Ep. 60 - Coming Out of the Shadows: Connections Between Gambling, Mental Health and Substance Addiction
Many people can relate to Zib’s story. During COVID he found himself bored as work slowed down and he was spending more time at home. As a business owner impacted by the lockdown, he was also concerned about his finances. Remembering a past casino win, he started to gamble online, rationalizing to himself that gambling wins could supplement his income. Plus, Zib noticed that gambling gave his mood a boost. He lives with Bipolar Disorder and says that day-to-day life can often feel quite “grey” and the lockdown was particularly dark for him.
For Zib, online gambling got out of hand. Eventually his money ran out and he had a “crash.” He’d been keeping the gambling a secret from friends and family. At this point he said to himself, “I now have a choice. Either get help or keep living in the shadows.”
In episode 60 of our podcast, Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems, Zib shares his reflections on how Bipolar Disorder, but also Depression can create a vulnerability for gambling getting out of control. He says that the “stimulation” it provides is a big draw when your mood is low. For this same reason, he had found that drinking and gaming had also drawn him in as a way to cope with a low mood.
Zib tells us that he has stopped gambling for the past 7 months. He shares what helped him to do this and what he’s now doing to keep his mood up.
Tune in to this episode and hear about:
The connections between mental health issues, gambling and substance addictions
How to find healthy replacements for gambling
How to notice if you’re switching addictions
Strategies for living well and in balance
Listen now to episode 60 of Fold em by clicking on the green play button at the top of the blog.
If you prefer to tune in directly from Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, click on the red “Listen and Subscribe” button below.
“If you are willing to put in the work you can get through and resolve anything” Zib
Connections Between Mental Health Issues, Gambling and Substance Addictions
In this episode of Fold em, Zib says he believes that living with Bipolar Disorder contributed to him having a drinking problem, and later, to gambling and gaming excessively.
Research backs up Zib’s observations. Our Canadian experts on gambling and the brain (www.BrainConnections.ca) , tell us it is common for gambling problems to overlap with nicotine dependence, alcohol addiction and mental health issues such as Depression and Anxiety.
Why is this? Brain Connections provide three explanations for the overlap between mental health issues, substance addiction and gambling problems:
The Reward Hub in the Brain: Research shows that the brains of people with gambling problems (and also people with substance use problems) show less of a response to “natural” rewards (e.g. eating a nice meal) compared to “unnatural” rewards (e.g. gambling or drinking). This means that they will feel less excited by natural rewards. Some researchers think that this reduced activity in the Reward Hub of the brain could result in someone turning more to unnatural rewards to increase feelings of excitement and pleasure.
The Top Down Control Network in the Brain: Research also shows that the part of the brain which tells us to slow down or STOP when enaging in rewarding activities is not as responsive in people with gambling problems. This means, that their brains do not notice the signs to stop or are less able to STOP gambling once started.
Delayed Rewards: Research also shows that individuals with gambling problems, have difficulties processing the value of delayed rewards (e.g. choosing between $10 now or $100 next week). They are more likely to choose a smaller but more immediate reward over a larger but delayed reward. What this means is that people with gambling problems may be more drawn to the instant gratification provided by gambling and less able to see the value of longer term strategies for improving their mood, such as exercise.
In short, this tells us that there can be real differences in the brains of people who struggle with gambling, This can contribute to being drawn in to the stimulation provided by gambling and less able to resist the pull of short-term rewards. When gambling gets out of control, those individuals may also be less able to notice and act on signs to stop. However, the good news is that with time away from gambling or other addictive behaviours, the Reward Hub in the brain can change and respond more to natural rewards when people practice bringing these into their life regularly, e.g. exercise or socializing.
We also learn from Brain Connections that gambling problems lower your natural mood setpoint, which is why many people are vulnerable to switching to another unhealthy activity or addiction after they stop gambling. If you would like to learn more about this, listen to my converation with Dr. Baldois and Deirdre Querney, MSW, in Episode 51 of Fold em.
Coming Out of the Shadows: How to Live Well, Stop Gambling and Prevent Switching Addictions
In this episode of Fold em, Zib tells us that he hasn’t gambled for about 7 months. During this time, he’s been taking a number of steps to keep his mood up and prevent himself from getting pulled back into addiction. Zib explains that Bipolar Disorder can create extremes in his mood (both debilitating lows of depression and highs of mania). When not in these extremes, day-to-day life can feel quite flat and grey. However, he’s working at sustained ways of keeping his mood balanced.
Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Zib offers strategies that can be helpful for everyone. Our colleagues at Brain Connections also offer suggestions for living a balanced life and avoiding unhealthy substitutions for gambling.
Here’s strategies for taking care of your mood and avoiding switching addictions:
Steadily grow many parts of your life that are rewarding to you: just like the branches on a tree, there are many aspects of life that can be interesting and rewarding to you. Identify these and work on growing them slowly and steadily, reminding yourself that it’s good practice to do things that give long-term rewards. Zib knew he loved being in nature, so he bought himself a kayak and then started camping. He began to enjoy the process of planning and looking forward to his outdoor adventures.
Pause and ask yourself these questions after doing something excessively: when you notice that you’re doing something excessively, particulalry if it gives you a lift in mood or an escape from stress, ask yourself these questions suggested by Zib: Is this healthy for me to do this activity excessively? What’s at stake if I keep doing it this much? What can I do to stop it from becoming a problem?
Get feedback from someone you trust: we’re more likely to stay on track if we have people in our life who we are accountable to. That person can also be someone who can notice if you are switching to unhealthy ways of coping. This person could be family member, friend, someone else in recovery or a counsellor.
To hear more about how Zib is moving away from gambling and finding other ways to live with Bipolar Disorder, listen to episode 60 of Fold em. Click on the green play button at the top of this blog or the red Listen Now button below.
What Support is Available to Help Me or a Loved One With Gambling Concerns?
For Residents of British Columbia:
Gambling Support BC
If you live in British Columbia, you can connect with Gambling Outreach Support anytime. To do so, click on the red “Connect with Support in BC” button below. Or, go to the Gambling Support BC website. You can also access these services through the Gambling Support Line. It is available 24/7 at 1-888-795-6111.
Gambling Support BC services are available to any British Columbia resident experiencing problems from gambling. You don’t need to stop or quit gambling or be self-excluded to access these free supports.
Our counselling and outreach services can help you figure out how to manage gambling concerns, including how to control or stop gambling. You decide what will work for you.
You can talk to an outreach support person about next steps for yourself if you aren’t wanting counselling. They can help you find self-help resources or local community resources and make a plan that meets you where you are at.
Outside of British Columbia
Canada: www.gamblingguidelines.ca/getting-help
United States: National Council on Problem Gambling
United Kingdom: GamCare
Australia: Gamblers’ Help
If you live outside of these countries, search online for “Gambling Help” in your country
Online Support and Meetings:
Gamblers Anonymous and GamAnon
GamTalk (online chat forum)
What Support is Available to Help Me or a Loved One With Mental Health Issues?
In Canada: click here
In the United States: click here
In Great Britain: click here
If you live outside of these areas, search online for “mental health help” for your country.
To learn more about gambling concerns and how to access resources and support, go to the home page of this website, click on the red “Learn More” button below, or connect with us through Facebook.
Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC. We welcome your feedback and ideas for topics for upcoming episodes. Reach out through the Contact Us page on this website or through email at Foldempodcast@gmail.com.