Product Description

"The addiction field has long needed a comprehensive set of exercises counselors could use to guide patients through good treatment. The workbooks developed by Dr. Perkinson take the patient from the beginning of treatment to the end. They are written in such a manner that Dr. Perkinson is your mentor and is conversing with you, sharing with you his vast area of expertise and knowledge about recovery. These patient exercises meet the highest standards demanded by accrediting bodies."
--Dr. Bob Carr, Director Substance Abuse Program and Mental Health Services, Sioux Falls V.A. Regional Medical Center, South Dakota

Customer Reviews (7)

Companion Workbook
This is not meant to be a "stand alone" workbook.It seems to be intended to be used to support a class or seminar.The ad is not clear on this.

Gambling Addiction: Patient Workbook
Speaking as a professional counselor, this is an excellent resource guide for anyone struggling with pathological gambling [or abuse]. I have shared copy with clients who asked if they purchased the book, could they write in their responses [this is from an attorney client who found the bk clear, refreshing, and which became an important tool in developing an effective relapse prevention plan].Richard Noonan, ACSW, LCSW, CADC-III

I would take a "gamble" on this book!
This book is even better than expected.If you have a gambling problem, think you might have a problem or know someone who does, you will find this book very informative.This book could also be used by Clinicians for their clients.It really encourages the reader to take a hard look at what their gambling habits have cost them, in terms of lost time, money and relationships.This book would be helpful for the loved one of an addicted gambler.While gambling is meant for entertainment, it ceases to be entertaining when the compulsion to gamble takes over your lifeThis book helps the reader to feel like they are not alone.

Why Do "They" Do It?
As someone who makes his living because of the existence of casinos I am always struck by the fact that some people just can't stop gambling. They would rather lose all their money and some would rather lose everything they have in life as long as they can play the games.

Now I don't think compulsive gamblers are any different than other addictive types. I knew someone who was told by his doctor that he was going to die - because he was running too much. The runner had thoroughly devastated his body and bled everytime he urinated.

The addicted will always be with us. This book addresses how to help them, if they can be helped. There is definitley something in the brain and in the personality that causes people to do the destructable.

Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution! and Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!

Patient Workbook
I loved Dr. Perkinson's book, "Chemical Dependency Counseling" and was eager to purchase this workbook for use with my clients in treatment. I found it helpful, but too expensive to require them to purchase it, or for our treatment center to purchase it for the 500 clients a year that we admit. I wish a CD-ROM was included, but I understand proprietary issues. I must say, however that I believe his publications should be mandatory for everyone working in our field. ... Read more

Product Description
If you feel as if you can no longer control your gambling, if your gambling has interfered with your family, social, or working life, this workbook can help you take back control.

Though gambling has become increasingly prevalent in society, pathological gambling is a serious condition. Pathological gamblers find they are unable to participate in their social lives, have problems at work, and end up in financial trouble because they feel compelled to keep gambling. Much of this problem comes from incorrect beliefs about the nature of the game; people believe they can beat the system or learn to control the outcome of games of chance. In this treatment, you will learn not only how to avoid problem situations, but also the truth about gambling.

Overcoming Your Pathological Gambling is written by researchers who have spent over two decades studying the psychology of gambling. This book represents the treatment they have found to be most effective at controlling the urge to gamble, understanding the true nature of gambling games, and preventing future gambling problems. Intended for use in conjunction with supervised therapy, this workbook includes various self-assessments and exercises designed to help you reach the ultimate goal of complete abstinence from gambling.

This workbook and the corresponding therapist guide form a complete treatment package that will help you overcome your gambling problem and learn recovery skills that are useful for a lifetime.

TreatmentsThatWorkTM represents the gold standard of behavioral healthcare interventions!



·All programs have been rigorously tested in clinical trials and are backed by years of research


·A prestigious scientific advisory board, led by series Editor-In-Chief David H. Barlow, reviews and evaluates each intervention to ensure that it meets the highest standard of evidence so you can be confident that you are using the most effective treatment available to date


·Our books are reliable and effective and make it easy for you to provide your clients with the best care available


·Our corresponding workbooks contain psychoeducational information, forms and worksheets, and homework assignments to keep clients engaged and motivated


·A companion website (www.oup.com/us/ttw) offers downloadable clinical tools and helpful resources


·Continuing Education (CE) Credits are now available on select titles in collaboration with PsychoEducational Resources, Inc. (PER) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Mental Health Counseling for Gambling Addiction
To develop the skills to counsel patients suffering from a gambling addiction, Alexander J. Ariano, Mental Health Counselor, joined a training class to obtain the license. Part of the requirements of this course was to read and become familiar with the book by Rober tLadouceur, Author: Overcoming your pathological gambling workbook (Treatments that work).

Gambling is now part of our lives in South Florida and its addiction interferes with the ability of many to appropriately deal with family or social / work life demands and obligations.

As Alex Ariano explained, the book reveals the inherent problem people have once they believe that gambling can become a way out of financial trouble. There is always the hope that a person can beat the odds and become wealthy.

The book teaches how to take back control of our lives and offers examples of effective treatment to control the desire to gamble away hard earned resources. The first step is to recognize the addiction and then to want to do something about it, once the person is willing to work on themselves to change, there is hope on how to deal with overcoming the pathological attractin to gambling.
... Read more

Product Description
As gambling becomes more prevalent and more accessible in our society, pathological gambling is growing as a serious problem. In most instances, excessive gambling negatively affects a persons home, social, and professional life, as well as leads to serious financial trouble. In repeated trials, cognitive-behavioral therapy has proven an extremely effective treatment for this problem.

Written by the developers of an empirically supported CBT program for the treatment of pathological gambling, this guide includes all the information and materials necessary to implement successful treatment. Most pathological gamblers exhibit misconceptions or erroneous beliefs about the nature of gambling, believing they can beat the system. One of the central points of focus of this treatment is to help clients correct these beliefs and understand the true nature of games of chance.

The authors provide step-by-step instructions for clinicians to help clients understand all of the facets of their problem. In addition to correcting erroneous beliefs about gambling, this program teaches problem solving skills, self-assessment techniques, and trigger recognition and avoidance. Designed to be used in conjunction with the corresponding workbook, this guide provides results not only in supervised therapy, but in long-term relapse prevention as well.

TreatmentsThatWorkTM represents the gold standard of behavioral healthcare interventions!



·All programs have been rigorously tested in clinical trials and are backed by years of research


·A prestigious scientific advisory board, led by series Editor-In-Chief David H. Barlow, reviews and evaluates each intervention to ensure that it meets the highest standard of evidence so you can be confident that you are using the most effective treatment available to date


·Our books are reliable and effective and make it easy for you to provide your clients with the best care available


·Our corresponding workbooks contain psychoeducational information, forms and worksheets, and homework assignments to keep clients engaged and motivated


·A companion website (www.oup.com/us/ttw) offers downloadable clinical tools and helpful resources


·Continuing Education (CE) Credits are now available on select titles in collaboration with PsychoEducational Resources, Inc. (PER) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Logical, evidence based therapy for gamblers
This book uses CBT to treat gambling problems and presents it in a logical order. Like many addiction treatment books, it is part education and part trigger recognition. What is different about gambling treatment, is that the book deals with erroneous thoughts many gamblers have about their gambling. This book is easy to use for the gambling treatment professional, and by one of the top gambling treatment guys in the field.

Pathological Gambling
Therapist Guide combined with Workbook from UOP Treatments That Work series is a terrific combination for an effective treatment approach.

Overcoming Pathological Gambling
This book relies entirely on a companion workbook that was not mentioned in the advertisement for this book.Of course, the workbook needs to go to the gambler, who may have no money to purchase it.I feel ripped off. ... Read more

Product Description

A nightmare begins with alcohol addiction, followed by prescription drugs, overeating, and eventually gambling. This is a woman's journey back from the Hell she created.

Customer Reviews (17)

wonderful
This is a very important topic substance abuse concerns permeate all facets of our society. Hearing the courageous stories of people's struggle with addiction helps to bring strength to all of us.
Aaron Bryant: BSW,CSACAuthorA Synchronous Memoir of Addiction and Recovery

A Story of Gambling and Loss
"Gripped by Gambling" is as much a story of personal loss as it is a narrative of one woman's struggle against addiction. Marilyn Lancelot suffered through the deaths of her beloved son and the serious addictions of other family members as she sought first comfort in and then release from the slot machines that eventually got the best of her. Finally, after being sentenced to prison at age sixty for having embezzled thousands of dollars from an employer who trusted her, Lancelot takes on the problem of addiction to gambling and confronts it by organizing a women's only gambling anonymous group. Part memoir and part self help book, "Gripped by Gambling" has as much to offer women who are secretly struggling with their own addiction to gambling as it does the men who currently dominate Gambling Anonymous groups. Lancelot fearlessly confronts the sexism within the groups that too frequently send women in need of help rushing for the nearest exit. Highly recommended.

Sandra Adell, Author of CONFESSIONS OF A SLOT MACHINE QUEEN: A MEMOIR.

Helpful story shows that recovery is possible
Gripped By Gambling was one of the first books I found when I was looking for help from a book.Marilyn's story comforted me and let me know that I wasn't alone in my struggle with gambling addiction.I read the story, and I enjoyed the story, but it left me wanting to know more about how she did in recovery.I know that she is heavily involved in Gambler's Anonymous and that it worked for her.I was hoping for another alternative.GA didn't work for me.

This is a great book to help you see patterns in your behavior.It talks about some of her superstitions and the effect gambling had on her life, including relationships.I would recommend this book as a way to peek into the life of a problem gambler.As I said, I wanted more answers.I figured out what worked for me and wrote my own book, Numb No More: Simple Solutions to Achieve Freedom from Habits and Addictions.Together these books will prove to be a powerful combination to your success.

ONE GUTSY LADY
Gripped by Gambling is a totally upfront, honest, heartbreaking story of one woman's descent into hell.Marilyn Lancelot doesn't spare herself, or the reader, and the payoff is huge.The kind of book that you're thinking about long past the last page.

Lancelot
Few of us will live a life that is not in some way impacted by the powerful hold of gambling. Gripped by Gambling is a powerful autobiographical story of a woman whose entire years were filled with addiction and the consequences resulting from it. It's not often that I find myself, on an almost daily basis, sharing stories of my own experience after reading a book. However, Gripped by Gambling, written by the courageous Marilyn Lancelot, was different. This painful literary journey brings many important issues to the forefront and describes experiences that only a courageous individual could overcome.

Lancelot, admits early on to her many addictions. From prescription drug abuse to the embezzellment that landed her into doing hard time in an unwelcome Arizona prison, the disease of addiction impacts almost every possible aspect of her life. And we learn of the struggles she faces with her family, friends, probation officers and potential employers - even long after she has paid her price to society and even years after her recovery process began. Tears ran down my face after learning of her many trials and tribulations an through her losses. She shares her pain as she watches her own child slowly die from drug addiction and incredibly devistated she was when her one true love in life was taken all too soon.

Gripped by Gambling portrays a loving grandmother as she deals with living her senior years honestly and without escaping her pain through the use of substances or gambling. She teaches us that life is not simply about the number of years we have left, rather it is about living life honorably and enjoying every minute we have left. Joy is abundant in her life now, but only after an incredible and truly courageous journey that was filled with the grips of gambling and the consequences of addiction.

It probably sounds silly, however I'd be lying if I didn't share that I hope one day I can meet her and greet her with a warm and compassionate embrace. The book I have will be treasured and a part of my library that will be a suggested read forever. It's a book for almost everyone and a must read for anyone in recovery.

Thanks, Marilyn, for sharing your life experience and your passion for living an honest and grateful life- One Day at a Time!


Peter Cannice
Scottsdale, Arizona

Email: [...]

... Read more

Product Description
Double Down is a true story, a terrifying roller-coaster ride deep into the heart of two men, and into the world of floating Gulf Coast casinos. When both of their parents died within a short time of each other, the writers Frederick and Steven Barthelme, both professors of English in Mississippi, inherited a goodly sum of money. What followed was a binge during which they gambled away their entire fortune-and more. And then, in a cruel twist of fate, they were charged with cheating at the tables.

Told with a mixture of sadness and wry humor, and with a compelling look at the physical aura of gambling-the feel of the cards, the smell of the crowd, the sounds of the tables-Double Down is a reflection on the lure of challenging the odds, the attraction of stepping into the void. A cautionary tale (the brothers were eventually exonerated), it is a book that, once read, will never be forgotten.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

"We just wanted to be children again.."
Either the authors were very brave for opening up to the world about their horrible gambling addiction, or they found a way to re-coup their losses by writing this book.At any rate, this book was a wonderful story that explains how a person can be "normal" one day, then suddenly fall into the grips of casino "gaming."What was amazing to me is the fact that both brothers were involved equally, and essentially gambled as a team.

The story weaves back and forth between the family life of these two men, and their obsession with casino gambling, attempting to make sense of it all.They don't stop until their inheritance is completely gone,then are acused of cheating.

For anyone who has visited a casino, their description of the lure of the bright lights, being treated like royality, making friends, "earning" free luxury rooms, meals, prizes, having someone to talk to, laugh with, etc is right on.They did a good job of explaining how the staff interacts with the patrons, and how one can "zone out" in a casino in an attempt to fell like an innocent child again.

I felt the book was well written, and flowed. It is a MUST READ for anyone who has ever thought of visiting a casino, and for anyone who regularly visits one.They could not have said it plainer - the casino's are not there to GIVE you money, but to TAKE your money.Visiting again and again will not allow you to win back large amounts of lost money, nor will it take you back to a time in your life that was fun and comfortable.

Very Interesting
The double-authorship of the Barthelme brothers makes their recounting of their addictive past with gambling provides for a fascinating memoir. At first glance, this book may seem to be merely a pop-fiction story, but the journey these two brothers goes through is deep and many-faceted.

I read this book as a required text for a college course on American culture, and how society views luck and chance. The book worked well as our final text, but it can also be read for entertainment! At times, it reminded me of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing (with the obscene amounts of drugs). Definitely a book to read, and then pass on to a friend!

A must read!!!
Excellent! A wonderfully entertaining story, beautifully told. The only problem, I wish it had gone another 100 pages! This is one of those stories you wish someone would develop into a screenplay for a movie!
Final thoughts: BUY THIS BOOK! You wont be disappointed!

Of Nepotism and Naivete
First, the obvious:neither Barthelme brother would have cushy college-teaching jobs had not their eldest brother, Donald, been a trendy post-modernist icon. The younger brother, Steven B., has managed to publish exactly one (1) book of short stories; Rick, the larger, plumper one, has some sort of gossamer reputation among those who like trailer-park fiction.There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of better writers with better qualifications who would kill and maim with gleeful abandon for jobs at Southern Mississippi -- and who would devote themselves to those jobs, and to their students, rather than run off two or three times a week to squander Daddy's money at the blackjack tables [disclaimer: the undersigned thinks she is one of those "better writers"]. That said, this slender volume does indeed fascinate: I read it straight through in five hours, and so will most readers of a literary bent. The brothers B. have in fact done me a service, one years of shrink visits and antidepressants have failed to do -- in one stroke, they have made me glad, glad, glad that I abandoned the academy, failed to obtain a Ph.D., and find myself teaching high school English thirty years after my Iowa fiction MFA. Theirs is a cautionary tale, of what may happen to smart people with minimal reality contact and few, if any, day-to-day responsibilities. The cavernous lack of common-sense knowledge they display in their forays to the Gulf Coast casinos would be inconceivable to anyone who's punched a clock or handled an insurance claim.They are actually surprised to find that casinos have a corporate identity! Gee, they thought those people were their friends ... gahh!As for the dead father they apparently despised, I felt sorry for D. Barthelme Sr.His hard work, his habits of deep thinking and attention to detail, become monstrosities in the ham-hands of his two youngest sons, who in fifty-plus years on this planet have not managed to obtain perspective one. The book is good -- the descriptions of gambling's intoxications, the minute processing of each foolish and silly and self-deluding thought as it arises, are executed with consummate skill -- and yet one can't help concluding, as the memoir shrinks down upon itself into a puddle of anticlimax, that six months or so in prison would have been good for these men, taught them a painful life-lesson or two. Crucial to an understanding of the brothers' plight is the fact that neither Barthelme bothered to have children, thus giving themselves the right to be babies forever. They are not so much perpetual adolescents as they are pre-pubescent (wife and girlfriend notwithstanding), mired forever in Fiftiesland where, if you want to be a cowboy, you just put on the hat and yell, "Bang-bang!" They are not intellectual -- or accomplished -- enough for the ivory-tower defense they so quickly assume; what they are, are second- and third-tier journeymen blessed with a famous name and a glib ability to sling the relativist Crisco. While one may end up wishing Barthelme Sr., who unlike his sons appeared to be able to distinguish right from wrong, had willed his inheritance somewhere else, this reviewer is grateful for the folly of his heirs. A job at Southern Mississippi may be gravy, but that thin gruel isn't nourishing.Real life is the real meat.

A story of loss
Double Down is a terrific book about loss. Frederick and Steve Barthelme are brothers who moved to Mississippi to become college professors. They come from a very close knit family, and when it is unwoven from the death of their Mother and Father, a gambling addiction is triggered. Steve and Frederick become regulars at The Grand, a local casino, and they start going at least once a week and spending the whole night there all the way into early morning. After blowing all of their inheritance from their parents, they are acussed of cheating. They were indicted and charged with a felony, and forever kicked out of their favorite casino. This didn't stop their gambling addiction, however it did slow it down. They make fewer trips, to another casino and are less intense gamblers.

The book was well written and for the most part it kept my attention. Some parts they seemed to ramble off about their parents and family, and it gets slow. The accounts of their gambling binges keep you wanting more. They know they should stop, but keep throwing their money in anyway. I recommend this to everyone who is intrested in gambling. ... Read more

Product Description

This book is a treatment manual providing guidance for therapists treating clients with gambling addictions.

In this book the authors use a cognitive behavioural approach and provide a session by session guide for overcoming problem gambling. Essential topics covered include:

• assessment and psychoeducation
• cognitive behavioural strategies to stabilize gambling
• identifying and challenging thinking errors
• relaxation and imaginal exposure
• problem solving and goal setting
• managing negative emotions
• relapse prevention: maintaining a balanced lifestyle and coping with high risk situations

A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program for Problem Gambling supplies detailed information to help the therapist and client understand gambling behaviours, as well as practical advice on techniques that can be used with the client to change these behaviours.

This practical guide includes handouts and exercises that can be downloaded by purchasers of the print edition. It will provide helpful guidance for addiction counsellors and therapists worldwide.

Product Description
Struggling with a gambling habit? If you feel that a 'flutter' has evolved into something out of your control, this indispensable book is for you. This self-help manual uses cognitive behavioral techniques, pioneered by clinical psychologist Professor Alex Blaszczynski, and now used all over the world, to help with gambling addiction. It will help you to understand how your own gambling problem has developed and what is keeping it going; also, crucially, how to develop the motivation to stop and control any future urges to gamble again. ... Read more

Product Description
The past five years have witnessed dramatic advances in research on pathological gambling—a diagnosis often overlooked by clinicians who are unaware not only of the personal and social consequences of pathological gambling, but also of the possible treatment options. Today, clinicians can choose from an array of treatment options to substantially improve the lives of patients with this disabling illness.

Eloquently attesting to this extraordinary progress, this remarkable clinician's guide comprises the most extensive coverage on public health, clinical characteristics and treatment, psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, and interventions for adolescents, adults, and older adults. Written by the world's leading researchers on psychiatric aspects of gambling, this truly comprehensive volume discusses how to diagnose pathological gambling and provides the tools to do so. Here, 32 experts detail the clinical phenomenology, etiology, and treatment of pathological gambling, highlighting the current clinical approaches most likely to lead to early identification, symptom remission, and improvement maintenance.

Useful appendixes provide specific tests, scales, and diagnostic criteria following four major sections of the book:

• Public Health and Epidemiology discusses prevalence and definitions of recreational, problem, and pathological gambling; the relationship between the different levels of gambling severity; and gambling's effects on societal, familial, and individual health and well-being.
• Clinical Characteristics covers the symptoms and sequelae of pathological gambling and the differences among adolescents, older adults, and men and women, and shows that pathological gambling—rather than being categorized as a single disorder—shares important features with many disorders, among them obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, affective spectrum disorders, addiction, and impulse-control disorder.
• Etiology details the realms of both psychology (behavioral, cognitive, and dispositional theories) and neurobiology (noradrenergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, and opioidergic systems as well as familial and inherited factors) to explain the behavior of pathological gambling—knowledge that may prove useful in understanding a range of addictive and impulsive disorders.
• Prevention and Treatment emphasizes the vital role of the clinician in prevention efforts, including a prevention strategy tailored specifically for adolescents and young adults; discusses a variety of behavioral and pharmacological interventions for patients including self-help and professional-based interventions for family members; and concludes with assessments useful in diagnosing pathological gambling and monitoring symptom change.

Psychiatrists, psychiatric researchers, and other mental health care professionals will welcome this book as their most up-to-date source for invaluable knowledge about and research from the world's recognized experts on pathological gambling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Pathological Gambling:A Clinical Guide to Treatment
Pathological Gambling: A Clinical Guide to Treatment
Excellent resource for studying for the gambling treatment provider Certification Examination.

Pathological Gambling: A Clinical Guide to Treatment
Fast delivery and arrived in great shape. Thank you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

A balance book ahead of its time
I read this book this year (2006) and was staggered by its accuracy in describing the events of the last eight years in the gaming industry. It is far more insightful than most accounts written after the fact. O'Brien takes a historical perspective, inspired by a genuine appreciation for gamblers and gambling along with a rare cool-eyed and unsentimental realism about the casino business. Too many other authors, horrified by the crime and corruption associated with the business, forget that the urge to gamble is deep and ancient; the opposite camp too often uses romantic gambling fiction to distract from the undeniable rottenness that suffuses the legal and illegal industry.

O'Brien tells the stories of gamblers of various stripes, from hapless victim to celebrity successes, types who rarely coexist in the same book. Entrepreneurs are featured as well, weak crooks, clever crooks and genius visionaries. He cites in damning detail the negative effects of legal gambling on local economies, society and political institutions; but there is no suggestion of throwing out the baby with the bathwater, this book is the beginning of a blueprint for how to reform the industry, not outlaw it (or even less plausibly, to stop gambling).

If all of this makes the book sound like a dull policy text or dated account of once-current events, it's not. It's an entertaining read, and more relevant now than when it was written.

Great Read
This is a comprehensive examination of gambling in America, so well written I put aside the thriller I was reading to pick this up each night. Well researched, balanced, and thorough, it should be read by everyone on both sides of the gambling issue.

Actually two books
Mostly an interesting, well-written, and throroughly researched book. The anthopological and historical information about gambling in the US was very informative. The vignettes about individual gamblers were thoughtprovoking.However, often the descriptions of gambling take awkward twistsinto very biased and unfounded criticisms.It reads that someone combineda readable historical and cultural treatment of gambling with a distortedrant about the horrible evils of gambling.Despite the confusion, therewere many parts of the book that were well done.

Anyone who thinks casinos are innocent fun should read this
I live near one of the big casino riverboats mentioned in O'Brien's book and I read this book out of curiosity more than anything. Prior to reading this, I had NO idea how much intense lobbying - as well as graft andcorruption - were behind the gambling industry.

One tidbit I foundespecially disturbing is the story behind how gambling was legalized in myhome state.

"Bad Bet" tells of a former Midwest governor whowas in power when Argosy Gaming made it's big push to get gamblinglegalized in this state. (Argosy won) Now that we have riverboats all overour state, this former governor now *works* for Argosy Gaming.

Rapes androbberies went up 33% in Atlantic City, New Jersey after the casinos openedthere.

"Bad Bet" it tells of the subtle and overt techniquescasinos use to lure people in and entice them - to keep the money flowing.Even the layout of casinos is done with much forethought as to the best wayto separate people from their money.

And O'Brien talks about how thegambling industry goes looking for communities in economic straights to setup shop.(which is exactly what happened in our city)

This is apowerful book. I think every local or civic leader that has a casino intheir community or is even considering allowing casinos in, should pauseand read this book. It'll open their sleepy eyes to some hard ugly truths.

Having lived in a community that invited the riverboats in, I seefirsthand that O'Brien is telling the truth about what to expect when biggambling comes to town. It's a sad affair.

Excellent Book and Makes You Think
Mr. O'Brien has written a thought-provoking book, the thesis of which is that casinos rely on a small percentage of problem gamblers for most of their profits. I was a little surprised that he didn't interview FrankScoblete, the top gaming author in the world and my personal favoritebecause I would have liked to read Scoblete's opinions on O'Brien's thesis.But that is a minor quibble. The book is definitely worth reading. I tendto agree with O'Brien. Too many people are out of control when it comes togambling. ... Read more

Product Description
Americans spend more money on gambling each year than on movie tickets, recorded music, theme parks, spectator sports, and video games combined. This text looks at the growth of gambling, arguing that problem gambling should be considered an issue of public health and addressed accordingly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Comprehensive Overview of Problem Gambling in America
Dr. Volberg has given us a comprehensive overview of problem gambling gambling in America. This book is of value to both the casual observer and the serious student of this issue. Problem gambling is THE issue for the gambling industry, including the state and tribal governments who are actively engaged in this business. My only criticism is the decision to not address youth gambling. Although I agree that the data are limited on youth gambling problems, I would argue this only highlights the necessity of addressing this issue. However, this minor quibble aside, I highly recommend this book.

An Insightful Look at a Controversial Problem
Rachel Volberg's "When the Chips are Down" is the best and most cutting-edge look at problem and compulsive gambling on the market. The book explains in a very clear and insightful style the latest scientific research into the causes of problem and pathological gambling. It also details what is known about the prevalence of both pathological and problem gambling, including research done by Volberg, a pioneer in the field.But, perhaps even more important, "When the Chips are Down" includes a very thorough and thought-provoking analysis of public policy that resulted in the spread of legal gambling to 47 of the 50 states.It is an enjoyable read. And it is a valuable resource to anyone involved in the field of addiction or associated with the business of legal gambling in America. I've been writing about gambling for some 15 years, and few published works on the subject have proven to be a more valuable resource than "When the Chips are Down."Dave Palermo, editor, writer and columnist for Gem Communications, publishers of International Gaming & Wagering Business, Casino Executive Reports and Casino Journal magazines.

addiction in America, but surrounding the spread of the casino, lottery and pari-mutuel industry. ... Read more

Product Description
The widespread legalization of gambling across the U.S. has produced concerns for serious social, economic, and health problems. For the first time in this country, an entire generation of young people has reached adulthood within a context of approval and endorsement of gambling as a source of entertainment and recreation. Compared with their adult counterparts, these young people have evidenced a higher level of gambling related problems. In Futures at Stake, specialists in psychology, medicine, law, public health, economics, casino management, psychiatry, and criminal justice examine this problem from the perspective of their various disciplines, producing an intelligent, thought-provoking, and valuable survey of what is fast becoming a leading social-health problem across the nation.

The chapters range from discussions of the pathology and treatment of gambling addictions, the legal ramifications of youth gambling, and the social and economic impacts of this problem to the efforts of the casino industry to limit access and appeal to juveniles, future prospects of youth gambling, and possible ways to control the problem. Overall, Futures at Stake offers a broadly focused discussion of one of legalized gambling's ugliest and most damaging side-effects. The book is essential reading for health-care professionals, educators, casino-industry managers, and anyone interested in this growing threat to the nation's youth. ... Read more

Product Description
Mary Heineman's authoritative book about compulsive gambling is as complete as it is compassionate. Losing Your Shirt offers a non-threatening approach to the problems encountered with compulsive gambling, both for the addicted and the addicted's loved ones. Individuals struggling to overcome compulsive gambling will see themselves in the book's powerful personal narratives. And, family members will learn not to blame themselves; not to resent the time and effort recovery takes; and not to condemn forever the recovering gambler for hardships caused by past gambling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Stories sound made up
I read this book and many of the stories in it. Having had first hand experience with what gambling can do I feel the stories in this book are made up.

The one that stuck out the most was the kid who used a credit card and wrote bad checks. In the story the police got involved and the person arrested. That's not what would happen in that situation. Maxing out credit cards through online gambling will not result in the police getting involved. Your credit will be ruined and the banks will chase you for the debt but no law enforcement will get involved.

Every story seemed very extreme resulting in deaths and people being jailed. I call fiction on this book.

True stories but no solutions for families
As the adult child of a compulsive gambler, I picked up this book in desperation, looking for some answers on how I should react to my father and the chaos he has made of his and my mother's life, so that I am actually helping and not hurting the situation. I was sadly disappointed. The only "answers" presented in this book are many recommendations to join GA/Gam-anon. Unfortunately, there is no Gam-anon meeting in my area. I was also looking for an explanation of what it means to "work the steps" and what each step requires. No luck. Just a list of the steps. There are lots of true stories, enough so that almost any reader can find a situation they can relate to, but after you've read through Part One it starts to get tedious and really only depressed me more.

"Losing Your Shirt" gives hope and understanding.
This book is an excellent source for understanding not only the gambler and his/her addiction, but the family members touched by the addiction.It is so well-written, that all members involved in the gambler's life(including the gambler) can relate to its message.For the spouse of agambler, it can help you to get to the most important stage of grief, whichis acceptance.Understanding breeds acceptance.

"Losing Your Shirt" gives hope and understanding.
This book is an excellent source for understanding not only the gambler and his/her addiction, but the family members touched by the addiction.It is so well-written, that all members involved in the gambler's life(including the gambler) can relate to its message.For the spouse of agambler, it can help you to get to the most important stage of grief, whichis acceptance.Understanding breeds acceptance.

A must read for gambler's families
Anyone affected by another's gambling must read this book. Also anyone who has ever been told by another that their gambling is problematic must stop and look for themselves in Losing Your Shirt.Being able to identify may be the beginning of getting help before all is lost. ... Read more

Product Description
Although pathological gambling has been a field of study and treatment for over forty years, its story has remained unwritten. That is until now. Brian Castellani is the first to write a book on its history and its medicalization.

Drawing on five years of research, Castellani integrates the perspectives of Michael Foucault and Anselm Strauss to provide a unique view into the history of pathological gambling. He also combines rich descriptions of court cases and historical documents along with his own clinical experiences and first-hand accounts from gamblers and their families. Together, these stories - which range from the gambling industry and treatment to the government and research - tell us how pathological gambling became a major social problem in the United States, how it was made into a medical disorder, and the impact its legalization and medicalization have had on our current society and gambling culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A reviewer from Duluth
This is an informative and interestingly written book about a little discussed problem.Castellani opens his book with a dialogue between two individuals, a friend of the author who is about to treat her firstcompulsive gambling patient and the author himself, who has experience andexpertise in this area.It is within this dialogue that we are introducedto pathological gambling as a social problem, the therapeutic challenge itrepresents, and the theoretical and methodological approach taken by theauthor as he attempts to tackle this topic.The author then moves to aseminal court case (United States v. Toriero) and structures the rest ofthe book around this trial.As we are introduced to the major argumentsput forth by the prosecution and defense, we encounter a wealth ofinformation about how gambling is framed from a variety of vantagepoints(the government, the gambling industry, medicine, therapists, and specialinterest organizations).Each of these entities represents a"voice" (a "discourse") with each discourse having itsown history, agents, and social dynamics.The various intersections ofthese discourses--how they compliment and conflict with one another--takesus to the heart of this study.Castellani ends his book with a series ofpolicy implications and recommendations

The book itself is very wellwritten. It is a quick and "clean" read.The three hours Ispent with it (reasonably slim at 222 pages) was enjoyable and educative. I learned a lot about how pathological gambling came to be viewed as adisease rather than a failure of character and (God forbid) a little socialtheory along the way.

Speechless
I thought sexist comments and introductions such as the one in this book went out with the buggywhip.If you like books that areme. me followed by I, I.you'll enjoy this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Dr. Abraham j. Twerski, rabbi, physician and psychiatrist of world renown brings his many decades of experience to bear in helping us deal with compulsive gambling for ourselves and our loved ones. Like drug, alcohol and spouse abuse, we have been too slow in acknowledging the problem of compulsive gambling in the jewish community! It is crucial that we come to grips with the reality of the problem. Lives are being destroyed, families are being ruined and too few of us recognize compulsive gambling for the disease it is and for the disaster it spawns. Like undiagnosed cancer, compulsive gambling that is ignored or covered up can only progress. Once we accept that there is no immunity from it or from its terrible consequences, we can take steps to forestall the tragedy that will surely come! Rabbi twerski tells us that early detection can prevent catastrophe, but only if we are willing to face reality. Finally - a book which explains compulsive gambling, tells you how it can be recognized and indicates what can be done about it. Real people. Real cases. Real help. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Compulsive Gambling Case Histories
This was the first book that I ever read on the subject of compulsive gambling.That was over ten years ago, at a time when not much information was out there, and the book is still relevant today.It guides you through some very interesting case histories and the recovery of one of the authors.I liked reading all of the case histories because the subjects were from all walks of life with one common thread; their inability to stop gambling.Heavy emphasis is placed on the Gambler's Anonymous program as THE tool for recovery, but the book neither lectures nor preaches.It gives much food for thought, and left me wondering where many of the subjects are today.A valuable resource for someone interested in the topic of compulsive gambling. ... Read more

Product Description
In March 2001, the National Institutes of Health issued the following warning: "The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading."Furthermore, because of the rapid increase in Internet-based information, many hours can be wasted searching, selecting, and printing.This book was created for medical professionals, students, and members of the general public who want to conduct medical research using the most advanced tools available and spending the least amount of time doing so. ... Read more

Product Description
In this comprehensive book, the author examines the consequences of gambling as well as the approaches to treatment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A discussion of psychological problems related to gambling
Psychiatry professor Nancy M. Petry presents Pathological Gambling: Etiology, Comorbidity, And Treatment, a scholarly discussion of psychological problems related to gambling. Drawing quite heavily upon extensive scholarly research, Pathological Gambling informatively discusses advanced psychological concepts, and although readable for lay people, is especially geared toward field students and professionals. Diverse anecdotes help to flesh out the specific issues and obstacles that challenge those trying to help pathological gamblers reclaim their lives. Pathological Gambling is a welcome, timely, and much-needed contribution to gambling addiction treatment resource shelves.
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