We sometimes don’t understand why some people just can’t stop doing things, as if they’re on replay or repeat like some song on a playlist. They keep it on, and on, and on until they don’t know the word “satisfaction”. Right now, repetitive behaviors are neglected because for others, it seemed just like a hobby or their leisure. But when these behaviors get out of hand, it’s already an addiction. Addiction can’t be stopped immediately. It can’t be controlled right away. But it is not incurable. In this paper, addiction to gambling will be discussed, along with its models and social works.
Gambling
Gambling is a very serious addiction. It consumes one’s time and most of all, money is needed to be able to play. And it’s not about how rich or skilled you are, it’s all about luck. Cockfighting is a sport in which two roosters fight each other in a small arena. Both animals will fight until one of them can’t continue anymore. In other states, this sport is still illegal. But men can’t simply let the sport go. They still find ways to conduct the said activity. Some play it on their lawns, others conduct it on secluded farms. It became man’s addiction.
One man was interviewed due to his addiction to cockfighting. As of this moment, since the pandemic, everything done outside became available online. So does cockfighting. It became online as well. Online gambling on the sport of cockfighting became a trend right now. According to the man, he already knew the sport cockfighting when he was in his mid-20s. Back then, it was just for entertainment when he was bored. He would go to some arena where the sport is being held, and would bid his cash money. Sometimes he wins, but mostly he doesn’t.
He became addicted when he lose his job. Instead of staying at home, alone, he would rather spend his money on roosters inside a ring. And since he became addicted, he would sometimes borrow money from his relative just to have cash to bet. But when his wallet is really empty, he would just pay the entrance fee, then watch the fight. He would not bet on any of the roosters. The effect of his addiction to his family was, according to him, his family members tend to adjust on spending money. They became thrifty. But the worst of it was they were forced to give money to the man, when the man asked for some.
Right now, he is currently playing the online cockfighting. The man became part of some online business regarding this sport. He would encourage some of his co-lovers of cockfighting into playing the online gambling, and he would earn from it. But sometimes, he becomes a player too. He would watch from his monitor how the roosters try to kill each other. His money on the e-wallet will either decrease or increase since he’ll bet. His family become accustomed to his addiction to gambling. They learned that they can’t forced him to stop his gambling. From time to time, they would advise him to take it slow, before he runs out of money.
Current Theories of Addiction to Gambling
From the American Heritage Science Dictionary, addiction is the habitual or compulsive involvement in an activity, such as gambling.
Excessive Appetites Model. One of the most comprehensive accounts of addiction is the excessive appetites model, according to Orford. It is based on a dynamic model of many overlapping determinants that may provide more or less resources for indulgence. It also suggests that a variety of personal roles. Humans are at risk of forming deep attachments and keeping in check of their behavior. It proposes that addiction can be related to “appetite” for some experiences and the initial desire towards the stimuli can change into uncontrollable pleasure if one experience a certain amount of need for it. Accordingly, ‘addiction’ is referred to as ‘appetitive consumption’. This model distinguishes that non-drug forms of addiction can be true, such as sex, gambling, and exercise, as the initial desire, feelings of being needed and destruction of social control are related to these kinds of stimuli. This model suggests that the development of this appetite can give growth to new motivations for activity in the form of secondary emotional cycles, which gives neuroadaptation, not giving up in losses, and having secrets or continuous lying.
Pathways Model. Pathological gambling according to Blaszczynski and Nower, is a "persistent and repetitive maladaptive gambling behaviour," which is marked by an inability to suppress gambling impulses and has psychosocial repercussions. The pathways model of pathological gambling considers the different variables that contribute to the development of pathological gambling. This includes the factors like psychological and biological. It claims that advances in this area are vulnerable by failure to distinguish between gambling problems and problem gamblers, vague definitions, and a tendency to assume that pathological gamblers form similar population with similar psychological principles applying to all members of the class. It claims that addictive gambling is caused by three main pathways which are behavioural conditioning, cognitive instability, and impulsive behaviors. The principle aims to clarify only problems regarding gambling and it doesn't answer the treatment process explicitly.
Social Work
Gambling and other kinds of addiction have a negative impact on people’s life. However, this can be treated by the social services who are skilled in dealing with the behaviors involved with their addiction.
Birmingham’s Services. There are several rehabilitation centers in Birmingham, Alabama that specialize in people who are having drinking problems and drug addiction. The site rehabs.com provides the list of places where you can find treatment. An example is the Department of VA Medical Center in South 19th Street which specializes in treating detox and outpatients. The other one is Castle Craig Rehab, a private organization which arranges residential treatment for addictions like gambling. The rehab may cost you a penny and you don’t even have any health insurance but there are low cost and free centers available in the area. You can find them in the site freerehabcenters.org and search the Birmingham’s location. One of them is The Salvation Army Family Birmingham Rehabilitation Center located in Shuttlesworth, which is an adult rehabilitation program for ages 21 and above dealing with addiction. They provide inpatient programs where you must reside to the center for the remainder of your service.
Process in Securing Treatment
There are processes involved in receiving rehabilitation for the treatment of the person currently having an addiction.
Finding Rehab Centers. Supposed that the person involved confessed his addiction and is ready to get some help. The next thing he should do is to search for the rehabilitation centers that is specializing in his condition. Then, determine if he wanted to be treated in the facility or in his own home.
Counselling. After finding treatment center, they will not get you in counselling. The social workers will provide series of therapy that allows them to be free and be respected without being judged. First, they will be assessed for the professionals to understand their patients’ backgrounds because addiction is a complicated issue. They will undergo series of interviews before the therapy and learn what affects the patients. For gambling addiction, the best medication will be psychotherapy that helps the person’s cognitive behaviors and management (Korn & Shaffer, 2004). Second, the social workers will develop a detailed recovery plan for their patients that may take months or years. The clients may be treated as an inpatient or outpatient, or needs a support from their family or peers. Third, after following the schedules, the social workers must ensure the patients maintenance where they ensure that the arrangements for treatments are followed. Most of the clients meet them once a week for counselling and some of the clients are participating in a group therapy.
Evaluating Achievement. Following recovery, you have the option of continuing to receive care at home through aftercare counselling and therapy programs. While aftercare is voluntary, recovered patients who use it have a better chance of completing long-term recovery.
Major Barriers to Treatment
There are several barriers why addicted people are hesitant into treatments but here are the major obstacles that we will really encounter.
First is the financial problem. Not everyone is gifted with luxuries. There are many people who don’t have money for treatments. However, there are many rehabilitation centers that offers budget fee or free services for them. The next one is the stigma and discrimination (Institute of Medicine, 2002). The clients are ashamed and scared of what people will say to them. They are also in denial that they are addicted. The stigma is there and will never be removed but we can reduced it through educating the society about addiction.
Conclusion
The case of addiction must be taken in as serious manner. The stigma of just letting it go since it’s not physical sickness or not that dangerous that it can lead to death must be halted. The movie “Flight” is one example of how addiction can cause your life miserable. It is about the pilot, Whip Whitaker who is a pilot and is addicted to alcohol who is sentenced for investigation regarding the plane crash where he led on that accumulated six deaths. The major reason why the plane crash is because of the engine failure but because he is the captain, the investigation exposes his drinking habits and toxicology analysis and his life starts to crumble. People like Whip should not be left alone as they need to accept themselves that they are addicted into something and they can’t control it. They will be in denial at first and constantly say that they will stop their habits but not. Good thing, there are people that is helping Whip in his situation. There are his colleagues who is keeping him in tabs that he will not take any alcohols. There is also his acquainted Nicole, who is a drug addict but eventually took counselling and open meetings to have her life start over. Nicole wanted to help Whip and invited him to open meetings but Whip doesn’t want to. What led Whip to accept that he is intoxicated to alcohol? It’s when the judge asked him if his colleague who is a flight attendant that died that impact is the one who consumed the alcohols found in the plane. Here comes the sense of guilt and acceptance. However, after he confessed, he said that he feels free. That’s the magic of acceptance and giving up lies. There will be a time when the addicted person will accept it and we must be by their side to aid them what will happen from then. They need guidance - be it in spiritual form or from his peers. Let them know that there are multiple treatment centers out there that is available for insured or uninsured people. Lastly, what happened to Whip after he confessed his addiction? He is sentenced to jail but the good thing, he is sober and all his problems just drift off. He became the speaker who is leading the talk in the open meeting and helping other people to overcome their addiction or other problems. And the best part that I learned from this movie? It is that everything happens for a reason. You might be intoxicated now to any form of addiction but there will come a situation that will make you stop doing that.
References
American Addiction Centers Editorial Staff. 2020. How Can I Go to Rehab Without Insurance? https://www.rehabs.com/blog/how-can-i-go-to-rehab-without-insurance/
Birmingham, Alabama. Free Alcohol, Drug and other Rehab resources in Birmingham. https://www.freerehabcenters.org/city/al-birmingham
Blaszczynski, A., & Nower, L. (2001). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling.
Institute of Medicine. (2002). Reducing Suicide: A National Imperative. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10398.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers, Counseling, & Support. Start Your Recovery. https://startyourrecovery.org/treatment/rehab-centers/alabama/birmingham
ExcessiveAppetites. Changing Minds.org http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/addiction/excessive_appetites.htm
FSU Online. (2019). How Can Social Workers Treat Addiction Effectively? College of Social Work. https://onlinemsw.fsu.edu/blog/2019/12/04/how-can-social-workers-treat-addiction-effectively
Gambling Addiction Treatment and Rehab. Addiction Helper. https://www.addictionhelper.com/treatment-rehab/gambling/
Hardey, S., Thomas, S., et.al. (2021). What Are the Barriers to Accessing Addiction Treatment? https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/treatment-barriers
Korn, D.A, & Shaffer, H.J. (2004). Practice Guidelines for Treating Gambling-Related Problems. Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling.
West, R. (2013). EMCDDA Insights: Models of addiction.