pathological gambling can lead to depression.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25112217
Abstract
<abstracttext>Major depression is among the most common comorbid conditions in problem gambling. However, little is known about the effects of comorbid depression on problem gambling. The present study examined the prevalence of current major depression among problem gamblers (N = 105) identified from a community sample of men and women in Alberta, and examined group differences in gambling severity, escape motivation for gambling, family functioning, childhood trauma, and personality traits across problem gamblers with and without comorbid depression. The prevalence of major depression among the sample of problem gamblers was 32.4 %. Compared to problem gamblers without depression (n = 71), problem gamblers with comorbid depression (n = 34) reported more severe gambling problems, greater history of childhood abuse and neglect, poorer family functioning, higher levels of neuroticism, and lower levels of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Furthermore, the problem gamblers with comorbid depression had greater levels of childhood abuse and neglect, worse family functioning, higher neuroticism, and lower agreeableness and conscientiousness than a comparison sample of recreational gamblers with depression (n = 160). These findings underscore the need to address comorbid depression in assessment and treatment of problem gambling and for continued research on how problem gambling is related to frequently co-occurring disorders such as depression.
</abstracttext>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25112217
Abstract
<abstracttext>Major depression is among the most common comorbid conditions in problem gambling. However, little is known about the effects of comorbid depression on problem gambling. The present study examined the prevalence of current major depression among problem gamblers (N = 105) identified from a community sample of men and women in Alberta, and examined group differences in gambling severity, escape motivation for gambling, family functioning, childhood trauma, and personality traits across problem gamblers with and without comorbid depression. The prevalence of major depression among the sample of problem gamblers was 32.4 %. Compared to problem gamblers without depression (n = 71), problem gamblers with comorbid depression (n = 34) reported more severe gambling problems, greater history of childhood abuse and neglect, poorer family functioning, higher levels of neuroticism, and lower levels of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Furthermore, the problem gamblers with comorbid depression had greater levels of childhood abuse and neglect, worse family functioning, higher neuroticism, and lower agreeableness and conscientiousness than a comparison sample of recreational gamblers with depression (n = 160). These findings underscore the need to address comorbid depression in assessment and treatment of problem gambling and for continued research on how problem gambling is related to frequently co-occurring disorders such as depression.
</abstracttext>
this is rather interesting;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19654506
Severity of gambling is associated with severity of depressive symptoms in pathological gamblers.
Abstract
<abstracttext>The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between gambling severity and depressive symptoms in pathological gamblers addicted to slot machines, with the hypothesis that comorbid depressive symptoms are associated with exacerbated gambling symptoms and behavior. Twenty controls and 20 pathological gamblers with different levels of depressive symptoms were studied during slot machine gambling. We found exacerbated gambling behavior in gamblers with high compared to low levels of depressive symptoms in terms of self-reported gambling urge (P < 0.01) and excitement from gambling (P < 0.05), number of games played (P < 0.01), and duration of gambling (P < 0.05). A correlation betweendepressive and gambling symptoms was found (r = 0.602, P < 0.01), thereby questioning which symptoms contribute to the exacerbated gamblingbehavior. Regression analyses showed that the symptoms influenced gambling behavior albeit in different ways. Although gambling symptoms predicted the rate of games played (P < 0.001), depressive symptoms predicted gambling urge (P < 0.01) and duration of gambling (P < 0.05). We discuss whether gambling symptoms only co-occur with other disorders; the need to look beyond the classification of pathological gambling as an impulse control disorder; and the potential role of anhedonia in depressed gamblers</abstracttext>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19654506
Severity of gambling is associated with severity of depressive symptoms in pathological gamblers.
Abstract
<abstracttext>The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between gambling severity and depressive symptoms in pathological gamblers addicted to slot machines, with the hypothesis that comorbid depressive symptoms are associated with exacerbated gambling symptoms and behavior. Twenty controls and 20 pathological gamblers with different levels of depressive symptoms were studied during slot machine gambling. We found exacerbated gambling behavior in gamblers with high compared to low levels of depressive symptoms in terms of self-reported gambling urge (P < 0.01) and excitement from gambling (P < 0.05), number of games played (P < 0.01), and duration of gambling (P < 0.05). A correlation betweendepressive and gambling symptoms was found (r = 0.602, P < 0.01), thereby questioning which symptoms contribute to the exacerbated gamblingbehavior. Regression analyses showed that the symptoms influenced gambling behavior albeit in different ways. Although gambling symptoms predicted the rate of games played (P < 0.001), depressive symptoms predicted gambling urge (P < 0.01) and duration of gambling (P < 0.05). We discuss whether gambling symptoms only co-occur with other disorders; the need to look beyond the classification of pathological gambling as an impulse control disorder; and the potential role of anhedonia in depressed gamblers</abstracttext>
