Tag Archives: Addiction

Straight, No Chaser: Questions and Answers About Problem Gambling

problem gambling ribbon

Whether or not you’re willing to admit to a gambling addiction, the presence of a gambling problem should concern you. This Straight, No Chaser takes information  adapted from the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling to address your  questions and concerns.
How is problem gambling defined?
There are a variety of ways to define a gambling problem, but what they all have in common is the presence of a behavior pattern involving gambling that disrupts or damages one’s personal lifestyle, inclusive of family, vocational or other personal pursuits.
How widespread is problem gambling in the U.S.?
2 million (1%) of U.S. adults are estimated to meet criteria for pathological gambling in a given year. Although that’s a lot of people, it’s a small proportion of the approximately 85% of U.S. adults who have gambled at least once in their lives.
Isn’t problem gambling just about losing money? Actually, no. The reason the topic is being addressed in this space is problem gambling is an emotional problem that has financial consequences, not just the presence of being a bad gambler who has lost a lot of money. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association even has criteria for gambling addiction (see www.psych.org for more). The bottom line is the problem gambler has an obsession with gambling.

gambling-addiction

What are the symptoms of problem gambling? 

  • increasing preoccupation with gambling
  • a need to bet more money more frequently
  • restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop
  • “chasing” losses
  • loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.
  • In extreme cases, problem gambling can result in financial ruin, legal problems, loss of career and family, or even suicide.

What kind of people become problem gamblers? Actually, it’s been shown that anyone who gambles can develop problems. Remember, a gambling problem is defined by the outcome of a meaningful disruption to at least part of one’s life. Many problem gamblers are viewed as previously responsible and mentally strong until propelled into the crises brought on by gambling. This is not an affliction of just the irresponsible, weak-minded or weak-willed. It is of note that children and teens can also develop gambling problems.
Is problem gambling “caused” by predatory activity of casinos, lotteries, etc.? Just as a liquor store doesn’t “create” an alcoholic, neither does a casino or lottery cause gambling addiction; it does however provide the opportunity for a predetermined genetic tendency to develop addiction to become manifest.
How is the problem gambler addicted without ingesting something? It’s a misconception that substances are required to produce an addiction. Gambling produces alterations in mood and a need to reproduce behavior to achieve the positive benefits associated with the changes in mood. Just as with substance-induced addictions, tolerance develops, meaning in time it takes increasingly higher amounts of the behavior (gambling) to reach the desired effect. This leads to the same type of cravings and withdrawals seen in other addictions.

ncpg logo

How do I get help for problem gambling? There is a national helpline that is offered by the National Council on Problem Gambling. Call 800-522-4700 for concerns.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Questions and Answers About Problem Gambling

problem gambling ribbon

Whether or not you’re willing to admit to a gambling addiction, the presence of a gambling problem should concern you. This Straight, No Chaser takes information  adapted from the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling to address your  questions and concerns.
How is problem gambling defined?
There are a variety of ways to define a gambling problem, but what they all have in common is the presence of a behavior pattern involving gambling that disrupts or damages one’s personal lifestyle, inclusive of family, vocational or other personal pursuits.
How widespread is problem gambling in the U.S.?
2 million (1%) of U.S. adults are estimated to meet criteria for pathological gambling in a given year. Although that’s a lot of people, it’s a small proportion of the approximately 85% of U.S. adults who have gambled at least once in their lives.
Isn’t problem gambling just about losing money? Actually, no. The reason the topic is being addressed in this space is problem gambling is an emotional problem that has financial consequences, not just the presence of being a bad gambler who has lost a lot of money. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association even has criteria for gambling addiction (see www.psych.org for more). The bottom line is the problem gambler has an obsession with gambling.

gambling-addiction

What are the symptoms of problem gambling? 

  • increasing preoccupation with gambling
  • a need to bet more money more frequently
  • restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop
  • “chasing” losses
  • loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.
  • In extreme cases, problem gambling can result in financial ruin, legal problems, loss of career and family, or even suicide.

What kind of people become problem gamblers? Actually, it’s been shown that anyone who gambles can develop problems. Remember, a gambling problem is defined by the outcome of a meaningful disruption to at least part of one’s life. Many problem gamblers are views as previously responsible and mentally strong until propelled into the crises brought on by gambling. This is not an affliction of just the irresponsible, weak-minded or weak-willed. It is of note that children and teens can also develop gambling problems.
Is problem gambling “caused” by predatory activity of casinos, lotteries, etc.? Just as a liquor store doesn’t “create” an alcoholic, neither does a casino or lottery cause gambling addiction; it does however provide the opportunity for a predetermined genetic tendency to develop addiction to become manifest.
How is the problem gambler addicted without ingesting something? It’s a misconception that substances are required to produce an addiction. Gambling produces alterations in mood and a need to reproduce behavior to achieve the positive benefits associated with the changes in mood. Just as with substance-induced addictions, tolerance develops, meaning in time it takes increasingly higher amounts of the behavior (gambling) to reach the desired effect. This leads to the same type of cravings and withdrawals seen in other addictions.

ncpg logo

How do I get help for problem gambling? There is a national helpline that is offered by the National Council on Problem Gambling. Call 800-522-4700 for concerns.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Questions and Answers About Problem Gambling

problem gambling ribbon

Whether or not you’re willing to admit to a gambling addiction, the presence of a gambling problem should concern you. This Straight, No Chaser takes information  adapted from the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling to address your  questions and concerns.
How is problem gambling defined?
There are a variety of ways to define a gambling problem, but what they all have in common is the presence of a behavior pattern involving gambling that disrupts or damages one’s personal lifestyle, inclusive of family, vocational or other personal pursuits.
How widespread is problem gambling in the U.S.?
2 million (1%) of U.S. adults are estimated to meet criteria for pathological gambling in a given year. Although that’s a lot of people, it’s a small proportion of the approximately 85% of U.S. adults who have gambled at least once in their lives.
Isn’t problem gambling just about losing money? Actually, no. The reason the topic is being addressed in this space is problem gambling is an emotional problem that has financial consequences, not just the presence of being a bad gambler who has lost a lot of money. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association even has criteria for gambling addiction (see www.psych.org for more). The bottom line is the problem gambler has an obsession with gambling.

gambling-addiction

What are the symptoms of problem gambling? 

  • increasing preoccupation with gambling
  • a need to bet more money more frequently
  • restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop
  • “chasing” losses
  • loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.
  • In extreme cases, problem gambling can result in financial ruin, legal problems, loss of career and family, or even suicide.

What kind of people become problem gamblers? Actually, it’s been shown that anyone who gambles can develop problems. Remember, a gambling problem is defined by the outcome of a meaningful disruption to at least part of one’s life. Many problem gamblers are views as previously responsible and mentally strong until propelled into the crises brought on by gambling. This is not an affliction of just the irresponsible, weak-minded or weak-willed. It is of note that children and teens can also develop gambling problems.
Is problem gambling “caused” by predatory activity of casinos, lotteries, etc.? Just as a liquor store doesn’t “create” an alcoholic, neither does a casino or lottery cause gambling addiction; it does however provide the opportunity for a predetermined genetic tendency to develop addiction to become manifest.
How is the problem gambler addicted without ingesting something? It’s a misconception that substances are required to produce an addiction. Gambling produces alterations in mood and a need to reproduce behavior to achieve the positive benefits associated with the changes in mood. Just as with substance-induced addictions, tolerance develops, meaning in time it takes increasingly higher amounts of the behavior (gambling) to reach the desired effect. This leads to the same type of cravings and withdrawals seen in other addictions.

ncpg logo

How do I get help for problem gambling? There is a national helpline that is offered by the National Council on Problem Gambling. Call 800-522-4700 for concerns.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Cocaine Myth Busters – Facts and Fiction

cocaine whitney-houstonbias

Whitney was right. Crack is whack, and coke’s no joke.

There has to be a better way to chase The Glamorous Life.

Debunking myths about cocaine use

1.    “Cocaine isn’t addictive.”

  • This is just wrong.  Cocaine produces an incredibly powerful psychological dependency, and people will chase the experience of that first high to their deathbeds.  As tolerance to the previous doses develops, it takes increasingly high doses to get similar effects as before, and the risk of overdosing becomes incrementally higher.  Let me be clear.  No set number of cocaine doses accurately determines the development of either a physical or psychological addiction.  That first dose could be the one.

2.    “Cocaine is safe if I only use it once or only use it from time to time.”

  • What you’re discounting is that cocaine use is very much a game of Russian Roulette.  A single dose can cause death in many ways, including heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms and rupture, strokes, sudden kidney failure, and rupture of your nasal passages.  A bad cocaine high could be the last thing you ever do.  Learn the story of Len Bias, pictured above, just to name one example.

3.    “As long as I’m not using crack cocaine, it’s clean and safe.”

  • If you are looking at the relative merits of smoking, inhaling or injecting drugs, you’ve already missed the point.  That said, people tend to confuse ‘clean drug’ with the ‘upscale’ nature of those who snort cocaine, as opposed to the more negative ‘dirty’ stereotypes of the individuals using crack cocaine.  It’s the same drug, folks.  In fact, snorting cocaine leaves you just as sweaty, irritable and prone to hallucinations as crack users.  The subsequent addiction and pursuit of an even higher high will lead to many a rich, ‘clean’ individual eventually resembling the most stereotypically downtrodden crack user.  There’s nothing ‘clean’ about someone walking around with ulcerated, bleeding or perforated nasal passages.

4.    “Cocaine doesn’t produce a hangover or residual effects.”

  • This is frankly ridiculous.  Cocaine acts by producing a massive release of internal substances that rev you up and produce a powerful euphoria.  When you’ve depleted your body of all these hormones, there’s nowhere else to go but down.  Where do you think the term crash came from?  Fatigue, depression and some degree of mental instability, including suicidal tendencies, are not only common but should be expected.  Other residual effects include insomnia, weight loss, paranoia, anxiety, and aggressive behavior.  The downward spiral of a cocaine user is all too predictable.  The lifestyle changes and risky behavior pattern of cocaine users, including enhanced exposure to HIV, hepatitis and other easily transmittable deadly disease must be included as residual effects of cocaine use.

5.    “Cocaine is a great sex drug.”

  • I hold disdain for educational efforts that aren’t truthful, and in this case, too often such efforts make suggestions that any cocaine user knows not to be true.  A large part of the mystique of cocaine is to be found in the fact that users find it an exotic enhancer of sexual activity.  Cocaine opens blood vessels, which in the case of the penis, facilitates the blood flow that produces and sustains an erection.  Recall, however, that I mentioned that cocaine use is playing Russian Roulette.  One big (no pun intended) problem with using cocaine to stimulate erections is you may not be able to finish what you start.  In other words, that “contact your doctor if you have an erection that lasts more than 4 hours” disclaimer should have originated with cocaine, except for the fact that its use is illegal.  And if you ever do get this side effect, when you arrive to see me or my colleagues, we’ll be there with very large needles needing to be inserted into your penis to manually extract the blood.  That’s not a good day for you.

The answer to the naiveté about cocaine is the same.  It is an extremely powerful and dangerous drug with physical and psychological effects that can linger long past the high. If anyone’s reading this that’s a cocaine user, and you’ve never had any of these problems, learn the medical meaning of physiological tolerance.  As you become acclimated to the effects of cocaine, and the propensity to use more drug to get the same effects rise, the more likely these phenomena will happen to you.  Also recall that a single dose, even in the absence of any past such reaction, can produce any of the adverse effects I’ve described.
If you know someone on cocaine, be as aggressive as you can to get them off of it before it’s too late.  Counseling works.