Researchers test new approach to tackle gambling addiction
Posted December 3, 2016 10:08 am.
Last Updated December 3, 2016 10:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
LETHBRIDGE (NEWS 1130) – Researchers at the University of Lethbridge are testing a new approach in treating problematic gambling.
They’ve begun a new study offering free counselling for rural and remote people struggling with the addiction.
According to Dr. Darren Christensen – it offers an immediate benefit or reward to the client who remains abstinent to compete with the fun of gambling.
“You can drink or gamble and get high and the reward, the experience of that is quite immediate. You get it right away,” says Christensen. “The difficulty in counselling typically is that benefits accrue over time.”
Christensen says they’ll address this rural demographic by offering them free online counselling.
“The important issue with it is that you’ve got to give people things that they value. It’s got to be meaningful for them and if it isn’t, the consequences aren’t sufficiently strong enough to motivate the change.”
The study will run for 12 weeks with participants taking part in three sessions a week.
