Natural and treatment-assisted recovery from gambling problems: a comparison of resolved and active gamblers.
OBJECTIVE
An exploratory study was conducted to understand the process of recovery from gambling problems.


METHODS
Media recruitment was used to identify a resolved (n = 43) and a comparison group of active pathological gamblers (n = 63).


METHODS
Participants showed evidence of significant problems related to gambling as well as high rates of co-morbid mood and substance use disorders. The median length of resolution was 14 months with a range of 6 weeks to 20 years.


RESULTS
Resolved gamblers reported a variety of reasons for quitting gambling, related mainly to emotional and financial factors. They did not experience a greater number of precipitating life events compared with active gamblers but did report an increase in positive and a decrease in negative life events in the year after resolution. Both resolved and active gamblers who had relatively more severe problems were more likely to have had treatment or self-help involvement, whereas those with less severe problems, if resolved, were "naturally recovered".


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the need for a continuum of treatment options for problem gamblers and provide helpful information about recovery processes.
Hodgins
D C
DC
University of Calgary, Canada. dhodgins@ucalgary.ca
el-Guebaly
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome