Biology According to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, evidence indicates that pathological<unk>  is an addiction similar to chemical addiction. It has been observed that some pathological gamblers have lower levels of norepinephrine than normal gamblers. According to a study conducted by Alec Roy, formerly at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, norepinephrine is secreted under stress, arousal, or thrill, so pathological gamblers gamble to make up for their under-dosage. Studies have compared pathological gamblers to substance addicts, concluding that addicted gamblers display more physical symptoms during withdrawal. Deficiencies in serotonin might also contribute to compulsive behavior, including a<unk>  addiction. There are three important points discovered after these antidepressant studies: # Antidepressants can reduce pathological<unk>  in case when there is an effect on serotonergic reuptake inhibitors and 5-HT1/5-HT2 receptor antagonists. # Pathological<unk> , as the part of obsessive-compulsive disorder, requires the higher doses of antidepressants as it usually required for depressive disorders. # In cases where participants do not have or have minimal symptoms of anxiety or depression, antidepressants still have those effect. A limited study was presented at a conference in Berlin, suggesting opioid release differs in<unk>  gamblers from the general population, but in a very different way from people who have a substance use disorder. The findings in one review indicated the sensitization theory is responsible. Dopamine dysregulation syndrome has been observed in the aforementioned theory in people with regard to such activities as<unk> . Some medical authors suggest that the biomedical model of<unk>  may be unhelpful because it focuses only on individuals. These authors point out that social factors may be a far more important determinant of<unk>  behavior than brain chemicals and they suggest that a social model may be more useful in understanding the issue. For example, an apparent increase in<unk>  in the UK may be better understood as a consequence of changes in legislation which came into force in 2007 and enabled casinos, bookmakers, and online betting sites to advertise on TV and radio for the first time and which eased restrictions on the opening of betting shops and online<unk>  sites. Pathological<unk>  is similar to many other impulse control disorders such as kleptomania. According to evidence from both community- and clinic-based studies, individuals who are pathological gamblers are highly likely to exhibit other psychiatric<unk> s concurrently, including substance use disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, or personality disorders. Pathological<unk>  shows several similarities with substance use disorders. There is a partial overlap in diagnostic criteria; pathological gamblers are also likely to have a substance use disorder. The "telescoping phenomenon" reflects the rapid development from initial to<unk> atic behavior in women compared with men. This phenomenon was initially described for alcoholism, but it has also been applied to pathological<unk> . Also biological data provide a support for a relationship between pathological<unk>  and substance use disorder. A comprehensive UK<unk>  Commission study from 2018 has also hinted at the link between<unk>  addiction and a reduction in physical activity, poor diet and overall well-being. The study links<unk>  to a myriad of issues affecting relationships, and social stability. Psychological Several psychological mechanisms are thought to be implicated in the development and maintenance of<unk> . First, reward processing seems to be less sensitive with<unk>  gamblers. Second, some individuals use<unk>  as an escape from the<unk> s in their lives (an example of negative reinforcement). Third, personality factors play a role, such as narcissism, risk-seeking, sensation-seeking, and impulsivity. Fourth,<unk>  gamblers suffer from a number of cognitive biases, including the illusion of control, unrealistic optimism, overconfidence and the gambler's fallacy (the incorrect belief that a series of random events tends to self-correct so that the absolute frequencies of each of various outcomes balance each other out). Fifth,<unk>  gamblers represent a chronic state of a behavioral spin process, a<unk>  spin, as described by the criminal spin theory. Spain's<unk>  watchdog has made an update to its 2019–2020 Responsible Gaming Program, classifying<unk>  as a mental disorder.
Problem gambling
Pornography addiction
Video game addiction
Computer addiction
Doping in sport
Addiction
Blood phobia
Alcohol dependence