An Overview of Gambling Disorder: from Treatment Approaches to Risk Factors

Overview

Journal F1000Res

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Science

Date 2018 Aug 10

PMID 30090625

Citations 23

Authors

Jose M Menchon

Gemma Mestre-Bach

Trevor Steward

Fernando Fernandez-Aranda

Susana Jimenez-Murcia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Gambling disorder (GD) has been reclassified recently into the "Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders" category of the (DSM-5), a landmark occurrence for a behavioral addiction. GD is characterized by recurrent, maladaptive gambling behavior that results in clinically significant distress. Although the number of randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments is limited, some pharmacological treatments, notably opiate antagonists, have been employed in the treatment of GD. Patients with GD often present cognitive distortions and specific personality traits, making treatment more difficult. Cognitive behavioral therapy has become the most common psychological intervention for treating gambling problems, and it is effective in reducing gambling behavior. In this brief overview, we provide a report on the state of pharmacological and psychological treatments for gambling disorder. Risk factors and potential future lines of research are addressed.

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