Statement: My intent in this newsletter is to express as quickly as possible my own beliefs and opinions on matters. I have no problems with people who disagree with my opinion and have even been swayed to rethink my position from time to time.
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Patrick Hurley was recently appointed to the Professional Advisory Board of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association. For more information you can go to www.add.org
Patrick also spoke on October 15, 2007 at the National Conference on Correctional Health Care
in Nashville, TN on his book. The Conference is sponsored by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), which has an impressive membership.
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There have been some studies and other indications that there may be a link between ADHD and gambling addiction. Problem gambling has been on the increase since the increase in legalized gambling across the United States. The proliferation of lotteries, scratch lottery tickets, Indian casinos, riverboat gambling, and other forms of government sanctioned lottery games has made this more widespread. For about the last year there has even been the "World Poker Tour" on television, which has a large following. At the same time, the Capital of gambling in the United States, Las Vegas, has continued its meteoric growth.
I write this article, as I do all my articles, from the perspective of someone with ADHD. I think that if I allowed myself to, I could potentially become a problem gambler. In the State of Iowa where I live, the riverboats and casinos have been big draws. I find myself attracted to them, even though I have only come out a winner on one occasion. I made about $25.00.
Usually I take $20.00 - $40.00 in, and say to myself that is all I am going to spend. Inevitably, I find myself, at first ahead in the game, and then starting down the slippery slope of being behind. Once behind, I find it almost impossible to not go for broke to get my money back out of the machine. I justify it by saying that it is entertaining and I would spend this kind of money going to a college football game or most other entertainment. Finally I am out of money. Its time to leave...right? For me not so fast.
I almost inevitably find myself back at the ATM cash machine to get "just another $20.00" so I can at least get my original money back. I have even been known to go back for another $20.00 after I lose that one. I can usually drag myself away before I break the $100.00 barrier, but the attraction is surprisingly powerful for me, and I imagine others.
There is an article at this link from RMIT University in Melbourne titled "
New Study investigates ADHD link to problem gambling" which came out in February 2003.
My own suspicions of why we, with ADHD, may have trouble with gambling are the traditional reasons ADHD people have trouble with other things.
- Impulsiveness - gambling is, by its nature, an impulsive driven activity.
- Need for excitement - gambling can be very exciting, especially when you win, but even sometimes when you come real close to winning (like one card away from a Royal Flush). There is danger, risk and the unknown....no wonder we like it.
- Money problems - many problem gamblers have money problems already, and they look to this activity as a possible solution to double their money in a short period of time. The fact that they lose only what they took in is viewed something like "at least I didn't lose twice as much money as I took in!"
I have pointed out to my wife, jokingly when we go into a casino (which isn't very often), that they have the pay out percentage posted. Let's say it says 93.4 % payout. I tell my wife I would be better off assuming I was going to play $100.00 just giving them $6.60 and turning around and leaving, because I never win anyhow. I think it is actually probably a good thing that I have not won. I believe that winning would make it even more exciting, and thus even more attractive to continue going back. And yet it is hard for me to resist stopping at one when I drive by.
People who do have a gambling problem then have to start dealing with a lot of the same traditional problems ADHD people do. Hiding our money problems (losses) from loved ones and family, credit card advances to pay routine bills such as utilities, groceries and the like. It can quickly become another failure, or character defect, we are going to be ultimately held accountable for. The cycle continues. I highly recommend that if any of this sounds like you, that you get help before it becomes a problem.
I personally view myself as a problem gambler right now, even though I spend very little money gambling. By doing so, I have recognized, in advance, my weakness and hopefully will never allow myself to fall into the traps that gambling can set for us.
I am not saying that people who gamble are bad, I enjoy playing Powerball as much as anyone else. I just know that there is an underlying susceptibility on my part to be a problem gambler, so I am constantly monitoring myself on this.
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If you have any comments feel free to e-mail me a "short note" (if possible). I have ADHD too so I know how difficult it is to write short notes.
Thanks and talk to you next month.
Patrick Hurley
addcorridorcoach@aol.com
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