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New guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advise GPs and other healthcare professionals in England to identify gambling addiction in the same way they would for alcohol and smoking addiction. They are being asked to look for “gambling-related harms” that affect the patient’s health, finances, and people around them, such as their family and local community. In 2023, a survey of 20,000 adults found that 2.5% had a gambling addiction, and young men were most at risk.
NICE hopes that asking about potential gambling issues in a comfortable environment, with a trusted individual, can help reduce the stigma and shame surrounding this particular addiction. Additionally, mentally ill individuals and those receiving social services, particularly people with depression, anxiety, self-harm habits, suicidal thoughts, and other addictions, should also be questioned on their gambling habits.
Gambling addictions could indicate other diagnoses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), personality disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some medications may also increase impulsivity, and difficult home environments could also increase the risk of addiction.
National clinical director for primary care Dr Claire Fuller states, “We welcome NICE’s decision, as gambling can have a massive impact on people’s lives and the lives of the people that care for them, and as healthcare professionals, we need the right tools to help tackle gambling-related harms.” Furthermore, NHS England has opened 15 gambling clinics since 2019, most of them in the last year, and they are expected to treat approximately 3,000 people annually, with access to psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as support for family and friends.
The Problem Gambling Severity Index continues to be available on the NHS website. By identifying and intervening early in a behavioural addiction like gambling, the healthcare industry is able to address the negative effects.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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