by Andrew John Tucker, LCSW
Researched by Corina Evi Tucker y de la Huerta
www.addictiontherapynyc.com
In my practice, gambling conversations are no longer rare. They are steady, urgent, and often wrapped in shame. That’s why the APA Monitor on Psychology article “How Gambling Affects the Brain,” written by Kirsten Weir, matters so much right now.
The article explains something I see clinically every week… gambling reshapes the brain’s reward system in ways that closely resemble substance use disorders. Variable rewards, near-misses, and rapid dopamine spikes train the brain to chase relief, not pleasure. Over time, decision-making narrows, impulse control weakens, and stress circuits stay lit. This is not a character flaw. It’s neurobiology doing exactly what it’s designed to do under repeated exposure.
What’s grounding about this research is how clearly it dismantles the myth of “just stop.” When someone keeps gambling despite consequences, it’s not because they don’t care enough. Their brain has learned a shortcut to regulation, even if it’s a destructive one. Naming that reduces self-blame and opens the door to real recovery work.
For clinicians, this article is also a reminder… education is an intervention. When clients understand what’s happening inside their brain, shame softens and agency returns.
Three practical uses in addiction recovery:
- Normalize relapse risk by explaining dopamine learning loops instead of framing slips as failures.
- Strengthen motivation by helping clients see that urges are conditioned responses, not true desires.
- Guide treatment planning toward longer-term support, impulse buffering, and nervous system regulation… not short-term fixes.
Understanding the brain changes the conversation. And changing the conversation changes outcomes.
Original article: How Gambling Affects the Brain by Kirsten Weir, APA Monitor on Psychology
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/07/how-gambling-affects-the-brain
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