This is the lecture notes for Contemporary issues and applied psychology (PSY4033) on the topic which is behavioural addiction. This is one of the topics that you can choose to write in your module essay.
PSY4033 : Contemporary issues and applied psychology.
Topic: Behavioral addiction.
What is addiction?:
. Addiction is understood as the recurring engagement in or as the use of behaviour and
substances which can then lead to clinically significant impairment.
. Addiction is split into two categories which are substance related disorders and non- substance
related disorders (behaviours).
. Addiction is a measure of something which may be harmful.
. If an individual’s behaviour is positive to them but negative to those individuals who are around
them then this would be considered as being harmful.
Addiction or disordered use are considered as under clinical psychology:
1) Diagnostic statistical manual published by the American psychological association
(APA).
2) International classification of diseases published by the World health organisation
(WHO).
. Recognising a mental health disorder would mean that it has to be included within the two
manuals above which is either DSM or ICD, however the DSM is the manual that is mainly used
in much research.
. DSM is a substance induced disorder which includes alcohol, opioids, caffeine, stimulants ,
tobacco and sedatives.
. ICD is a non - substance induced disorder which includes cannabis, alcohol, cocaine , nicotine
, ketamine and psychoactive substances.
. DSM: within the 12 month period, many people try to cut down the use of substances , trying to
withdraw from using any substances like sedatives and stimulants. Also, they crave the
substance more and more.
. Behavioural addictions: DSM causes behavioural addictions like gambling and ICD causes
behavioural addictions like gambling and gaming disorders.
Gambling disorders:
. DSM-V: a recurring problem of a gambling behaviour that leads to clinical significant
impairment or distress.
. There are many classifications , which are based on subjective terms such as problem ,
excessive and at risk.
. Seeing what the difference is between a compulsive, pathological, problem and excessive
gambler?.
. There are many different types of gambling, this includes poker, casino games, betting and
lottery.
. The UK is one of the few countries that allows children at a very young age to gamble , this
can be when they are taken to the beach or at an amusement park and use the coin machines
to get more money.
. Gambling is not just about winning money, it becomes addictive , sometimes many people
don’t realise how addictive it is and that it can become a bigger problem.
, . Over the 12 month period, many people go through four or more of the following:
1) Tolerance
2) Unsuccessful ways to cut down or to stop using substances
3) Preoccupation: thinking about many ways and opportunities of gambling
4) Deception: lying about the behaviour that gambling has caused
5) Loss of a relationship , family and education
6) Relying on others for money
The career of a pathological gambler:
. Winning phase: creating unrealistic expectations, social introduction, large wins and an
increase in self-esteem.
. Losing phase: resparing damages to finances, lacking in professionalism in work and family
fallouts.
. Desperation phase: suicidal ideations and deterioating mental and physical health and
wellbeing.
. Hopelessness phase: Realising that the damage can’t be repaired.
Cognitive distortions and biases for gamblers:
. Representative bias: when an individual’s perception of the likelihood of an event are brought
by the similarities between events and items, future decisions are guided by experiences from
the past.
. Entrapment: coming closer to the longest you lose, adopting an approach where commitment
follows the investment.
. Availability bias: easily remembered items are more representative than they actually are,
recent bias is based upon the collection of past events.
. Hindsight bias: recognising an outcome that is known as retrospect when something is untrue.
Treatments:
. There are many treatments, some that may be funded by the NHS but are limited. Most
services can be provided by local charities or by private organisations such as Gamcare and
Gordon Moody which can help people who have an addiction to gambling or a gambling
disorder.
. Behavioural approaches: this based on classical and operant conditioning theory.
- Aversion therapy: pairing electrical shocks with behaviour and other unpleasant simulis
have been used.
- Imaginal desensitisation: an induced relaxation technique.
- VR exposure: graded exposure to help in reducing the craving.
. Cognitive approaches:
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT): the cure for treating a gambling disorder, which
involves a gradual desensitisation to gambling behaviour, consider cognitive biases and
engagement behaviours.
. Natural remission: This is where the individual just stops gambling due to a life event that
happened or taking responsibility for their actions.
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