Stigma Gambling Problems
People with gambling problems also experience significant shame, or self-stigma, feeling disappointed in themselves, embarrassed and weak. Secrecy is the main coping mechanism, and self-help the most common form of help used. Relapse worsens self-stigma and shame. How this research might be useful. Professor Nerilee Hing from Southern Cross University discusses the findings of her research into the stigma that people with gambling problems experience. Read more at bit.ly/1mkVBr0.
I recently had the unique opportunity to have a conversation with one of the greatest humanitarians and champions of mental health – retired Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire.
General Dallaire has worked tirelessly to shape the dialogue within public discourse to create solutions on mental health issues. During our conversation, he provided great insight to what he perceives to be the challenges, gaps and opportunities in our efforts to prevent and reduce problem gambling.
It was touching to hear him speak so candidly and to hear the hope he retains for the future. He’s a remarkable individual and I’m pleased that he’s a keynote speaker at BCLC’s New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference in March 2019.
It is my pleasure to share my interview with the Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire on stigma, mental health and problem gambling.
JW: In your book “Waiting for First Light” you speak about the role and importance of understanding and empathy as it relates to stigma and mental health. What does that look like to you?
RD: A critical requirement of understanding and empathy is not to isolate the injured and those who are suffering, and to keep communicating.
Isolating a person who is injured by stress or suffering from any mental health problem should never be done. Yet isolation is often the outcome and an automatic response because people are never sure about what to say or are worried that they may make the situation worse.
Communication is more important than ever before. Show a human dimension of yourself. Show empathy that the person is injured, not diseased. They are injured and will welcome communication, even just the attempt to communicate. Without a sense of belonging, the injury only gets worse.
JW: I was struck by your focus on the power of language. You use the term “operational stress injury” to promote the same sense of urgency in treatment for PTSD as those with physical injuries. How important are the words we use to describe a person’s condition and how might we rethink and reframe the way we describe a gambling problem?
Stigma Gambling Problems Social
RD: The minute you label a condition, people will begin to show resistance. A lot of mental health injuries are related to the stress of extremes and are not physically visible, but exist deep in the brain.
The challenge is helping the injured understand this, accept that they are not malingering and that they are still respectable. They simply have an injury that has overwhelmed them. Positioning it as an injury in this way is crucial.
When it comes to problem gambling, choose your words wisely and stray from terms that may be perceived negatively by society, or imply something that people shouldn’t do.
It’s important to never frame it that way. These people have been injured in their minds, which has moved them to this extreme inability to control themselves.
Considerations to the power of language can help make a lot of in-roads to removing the stigma.
JW: You have said “enough about the problems, let’s talk about solutions.” How would this perspective apply to problem gambling, in your opinion?
RD: The industry, including physicians, outreach specialists, intermediaries and therapists, need to come together to develop a common lexicon and strategy that is reflective of human concern.
Stigma Gambling Problems Involving
While people can recover from an injury, they still ultimately live with the lasting scars. Creating awareness campaigns to eradicate compulsive gambling does not get rid of the stigma. It just stigmatizes people even more. Therefore, it is most important to build your own lexicon based on words used by gamblers and those in the gambling industry to create effective communication.
Learn their culture and use their words in an attempt to resolve it.
Lastly, you need to build a peer-support system or a means by which a peer-support system can be created around the individual.
JW: What trends are you seeing around social norms and stigma around mental health? Do you see great improvements or are we concentrating on the wrong end goal? What are some of the best practices you support/champion?
RD: The gambling industry’s objective should be to make it easier for the injured to express that they need urgent help. To achieve this, the industry needs to first become at ease with these ‘walking wounded’ and ‘problem gamblers’ who are in the midst of their injury.
The stigma is disappearing mostly because those who are injured are talking. It’s not because of great campaigns by government or organizations. It’s because of those who are injured are getting support and feeling more confident talking about seeking help. Much like how some people would talk about their cardiologist, people are now more comfortable talking about their psychiatrist.
JW: What message do you have for the gambling industry who are balancing their role as entertainment providers with their desire to assist those for whom gambling is an issue?
RD: How do you feel about being part of the industry that can trigger extremes as much as provide so much joy and entertainment for people who want to participate?
It seems to me that the industry has got to get this chip off its shoulder and feel that it has a responsibility to those who do ultimately fall victim to excess. I think sometimes the industry feels guilty that it’s creating this problem. The more you engage in that thinking, the more it continues to stigmatize those who can’t handle it.
The industry must demonstrate a willingness to participate in the assistance of those who do fall victim. If you take a preventative position, I think you will go further and get away from this sense of culpability. Turn it into a positive aspect of your industry that gambling is simply offered for entertainment. For those who are injured, there is a whole parameter of supports that you are engaged in to help reduce the possibility of problems. This will help those who are caught up in it, and ultimately bring them back to health.
The seventh annual New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference takes place March 12-14, 2019, at the JW Marriott at Parq Vancouver.
The month of September, Recovery Month, is a wonderful time to discuss the stigma associated with recovery from problem gambling. Recovery stigma prohibits many people from getting the help they need.
Problem gambling can be a huge elephant in the room. Whether that elephant is someone unaware of their gambling problem, or someone secretly in recovery, there’s an elephant. That elephant can have devastating effects on the person struggling and loved ones connected to that person.
Do you know someone who seems to have a gambling problem? Does this person’s gambling negatively affect their life and the lives of loved ones around them? Does this person’s loved ones all secretly know there’s a problem? Then problem gambling is the elephant in the room.
Problem Gambling Warning Signs
Addressing someone’s gambling problem can feel very difficult. Before starting a conversation about someone’s gambling, identify some of the warning signs. Some signs include:
- Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to continue feeling excited.
- Being restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling.
- Made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control or stop gambling
- Often preoccupied with gambling thoughts of past or future experiences, or ways to get money back.
- Chooses to gamble when feeling distressed, anxious or depressed.
- After losing money gambling, often returns another day to “get even” (also known as “chasing losses”).
- Lies to conceal the extent of involvement in gambling activities.
- Has jeopardized or lost significant relationship, job, or educational opportunities due to gambling.
- Relies on others to provide money to relieve desperate financial situations, such as a bailout.
These are all signs of problem gambling. There are many more signs to look for a gambling problem. Identifying a gambling problem is the first step to helping someone in need.
Entering Into Recovery
The recovery journey from problem gambling looks different for everyone. There are different options for supportive services just as there are different people entering into recovery. In New York, anyone looking for support for problem gambling can reach out to their local Problem Gambling Resource Center. This team of dedicated professionals aim to connect the caller with local services that best suit their needs. They assist people struggling with problem gambling as well as loved ones negatively affected by someone else’s gambling.
Since there is no one-size-fits-all path to recovery, there are many options available for help. From educational resources, like ebooks and videos, to self-help groups and treatment services, there is something for everyone.
Do you know someone in recovery from problem gambling? Does that person struggle to participate in family gatherings? Are they ashamed of their recovery journey? This person may be the elephant in the room that many people are unaware of.
Problem Gambling and Stigma
People in recovery may find gambling disorder and recovery to be secretive due to fear of stigma. Stigma is any negative belief associated with addiction recovery. With gambling addiction, there is plenty of stigma.
Although recovery from problem gambling may bring peace to the immediate family, others may not understand. Negative perceptions of people who experience gambling problems cause negative thoughts about people in recovery. Therefore, those negative thoughts, stigma, cause some people to keep their recovery a secret.
Share Your Story
Recovery is becoming a celebrated choice. Celebrations are slowly pushing out the stigma held by people in the community. The way that recovery is silencing stigma is by people sharing their stories.
Your recovery story can feel like an elephant on your shoulders. Telling your story to loved ones can feel like that elephant is stepping down. Welcoming people into your path of recovery can help further develop your network of caring individuals offering their support.
People tell their story of recovery for a number of reasons:
- To give hope. Each person that shares their story helps to show people that there is hope. They may share about the help and support of loved ones. These stories tell of families and communities coming together to show care and concern. They show that anyone from any walk of life can struggle with gambling addiction, and that they can also find peace in recovery. Each story washes away at the sandy wall of stigma.
- To receive support. These stories don’t need to be a public forum, though they can be. They can be simple chats with friends and family. It helps the person in recovery take their story from the shadow of their fear into the open. This helps groups choose activities that are best for everyone; further supporting the recovery journey.
- To save lives. Sharing stories can save lives. Sharing stories of recovery helps others struggling see that there’s hope. It helps others, either negatively affected by someone’s gambling or the person who is struggling, to see light. It helps anyone else struggling with addiction to see that problem gambling can become an addiction and that there is recovery, peace and happiness after.
Stigma Gambling Problems Children
Problem gambling, or diagnosed by a treatment professional as gambling disorder, can feel overwhelming. Like having an elephant to carry around and hide. Problem gambling affects nearly 668,000 adults in New York State each year (2006 OASAS Adult Problem Gambling Household Survey). Each one of those 668,000 adults affects at least 10 people closest to them. Therefore, over 6 million New Yorkers are negatively affected by problem gambling each year.
Many people think that problem gambling is when someone runs out of money due to gambling. The problem with that thought is that anyone can make, steal, beg or borrow more money. It’s that in the process of getting more money, they may be destroying family ties and relationships. They may be losing their careers. They may be filing for bankruptcy and ending up homeless. Problem gambling is a brain disease that affects people in many different ways.
The hopeful thing about this elephant we call problem gambling is that is treatable. For others it is preventable. For those who are already affected, recovery is possible. Anyone looking for help and hope can turn to their local Problem Gambling Resource Center. They know this elephant and hold no stigma towards it. Your recovery journey from the overwhelming elephant (problem gambling) can always start there.
To all those walking the path of recovery: