Medication To Stop Gambling

Pathological gambling is an impulse-control disorder that is related to substance-abuse disorders. It often begins in adolescence or young adulthood but may develop later in life due to psychological stress or a new exposure to gambling casinos or other means of gambling. It can wreak havoc in the lives of the sufferer and his family, but treatment is available.

Definition of Pathological Gambling

Pathological gambling is defined as recurrent unhealthy gambling behavior, author Mary C. Townsend, M.N., A.P.R.N., explains in "Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing." It is characterized by a strong urge to gamble, persistent thoughts of gambling and the wagering of money in an attempt to win a prize, usually money. Gambling involves a degree of chance and sometimes a degree of skill. It becomes unhealthy when it interferes with relationships or job responsibilities, or the gambler begins to seek money in an unscrupulous manner.

Medication Types

As of 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not approved any drugs for the treatment of pathological gambling. But three types of drugs are sometimes prescribed to treat the condition. Lithium carbonate, a mood stabilizer, may be effective in lessening gambling urges, explains an article, Medication Management of Pathological Gambling, in "Minnesota Medicine." It may be less effective in actually reducing gambling behaviors. Opioid antagonists such as nalmefene and naltrexone may be effective in reducing gambling urges and behaviors, while nalmefene may also help reduce persistent thoughts of gambling, reports the journal article. A third category of drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is sometimes prescribed for treatment of compulsive gambling.

Who Can Benefit

Many people who pathologically gamble avoid treatment until they are facing divorce or bankruptcy. Before landing in a crisis, they may not realize they have a mental health problem. Medication and other treatments, however, can be effective in mild cases, as well as severe ones. The typical course of the addiction cycles between mild and severe, depending on the gambler's stress level. Men and women can be affected, but the disorder is more common in men.

Additional Treatments

In addition to medication, some people with a pathological gambling disorder are treated with psychoanalysis, cognitive therapy or behavioral therapy, according to "Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing." Gamblers Anonymous, a 12-step group program, helps some people stop or limit gambling behaviors.

Who Can Help

A psychiatrist, psychologist or advanced-practice psychiatric nurse can treat pathological gambling. Mental health counselors, addiction specialists and family physicians may also be qualified to treat some aspects of the condition. Only physicians and advanced-practice psychiatric nurses may prescribe medication, but other professionals can refer the patient to a prescriber if needed.