TOPICAL ISSUES OF GAMBLERS IN
KAZAKHSTAN
Yernar
Onalbekov, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
ABSTRACT
This article describes the development of gambling in Kazakhstan and foreign countries. The author reveals a brief history of gambling,
reasons, ways of dependence on gambling, the phases and symptoms of patients with gambling, as well as points on the way to
solve this problem in the CIS and Kazakhstan. The article contains the classification of Gamblers by the International Classification of
Diseases Gamblers (USA), According to the PCG on PVC "Center for
medical and social rehabilitation" (Kazakhstan) - the organization of health care, and
prevention work and to provide
specialized medical care, as well as medical and social rehabilitation of patients
who use the harmful effects of alcohol and (or) other
surfactants and dependent
on alcohol and (or) other surfactants.
Key words: Compulsive gambling, Gamblers, Gambling, classification, Kazakhstan
Gamblers, or game addiction, gambling (from
Lat. Homo ludens - man playing) - "pathological gambling, which is
frequently repeated episodes of gambling that dominate the life of the subject and leading to a decrease in social, occupational,
physical and family values.
"According to the
International Classification of Diseases Gamblers included in the list of diseases.
In the American classification of mental
disorders (DSM-IV, 1994) diagnosis of pathological gambling is put in the
presence of five or more items
of the following symptoms. The presence of 2 to 4 points
is considered as the initial phase of
development Gamblers. 1 absorbed with the game, for example, are constantly in my thoughts returned to the past experience
of the games, deliberately
refuses to play or, on the
contrary, anticipating and preparing for the implementation of the next
opportunity to play, or is considering a way to get money for this. 2
continues to play with the ever-increasing rise rates to achieve
the desired visual sensations. 3
made repeated but unsuccessful efforts to control their
addiction to the game, playing
less or even stop. 4 show anxiety and
irritability when trying to play
less or even give up the game. 5 plays to escape from problems or take dysphoria (eg, feelings
of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression). 6. Returned to the
game the next day after a loss
to recoup (the thought of losing is haunted). 7
Lie family doctor
and others to conceal the extent of involvement in the game. 8 commits a
criminal offense - such as
forgery, fraud, theft, embezzlement
in order to provide the tools to
participate in the game. 9
jeopardize or even willing to completely break off relations with loved ones, quit work
or school, to abandon the career
prospects. 10 In a situation of lack of money for the game puts the solution
to the problems on other people.
Recently the
problem of gambling becomes
relevant in connection with the
distribution of cash slot
machines, the opening of the
casino. All of them are
beautifully decorated, which contributes to the effect of light suggestive
possibilities of winning in a short time.
Arcades long been common throughout the world. So, back in the 1970-ies of XX century in England there is a problem of low admissions, up to the need for their closure, due to the increasing popularity of arcades. In the United States,
according to R. Volberg (Volberg, 1998), the number of "problem gamblers" reaches 5% of the population. Data of other researchers (Ladouceur et al., 1988) indicate that only the
first half of the 1990s, the
number of problem gamblers in
Canada has grown by more than 75%.
Passion
for games "hit" about 10% of people in the world. In the Netherlands, on 10
thousand drug addicts now account for 40 thousand Internet-dependent.
Depending on the game suffers from about 0.5 to 1.5% of the
population in developed countries -
especially where legalized gambling business.
In this
regard, many foreign researchers
consider gambling a serious
social problem, a threat to the population. The problem is compounded
by the fact that during the game,
in some cases there are relaxing,
relieving emotional stress, distraction from unpleasant problems,
and the game is considered as a pastime.
And persons involved in the game, relatively often abuse alcohol and
other psychoactive substances, that is included
in the combined forms of
addictive behavior that is
dangerous. Computer games and speculative
trading in the stock and currency
markets, many also equate to gambling, especially due to the availability of such trade over the Internet.
For the "players" are typical of the difficulties of interpersonal
relationships, frequent divorce, violation
of labor discipline, frequent job changes. On the basis of this mechanism occurs gradually retract
and become addicted. However, there is still debate continues
- if gambling
addiction or more
of one of the forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder?
The reasons for
the formation of Gamblers.
The main
reasons for the formation of gambling
are:
§ Loneliness. The feeling of loneliness makes a person
for the first time to resort to the game, and the resulting look and feel in the game forced to return to it once
again.
§ Frustration. Malaise causes a person to express themselves in the game. Being insufficiently implemented
in real life, a frown,
a man tries to put in a game where a lot easier to be a winner, than in real life. And the more successful it results in the game,
the more he wants to return to it
again and again.
§ Sense of easy
money. Once received a prize, and feeling
the adrenaline rush of owning so easy to get money, a
person tries to repeat his success in the game, which is often not possible.
§ Easy yielding
all sorts of dependencies. Gambling is a risk for people
with any other addiction, such as drug / alcohol addicted.
§ Mental disorders of varying severity. People who once treated with from
mental disorders, are also susceptible
to this disease, as
gambling.
Signs Gamblers.
Identifies a number of features characteristic of gambling as a form of addictive behavior (by Korolenko C. P.,
Donskih T.A., 1990):
§ sustained engagement,
increased time spent in the game
situation,
§ change the
range of interests, ousting former
gaming motivations, constant thoughts about the game, and the predominance of imagination situations involving game patterns,
Ǥloss of control", as expressed in the inability to stop the game after the big
win, and after persistent losses,
§ state of psychological
discomfort, irritation, anxiety, developing in a relatively short period of time after the next part in the game, with an insurmountable desire
to once again start the game. These
states are a number of features reminiscent
of the state of abstinence
from drug /
alcohol addicted, accompanied by headache,
sleep disturbance, anxiety, depressed
mood, impaired concentration,
§ characterized by a gradual
increase in the frequency of
participation in the game,
§ rapidly growing
decline in the ability to resist temptation. This is reflected in the fact that, having decided once and for
all "tie" at the
slightest provocation (meeting with
old friends, talk on the theme of the game, the presence of a number of
gambling establishments, and etc.)
Gambling resumed.
Stage of development Gamblers.
Distinguish 3 stages of Gamblers (Custer, 1984):
1 stage wins - social gambling,
2 step losses - intense
gambling,
3 stage of frustration - the
problem gambling.
Stage wins represented by the following features: random play, frequent wins,
imagination precedes and accompanies the
game, the more frequent the game, increasing the size of bets, fantasy game, a very
big win, irrational optimism.
Loss for the stage is characterized by: the game alone, boasting wins, thinking
only about the game that can span episodes of losses, the inability to stop the game, lies and cover-up of friends of the
problem, reducing the care of the family or spouse, the reduction of working time for the benefit of the game, refusing to pay debts , personality changes - irritability, fatigue, unsociable, severe emotional situation at home, the lending of money on the game, a
very large debts by both legal and illegal
means, the inability to pay debts, desperate attempt to stop playing.
Signs of frustration stage are loss of professional
and personal reputation, a
significant increase in the time spent in the game, and
the rates, removal from family and
friends, remorse, repentance, hatred
of others, panic, illegal activities, hopelessness,
suicidal thoughts and attempts, arrest,
divorce, alcohol abuse, emotional disorders, withdrawal.
Thinking errors - irrational
installation gamblers.
Emit so-called "thinking errors" that
form the irrational installation
gamblers. Strategic thinking errors are that
determine the overall positive attitude
towards their addiction and tactical,
that trigger and maintain a mechanism of "possession trance".
A strategic mistake of thinking include internal beliefs:
§ Money talks, including the problem of emotions and relationships with people.
§ Lack of confidence in the present and the expectation of success
as a result of winning, the idea
of being able to kill vital
failures successful game.
§ Replacement fantasies of control over their own destiny fantasies about winning.
For tactical thinking
errors include:
§ The belief in winning day.
§ Setting that
must come a
turning point in the game.
§ The notion that it is possible to return the debt only with the game,
that is to play.
§ Emotional connection only with the last episode
of the game when giving himself the words never
play.
§ Persuasion that will be able to play
only for the money.
§ Perception of money while playing as
chips or numbers on
the display.
§ Presentation of rates as transactions.
The prevalence of gambling among men and women.
Although painful passion for gambling is more common in men, in women, this addiction
takes a more severe form. Women are drawn into a
dangerous hobby to 3 times faster
and harder amenable to psychotherapy. Unlike men, women are subject to gambling addiction in adulthood, and for
other reasons. The most common of
them - personal problems from which they try to leave the game.
This occurs most often between the ages of
21 to 55 years,
and in 1-4%
of cases, the passion takes such forms in which the need psychiatric help. Every
third pathological gambler - is a
woman. Sex differences between men
and women are also in the fact that gambling in women often accompanies
depression, and men - alcoholism.
Game loop.
In the behavior of patients gamers isolated phases
that make up the so-called "game
loop" (V.V.Zaytsev, A.F.Shaydulina,
2003):
§ Phase abstinence
is characterized by abstinence from
the game due to lack of money, pressure micro social environment,
depression caused by the failure of
the next game.
§ Phase "automatic
fantasies" when frequent spontaneous fantasies about the game. Gamblers lost in his
imagination a state of excitement
and anticipation of winning, displaces episodes losses.
Fantasies arise spontaneously or under the influence of indirect incentives.
§ Phase slew
of emotional stress. Depending on the individual characteristics there
is melancholy, depressed mood or marked irritability,
anxiety. Sometimes the mood is accompanied by increased fantasies about the game. In some cases, it is perceived by the patient as meaningless and even directed
away from the game and replaced by an
increase in sexual desire, intellectual exertion.
§ Phase decision
to play. The solution comes in two ways. The first of these is that the patient is under
the influence of imagination in
"telegraphic style" plans a
way to realize their desires.
It is "very likely
to win," according to gamblers,
one play behavior and characteristic of the transition of the first stage of the disease in the second. Another option - the decision to play the game comes immediately
after the episode. It is based on
an irrational belief in the need to win. This mechanism
is characteristic for the second and third stages of the disease.
§ Phase displacement
of the decision. The intensity of conscious patients desire
to play is reduced and there is
"illusion of control" over their behavior.
At this time, can improve the economic and social status of gamblers. The combination of these conditions leads to the fact that the patient is aware of the risks is to meet the
circumstances provoking game
breakdown (large amount of money on hand, alcohol intake, an attempt to play to stay, and etc.).
§ Phase implementation
of the decision. It is characterized by
a pronounced emotional arousal and intense fantasies about the upcoming game. Most gamblers describe this
state as "trans",
"become like a zombie." Despite the fact that in the mind of the patient still having constructive opposition, they
immediately swept aside irrational
thinking. The player is dominated by misconceptions about the
ability to control themselves. The game does not stop until
I can not play all the money. Then begins the phase of abstinence and starts a
new cycle.
Why is it so hard to get rid of most Gamblers?
Any game always brings pleasure. Excitement, a powerful
adrenaline rush while you play so stimulates the brain, that he gets used to this
powerful stimulation in strength
comparable to an orgasm that other mundane pleasures
(socializing with friends, love, sex)
are no longer interested in the patient's gambling (Gamblers)
and remains just a game.
Patient gambling (Gamblers) all the time walking in circles, which he
can not break. In this case, it may not even be aware of the need for treatment for gambling (Gamblers). Of
particular importance is the peculiar
state "enchantment", or the state of self-hypnosis, trance, which occurs in the
patient's failure to gambling on the eve of the
game. During this period, the
patient can not control gambling
themselves and their desires. Gradually leave desires, emotions, love
for family and a man turns into a robot.
Treatment of gambling addiction.
Gamblers need for treatment
is due, at least three
reasons:
§ Serious financial problems and family breakdown patients Gamblers.
§ The prevalence of illegal actions - up to 60% of patients
Gamblers commit crimes.
§ High risk
of suicide - from 13 to 40% of patients Gamblers attempt suicide, have 32-70%
marked suicidal thoughts.
The first stage of diagnosis treatment - reasons for the formation of gambling addiction, as well as the possible
exception of painful disorders, particularly depression. In case of detection of latent depression, if necessary, being held by her medication.
The second stage of treatment
(psychotherapy) gambling addiction
is psychological correction, which is carried out individually and in special training groups.
Psychological assistance aimed at
improving relationships with
loved ones, learning self-control
and ability to cope with difficulties,
education willpower, self-esteem, the formation of new vital interests.
Task of psychotherapy for
Gamblers:
§ Return patient
gambling from the "trance of the game" in reality,
§ Return patient
gambling to the previous values in life (family,
love, friends)
§ Education patient
gambling ability to
govern themselves (their feelings, thoughts) and resisting the urge to
play.
Compulsive gambling affects family relationships, so during addiction
treatment is carried out in
parallel and psychotherapeutic
assistance to relatives of patients with
gambling.
According to the PCG on PVC "Center for
medical and social rehabilitation" -
the organization of health care, and prevention work and to provide specialized medical care, as well as medical and social
rehabilitation of patients who
use the harmful effects of alcohol
and (or) other surfactants and dependent
on alcohol and (or) other surfactants.
Gambling industry - one
of the most profitable and can generate a lot of revenue
to the treasury. But despite this, the government of many countries,
putting the health of society in the
first place, limiting their activities.
Russian State Duma adopted the
law "On State Regulation of the
organization and conduct of gambling." According to the document, from July 1, 2009 casinos and slot machines moved beyond the major
cities, and the rest of the Russian
gambling is prohibited.
President of Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree imposed a tax on gambling
activities. Casino owners in Minsk, having up to 10
gaming tables, a monthly pay of 3.5 thousand. Euros,
while owners of more than 10 tables - 4 th. Euros. Tax on
slot machine is 100 euros, cash sweepstakes
- 1.5 thousand. Euros,
cash bookmaker -
200 euros.
In Tbilisi, the tax for the operators of gambling increased threefold. In
Uzbekistan, casinos are banned
by President Islam Karimov. Azerbaijan
and Tajikistan gambling is prohibited.
Kazakhstan adopted a law "On
gambling business," according to which from 1 April 2007 the casino and slot machine halls can accommodate
only two cities - Kapshagai (south-east)
and Shushinsk (north of the
country).
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