Compulsive Gambling: When The Big Payoff is A Life in Chaos (NAPSA)—More than 200 million Americans gambled last year and lost an estimated 50 bilhon dollars. For some, gambling is merely a matter of buying a lot- tery ticket and losing a dollar on a dream. Others aren’t so lucky. More than 2.5 million Americans are compulsive or pathologi- cal gamblers; another 38 million are considered problem gamblers. “The problems caused by compulsive gambling can leave people’s lives in chaos,” says Valerie C. Lorenz, Ph.D., executive direc- tor of the Compulsive Gambling Center, Inc. “Addictive gambling devastates the lives of the gamblers and their families.” Typically, personal earnings and savings are lost and replaced by severe debt. Marriages end; family members hecome distant; jobs, homes, and personal possesgions are gone. Physical health often deteriorates. The gambler may experience depression and anxiety. Some turn to alcohol or drugs to escape. About a third will Compulsive gambling Is more than 2 sireak of bad luck. it’s an addiction and it’s treatable. Contact the Compulsive Gambling Center at www.lostbet.com. steal, write bad checks, and abuse * Relying on others for financial bailout Loss of control “Compuisive gamblers often undergo personality changes, becoming angry, irritable, and argumentative,” said Dr. Lorenz. “Faxnily members may alse withdraw and feel depressed and helpless.” prison. encouraging news for compulsive credit cards, which can lead to oe &@ & & e Approximately 1.5 percent of adult Americans may suffer from compulsive gambling at some point in their lives. According to the American Psychiatric Association, to be considered a compulsive gambler, an individual must exhibit five of the following behaviors: e Preoceupation with gambling Increasing bets to sustain thrill Withdrawal Using gambling as an escape Chasing one’s losses Lying about gambhng Financing bets illegally Risking significant relationships There may, however, be some gamblers and their families. A recent study by Rhode Island Hospital researchers showed that the antidepressant Celexa (citalopram HBr), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRD, demonstrated promise in treating compulsive gambling. In this small study, most participants reported significant im- provements in all gambling measures, including number of days spent gambling, the amount of money lost, preoccupation with and urges to garable. For more information on com- pulisive gambling, treatment options, and education, visit the Compulsive Gambling Center on the Web at www.losibet.com.
