Fernando Botana, an addiction specialist, answers a series of questions about how confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected those with gambling addictions.
Has confinement increased the number of people with gambling problems?
The number of patients with gambling addiction problems has increased by 30% in our clinic in this period between March 15 and May 30.
What do you think are the causes of this increase?
The stress caused by the pandemic and its consequent confinement are at the root of this increase in cases of gambling-related problems.
Are there exceptions, and have all people with gambling problems worsened during this period?
Yes, there have been exceptions, and I think this would make a good headline: some people with addiction problems get better through confinement.
How is this possible?
Let’s start by looking at the possible consequences of confinement for people with addiction problems:
- People who did not play games have found in gaming an escape activity for these days of forced confinement.
Distracting oneself by playing certain solitary games has risks, most solitary and online games have a great addictive power, many of these people who chose to play alone online during confinement ended up getting “hooked”.
However, I must add that, in general, these types of cases are usually circumstantial addictions (caused by a circumstantial and transient event such as confinement) that have a good prognosis in treatment. - People who gambled and have aggravated their situation by increasing the time and money lost as a result of forced confinement.
- People who gambled and have improved as a result of confinement.
How is it possible that there are people with gambling addictions who have improved their situation during confinement?
Some people with an incipient level of addiction and personality characteristics of seeking tranquility, the enjoyment of home, fleeing from parties and meetings, who have also had a place to be confined in peace and with the affection of their loved ones, will have found themselves during the confinement as in a relaxing vacation in which they have not been able to gamble, and all this has facilitated their escape from this dependence.
It is very important that both people who have seen their addiction problem worsen and those who have been able to stop because of circumstances favorable to them, continue with the treatment they have been doing since the confinement will end and it is very possible that the stress will provoke the gambling episodes again.