Abstract
Background: Our understanding of gambling relapse is limited despite the damaging consequences affecting many aspects of the gambler’s life. Paradoxically, regardless of these negative consequences problem gamblers (PGs) continue to relapse, seemingly unable to stop this cycle of harm. This paper addresses the phenomenon of repeated gambling relapse shedding some insights into why gamblers continue to relapse. Methods: The study comprised of (n = 54) participants purposefully selected who participated in either 1 of 5 focus groups (n = 35) or in-depth interviews (n = 19). The new knowledge obtained was from PGs, significant others, and workers with direct experience of gambling relapse. Interview recordings were analysed using thematic, textual analysis. Results: The avoidance of negative emotions from the consequences of the destructive behaviour associated with repeated relapse leads to a hopeless “merry-go-round”. Once on this “merry go round”, relapse becomes a habitual way of life where behaviour change and learning from the devastation of a gambling relapse is challenging. Exiting this cycle means PGs must face the consequences of their gambling which for many is overwhelming, and relapse is a way to avoid despair. Conclusions: These findings provide insights into relapse which has implications for gamblers seeking treatment, assessment and treatment “drop-outs”.
Highlights
Problem gamblers (PG) experience high levels of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, dissociation [1], and significant harms [2,3]
The primary purpose of the present study was to gain an understanding of the phenomenon of repeated gambling relapse, for example, examining why PGs continue to relapse despite the ongoing harms that continue to accumulate as a result of this behaviour
The second phase employed in-depth interviews to provide a further, deeper understanding of relapse, as the researcher and participants engaged in a dialogue in which the researcher could probe interesting and important areas that had been discovered in the focus group component of the study
Summary
Problem gamblers (PG) experience high levels of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, dissociation [1], and significant harms [2,3]. A significant proportion of PGs relapse and, in the majority of these gamblers, relapse will likely result in uncontrolled gambling behaviour with many damaging consequences for the person and those around them [4,5]. Despite these harms, little is understood about relapse in problem gambling [6] and the current literature has limited explanatory power for this complex phenomenon to date. Our understanding of gambling relapse is limited despite the damaging consequences affecting many aspects of the gambler’s life Regardless of these negative consequences problem gamblers (PGs) continue to relapse, seemingly unable to stop this cycle of harm. Conclusions: These findings provide insights into relapse which has implications for gamblers seeking treatment, assessment and treatment “drop-outs”
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