by Andrew John Tucker, LCSW, CASAC-G

Researched by Corina Evi Tucker y de la Huerta

www.addictiontherapynyc.com

This piece lands close to home for me. In my own practice, calls about gambling are coming in almost weekly now. What used to be occasional inquiries have become a steady part of my caseload. I am also being approached for interviews…which tells me this is no longer a fringe issue. It’s moving fast, and it feels unsettlingly familiar. It reminds me of the early days of the opioid crisis. Before the headlines. Before the data caught up. Clinicians were already seeing the pattern…normalization, easy access, shame-driven silence, and people blaming themselves for something that was being engineered around them.

The original Psychology Today article, “If Young Men Say It’s a Bad Idea, Believe Them,” by Matt Bishop Ed. D., LMFT captures an early warning signal we should not ignore. Young men are naming discomfort with gambling and dopamine-driven platforms before their lives implode. Clinically, that is rare…and incredibly important.

What I see week after week are intelligent, high-functioning men who did not “lose control overnight.” They were slowly conditioned. Apps in their pocket. Sports betting framed as skill. Losses hidden behind bonuses and near-wins. When they finally speak up, it is often with confusion and shame, not recklessness. This is where we have an opportunity. Early hesitation is not denial…it is insight. If we listen now, we can intervene earlier, reduce stigma, and stop repeating the mistakes we made with opioids.

Three practical uses in addiction recovery:

• Normalize early concern about gambling as a strength, not a flaw.

• Use this article to open honest conversations about sports betting and online platforms.

• Help clients externalize shame and recognize the systemic nature of the problem.

Original article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/depth-and-dopamine/202510/if-young-men-say-its-a-bad-idea-believe-them Credit to the original author and Psychology Today.

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