Looking for Escape: Women and Problem Gambling

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Looking for EscapeWomen and Problem Gambling
2007 Treatment Institute Tacoma, Washington June
28, 2007

• Donna Whitmire
• Linda Graves

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Action vs. Escape
Action-----------------------

• -- Independent
• Overachievers
• Competitive
• Risk takers
• Thrill seekers/crave attention
• Easily bored

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Action--------------------

• Arrogant/grandiose/narcissistic
• Extrovert
• High status professions
• Tend to be leaders/like to be first
• Good wit numbers
• may have been a tomboy as a child
• Equates self concept with quantity and quality of
  possessions

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Action vs. Escape
Escape

• Dependent
• Passive
• Low self-esteem/ self-worth
• Feels unappreciated
• Introvert

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Escape

• Tend to be followers
• Family history of CD/other addictions
• History of being abused, particularly sexually
• May have been raised in lower socio-economic home
• Unhappy in current marriage or relationship
• Unresolved grief
• Less interested with numbers

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What draws women to escape through gambling?

• Safe
• Fun
• Dont have to have skill to play
• Reduces stress/ pressure
• Mood adjustment
• (lessens anger/depression)

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What draws women to escape through gambling?

• Fantasy of improving financial problems
• Control
• Increased feelings of worthiness
• Forget/escape (disassociation) avoidance calms
  the mind
• Hide out/no demands on her time

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Predisposing events that may contribute to a
woman becoming addicted to gambling

• History of
• Emotional abuse
• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Family history of addiction
• Divorce or break up in a marriage

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Predisposing events that may contribute to a
woman becoming addicted to gambling

• Death of
• Parent
• Child
• Spouse/partner
• Close friend/relative
• Pet
• Physical health problems
• Menopause
• Raised in a home where money was scarce

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Predisposing events that may contribute to a
woman becoming addicted to gambling

• Unresolved grief
• Empty nest
• Early introduction to gambling
• Personality factors
• poor impulse control
• Poor coping skills
• Perfectionism
• Restlessness (ADD/ADHD)
• People pleasers
• Chronic stress marriage, financial, vocational
• naivete about gambling

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Women who took their lives back from compulsive
gambling

• Reasons for gambling
• Bored 73.4
• Looking for fun 62.7
• Looking for action 61.6
• Depressed 59.9
• Big win 59.9
• Feeling lonely
  58.2
• Escape spouse worries
  57.1
• Cover debts 49.2
• Get rich 48.6
• Escape job worries 35.0
• Diane Rae Davis, Ph.D. Women Who Took their Lives
  Back from Compulsive Gambling Eastern
  Washington University.

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Effects of Gambling

• Lied/whereabouts 77.3
• Mental health deteriorated 76.7
• Lied about losses 76.6
• Gambled whole paycheck 66.5
• Borrowed from family 56.3

• Diane Rae Davis, Ph.D. Women Who Took their Lives
  Back from Compulsive Gambling Eastern
  Washington University.

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Effects of Gambling
Borrowed from friends 51.1 Sold/pawned to
get to gamble 49.4 Wrote bad
checks 48.3 Couldnt pay loans
46.6 Physical health
declined 41.5 Borrowed from
paycheck 40.3

• Diane Rae Davis, Ph.D. Women Who Took their Lives
  Back from Compulsive Gambling Eastern
  Washington University.

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What did these women look like?

• Age 35-55 years with the average 45.4
• Race/ethnicity
• White 88.9
• African/American 3.9
• Asian/American 2.3
• Hispanic 1.7
• Other 3.4

• Diane Rae Davis, Ph.D. Women Who Took their Lives
  Back from Compulsive Gambling Eastern
  Washington University.

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Personal History of Substance Abuse Recovery
related to Gambling Recovery
Substance Abuse and Gambling
Personal History of Substance Abuse
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Thank you for your participation today!
Donna Whitmire, NCGC-11 dwwanna_at_aol.com Linda
Graves, NCGC-11 gravell_at_dshs.wa.gov