Psychologist called effective ways to treat gambling addiction

The situation with the spread of gambling addiction, the main risk factors and concomitant mental disorders developing against the background of ludomania, - these and many other issues were discussed by experts today, October 8, in the press center of the Press House during the conference "Nation's Health: the Price of Hazard - Prevention of Ludomania and Concomitant Mental Disorders", reports sb.by.

In the international classification of diseases, ludomania has a specific code, this is F63 - a disorder of habits and desires. Ludomania is not a weakness or lack of willpower in a person, but an established diagnosis that requires proper treatment. In inpatient treatment, a person is given a disability sheet. The key criterion of the disease is a violation of control, when a person cannot stop and, despite the obvious negative consequences, play is central to life, displacing family, work, health. To establish a diagnosis, symptoms usually must appear at least 12 months, said Alexander Sosenkov, a psychologist at the psychological department of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health:

- Now 90% of all players participate in online gambling, visiting real casinos is already a rarity. Mostly, young people who started playing about 3-5 years ago are now coming to us for treatment. Basically, their debts are gaining such momentum that it takes five to seven years to pay them off. At the same time, if earlier about 90 percent of patients were traditionally men, now we record a tendency to increase the number of women involved in this addiction.

When a person already falls into the trap of excitement, he may have other mental disorders. A person may experience severe anxiety, sleep disturbances and depressive reactions may occur. At the same time, the player himself does not criticize the state, only society can help a person - his relatives, family, environment, who will tell him about the problem. It is worth starting with seeking advice from a specialist - a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, Alexander Sosenkov noted:

- The most effective way to provide assistance will be hospitalization, it is absolutely free for citizens of our country. As you know, pills for ludomania do not exist, the main criterion of treatment is daily group and individual psychotherapy. Medications can be prescribed to a person only to relieve concomitant conditions - anxiety, insomnia or depression. The average course of therapy is about 25 days, but if necessary, it is extended individually.