The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol 4(8) - A Gateway Behavior?

Marijuana and alcohol are commonly considered to be “gateway” drugs; their misuse is often considered the first step in a pattern of addiction and substance abuse. Thus, for many users, alcohol and marijuana represent their first exposure to psychoactive substances. Might gambling also be a gateway behavior? This is one of the research questions posed by Westphal, Rush, Stevens, and Johnson (1998) in their study of adolescents placed in juvenile treatment facilities in northwest Louisiana.* The 135 subjects who agreed to participation were residents of five short-term treatment centers designed for adolescents with behavioral problems. Ages ranged from 12 to... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol 4(7) -Cognitive Therapy: Changing Your Mind

For patients suffering from disorders ranging from PTSD to borderline personality disorder, cognitive therapy has been for some time a popular alternative to psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. In its classical formulation, cognitive therapy attempts to modify distorted thoughts (schemas) that underly a pathological symptom. Beck, Rush, Shaw, and Emery (1979) cite the example of a patient who is plagued by feelings of inadequacy. If underlying these feelings is the assumption that “unless I do everything perfectly, I’m a failure,” then cognitive therapy would take steps to change this schema.* Cognitive therapy should not be confused with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT); the latter... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol 4(6) -The (Gambling) Spirit of '76

The American Revolution was financed, in part, by lottery revenues. In 1776, the founding fathers in Congress established a lottery for the express purpose of funding the war for Independence. Several national universities, including Harvard, used lotteries as a means of capitalization; many early public works projects were similarly endowed. But the consequences of early lotteries were not all positive. Stories of numerous gambling addicts are recorded, including that of a certain employee of the now-defunct Bank of the United States who stole funds to purchase over $2000 of lottery tickets. After winning a grand total of $20, he was... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol 4(5) -Addiction: Does One Size Really Fit All?

The moniker “addiction science” implies an inherent qualitative unity among the various addictions. But what, if any, empirical relationships support such a unified approach? Rozin and Stoess (1993) set out to explore this question using a sample of college students and their parents (n=573).* In addition to looking at major DSM-IV defined substances of abuse (e.g., alcohol, caffeine, nicotine) and gambling. The authors included other common cravings (e.g., hot chili pepper, sweets, and video games). Students and their parents completed questionnaires that measured four distinct components: craving, withdrawal, lack of control, and tolerance. Craving was defined as “a strong desire... Read more →