Compulsive Gambling – Abilify & Compulsive Behaviors Linked

Compulsive behavior can be defined as performing an act persistently and repetitively without it necessarily leading to an actual reward or pleasure.

When a person has a compulsion he is trapped in a pattern of repetitive and senseless thinking.

A few of the most typical compulsive behaviors are:

• Shopping
• Gambling
• Hoarding
• Eating
• Pornography/Sexual Behaviors

Compulsive gambling is a serious condition that can destroy lives much in the same way that drugs or alcohol can.

A gambling disorder forces the gambler to continually chase bets that lead to losses, hide their behavior, deplete savings, accumulate debt and sometimes results in theft to support the addiction.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the signs and symptoms of compulsive gambling include:

• Being preoccupied with gambling, such as constantly planning how to get more gambling money
• Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same thrill
• Trying to control, cut back or stop gambling, without success
• Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down on gambling
• Gambling to escape problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression
• Trying to get back lost money by gambling more (chasing losses)
• Lying to family members or others to hide the extent of your gambling
• Jeopardizing or losing important relationships, a job, or school or work opportunities because of gambling
• Resorting to theft or fraud to get gambling money
• Asking others to bail you out of financial trouble because you gambled money away

48 states have some form of legalized gambling.

Estimations show that $119 billion per year will be lost in America from gambling – $7 billion lost from compulsive gambling.

750,000 Americans between the ages of 14-21 have a gambling problem.

If compulsive gambling is not the result of a drug like Abilify, then treatment will be necessary.

Some people with a compulsive gambling problem may find themselves in remission from time to time but it usually isn’t permanent.

Professional help is often necessary and on occasion, families need to stage an intervention.

The National Council on Problem Gambling operates the National Problem Gambling Helpline network.

They encouraged individuals suffering from gambling addiction and family members worried for their safety to call 1-800-522-4700.

The helpline is open 24 hours a day and they also offer an online chat forum.

The National Council on Problem Gambling uses several screening tools to determine the need for professional treatment.

Brief screens can help people evaluate whether or not to seek formal evaluation.

The three item questions requiring a yes/no answer are:

1. First, during the past 12 months have you become restless, irritable or anxious when trying to stop/cut down on gambling?
2. Secondly, in the past 12 months have you tried to keep your family or friends from knowing how much you gamble?
3. Finally, during the past 12 months did you have such financial trouble as a result of your gambling that you had to get help with living expenses from family, friends or welfare?

The top–selling drug on the U.S. market in 2013, Abilify has been linked to compulsive behaviors including gambling, eating, shopping and excessive sexual behaviors.

If you are visiting this page to deal with a gambling addiction, and you are currently taking the anti-depressant Abilify, seek medical attention immediately.

TruLaw is filing Abilify lawsuits on behalf of individuals prescribed the drug Abilify (aripipraxole) and developed compulsive gambling behaviors.

Abilify used to treat major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia was the top-selling antipsychotic medicine from the years 2011 to 2016.

Abilify gambling lawsuits filed against the manufacturers, Otsuka and Bristol-Myers Squibb claim the manufacturers knew compulsive gambling could result from Abilify use but did not warn the public.