Problem Gambling Often Overlooked

Whyte noted that few, if any, health care professionals routinely screen for problem gambling.

"Of the thousands of problem gamblers who receive medical intervention every year, few are ever diagnosed with the gambling disorder," Whyte said. "The doctors end up treating the physical symptoms and not the underlying mental disorder that caused the symptoms."

In fact, a study of gambling disorders published in the Archives of Family Medicine found that about 10 percent of all patients entering the primary health care setting met the criteria for problem gambling.

And the missed diagnoses don't only happen in primary health care.

Whyte said, "Several studies have placed gamblers at higher risk for depression, as well as alcohol and drug abuse. So the gambling addiction may go unscreened and untreated by the mental health care system as well."

Most intake forms for treatment ask details about a person's mental health history, including drug or alcohol use. They don't even list problem gambling anywhere on the form, and neither the doctors nor social workers nor counselors are trained to ask about it.

"They miss the gambling diagnosis because they don't ask," said Mia Moran-Cooper, executive director of the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia, who chairs this year's National Problem Gambling Awareness Week campaign.

"Most gambling addicts are in denial. They won't volunteer information about their gambling problem because they think they can quit at any time," said Moran-Cooper.

To learn more or to find more help, call (800) 522-4700 toll free or visit www.ncpgambling.org. Missed Or Dismissed-Gamblers don't often talk freely about gambling unless asked directly. Note to Editor: Although this article would be appropriate anytime throughout the year, National Problem Gambling Awareness Week is March 5-11, 2007.