Gambling addiction rehab 'stopped by stigma'

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by Change | 7 Apr 2009

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Stigma is still attached to people with gambling addictions, it has been claimed, making it much harder for them to admit their problem and seek help.

Many gambling addicts suffer in silence and do not search out rehab centres because of the stigma that is still attached to the addiction, it has been claimed.

University of Calgary researcher Jenny Horch has suggested that a string stigma still exists around gambling addicts, which could encourage them to keep their problem to themselves instead of seeking help.

"We compared schizophrenia, alcoholism, problem gambling and a physical health condition, cancer, and I did a control," she explained.

Ms Horch concluded: "Problem gamblers were stigmatised more than the control and [people with a] physical health condition."

Ms Horch is hoping that her research will help to reduce the stigma that is so often attached to people with a gambling problem so that they are more likely to go to a rehab centre to seek help.

Experts are predicting there will be a rise in the number of people suffering from gambling addictions this year because of the impact of the recession.

As more people lose their jobs, it is feared many will turn to gambling to try to avoid getting into debt or to win big and not need to worry about looking for a new job in a cluttered market.

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