Addiction: When Gambling Becomes a Problem

While most people enjoy casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and bingo playing for the fun and excitement it provides, others may experience gambling as an addictive and distractive habit. Statistics show that while 85 percent of the adult population in the US enjoys some type of gambling every year, between 2 and 3 percent of will develop a gambling problem and 1 percent of them are diagnosed as pathological gamblers.

Where can you draw the line between harmless gambling to problem gambling? How can you tell if you or your friend are compulsive gamblers? Here you can find answers to these questions and other questions regarding problem gambling and gambling addiction.

What is the Meaning of Problem Gambling?

Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is defined as an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the destructive effect of gambling on the gamblers life and despite feelings of guilt and remorse. Problem gambling tends to have a negative effect on the gamblers financial state, relationships and daily life. Severe cases of problem gambling can be defined as pathological gambling.

Am I a Compulsive Gambler?

1) Do you gamble until your last penny runs out?

2) Do you gamble to win back your former losses or debts?

3) Did you ever had to borrow money to continue gamble?

4) Did your gambling habit ever made you lie to your friends or family?

5) Did you ever skip work or other obligation to gamble?

6) Do you tend to gamble to forget about your personal problems or to celebrate happy occasions?

7) Does gambling have a negative affect on your daily life or relationships?

If you have answered yes on at least one of the questions listed above, then you have a problem.

Can Anyone Become a Compulsive Gambler?

Theoretically, yes. Any gambler can develop gambling problem regardless to the type of gambling he is occupied with, the amount of money and time he is spending on gambling. Researches show that slot machines that can be found in bars and convenient stores are the most addictive type of gambling activity, while lottery draws and bingo games are located on the other end of the scale. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem; its symptoms, causes and treatments are similar to any other form of addiction.

How Can I treat Gambling Addiction?

1) Group Therapy:

Gamblers Anonymous offers a 12 step self help program similar to the one offered to alcohol addicts in Alcoholics Anonymous. Group therapy also offers gambling addicts advice and support from professional counselors and other gambling addicts in different phases of their recovery process. Gambler Anonymous centers are available in more than 1,200 locations statewide.

2) Individual Therapy:

Cognitive or behavior therapy can help gambling addicts to identify their unaware thinking and acting patterns, which led them to gamble compulsively, and to replace them with controllable and healthier ways of thinking.

3) Psychiatric Medication:

It has recently been proven that antidepressant medications from the family of SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be affective in treatment of gambling addicts.

Ethical Assessment Of Wild Horse Welfare

Some people believe wild horses left to their own devices would live happy, healthy lives. While this might sound plausible, scientists and equine advocates have never had the ability to accurately assess the welfare of these free-roaming horses—until now.

Researchers in Australia and New Zealand have developed a protocol to assess the quality of life of wild horses and other free-roaming animals. Assessing a horse's welfare is not easy: Accurate welfare assessment requires objectivity, scientific validity and repeatability, says Dr. Andrea Harvey, a member of the research team who invented the protocol. She, along with colleagues Drs. Ngaio Beausoleil, Daniel Ramp and David Mellor created a process that will allow different people to reach the same assessment of an animal's welfare.

The team created a 10-step approach that will evaluate the physical and emotional status of free-roaming animals. The protocol uses the Five Domains Model with conservation in mind; the system details information that should be considered with different species, as well as how to observe and measure them.

The protocol then delves into specifics that are relatable to both scientists and lay people. They encompass measuring and validating welfare indicators and confidence levels, as well as creating “grades” for levels of welfare.

The scientists note that many well-meaning people project their own emotions and feelings onto the animal while trying to assess their welfare—this could lead the person to a very different conclusion than what the animal is actually feeling and is not an objective way to assess animal welfare.

The protocol has already been used to assess the welfare of brumbies in Australia, which, like Mustangs in the United States, has become politicized. The research team hopes that the creation of this protocol will assist in clear and ethical decision making regarding free-roaming horses.

Read more at Horses and People magazine.

Read the full article here.

The post Ethical Assessment Of Wild Horse Welfare appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Martin Garcia Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Remains Asymptomatic

The Daily Racing Form reported Wednesday that jockey Martin Garcia has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to his agent.

Garcia, who has experienced no symptoms of COVID-19, learned of the results from a routine test administered in preparation for him to ride at Keeneland while he was en route to Indiana Grand to ride a stakes race on the Wednesday evening card.

Agent Jay Fedor told writer Matt Hegarty that Garcia turned around and will return to Kentucky for a state mandated 14-day quarantine period. Fedor said a previous routine test at Churchill Downs was negative.

Over the past month, Garcia has ridden at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Indiana Grand, Los Alamitos, and Prairie Meadows.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form

The post Jockey Martin Garcia Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Remains Asymptomatic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights