcast=1000405 track=13.06.20/Naked_Neuroscience_13.06.20_1000924.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd)  ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/13.06.20/Naked_Neuroscience_13.06.20_1000924.mp3)

Title: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: thedoc on 08/07/2013 13:38:02
We answered this question on the show...

Dr Amy Milton from Cambridge University tackles this question.....
Amy -   Well, that’s a really timely question because the way in which [img float=right]/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_Gambling_chips_01.jpg.jpg[/img]psychiatric disorders are diagnosed is according to a reference to this book which is called The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  Up until last month, we were using DSM4 in which gambling was not really considered an addiction.  Pathological gambling was considered a mental disorder but wasn’t considered along with addictions.  The new version, which came out in May, now classifies gambling along with drugs of abuse in a single category of addiction.  So, this is really quite a new field and there's some really good work being done actually here in Cambridge but also in the States as well, looking at the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of pathological gambling.  The compulsive aspects of the disorders seem to be quite conserved, so that sort of compulsive nature of gambling is thought to rely on the same sort of circuitry as the compulsive nature of drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviour.
Title: Re: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: alancalverd on 13/07/2013 21:19:42
Seems even more bizarre than we have grown to expect from DSM!

You can measure an actual decrease in performance and a few other subtle physiological symptoms of withdrawal from caffeine, and sudden withdrawal from heroin is spectacular if not lifethreatening, but I've not heard of anyone having cold sweats, spasms, or decreased motor precision because horseracing has been snowed off for a day or two. Or is there really a  hardcore of compulsive gamblers who will kill in order to lose money?

Computer games is another story altogether - you need to be brain-dead to start.
Title: Re: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: daniellee5 on 18/07/2018 07:24:17
Interesting theory!
Title: Re: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: rami999 on 08/08/2018 19:47:50
Great question i was wondering my self the same thing
Title: Re: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: Tacage on 12/09/2018 09:57:24
Great topic! I am also now studying this issue, and I recently came across the infographic of research from the well-known online casino NZ . A sociological survey of 1000 players from New Zealand was conducted, they all gamble for at least a year. The results were as follows:
- 40% of the player does not recognize that they are addicted and claim that it helps them relax.
- 35% of players just want to pass their time and also against the belief that they are addicted
- 20% of respondents are playing to get adrenaline and a sense of risk
- 15% admitted that they are addicted and simply can not get rid of gambling addiction.
Title: Re: Is drug addiction the same as gambling?
Post by: joshua on 01/10/2018 15:09:27
Interesting discussion. I just have found some interesting answers
Both gambling and substance use release excess dopamine into that reward system, which gives a person a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure.

The negative effects of compulsive gambling and substance abuse are also similar. Continued use or behavior will result in a buildup of tolerance. This requires more of a drug or higher risk-taking gambling behaviors to get the same “high” as before.

Database Error

Please try again. If you come back to this error screen, report the error to an administrator.
Back