The Psychoactive Substances Outpatient Clinic (Aspa) of the Psychiatry sector at the Unicamp Clinical Hospital (HC) has opened a support and care service for people with problems related to electronic games and betting. The service is available every Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM in the Psychiatry outpatient clinic on the second floor of the Unicamp HC. To participate, simply go to the clinic's reception area. No appointment is necessary.
Psychiatrist Renata Azevedo, head of Aspa, explains that cases of debt due to gambling and betting have become frequent among patients already receiving treatment for alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drug use. “Because the clinic is open to all, new cases of people with only behavioral addictions, which include electronic gambling and betting, also began to appear. We saw that there was a need to create specific care for this group of people,” explains Renata Azevedo.
Gambling disorder, also called ludopathy, is characterized by a loss of control over the initiation, frequency, intensity, and duration of gambling, by the increasing prioritization of gambling over other interests, and by the continuation of the behavior stimulated by the ease of using cell phones.
Maurício Sant'ana, a psychologist with the Aspa's in-service training program, says that, most of the time, patients who attend the clinic go through a process of denial and shame when admitting their gambling addiction. “The habit of gambling is powerful. It often comes associated with anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Gambling promotes a false sense of companionship and participation,” explains Sant'ana.
Psychiatrist Felipe Santaella warns that the process of gambling begins occasionally, but intensifies and generates financial losses. According to Santaella, São Paulo is the state with the highest number of people who gamble and with the most debt problems. “They gamble to try to recover what they lost and enter a process where the expenses end up being higher. There are patients who owe money to the bank, to loan sharks, and to their families. This is the cause of much suffering. They realize that something is wrong and seek help at Aspa,” he says.
Data from the National Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (LENAD III), a partnership between UNIFESP and the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Government, indicate that users of gambling websites and apps are four times more likely to develop gambling problems. Teenagers and those with lower incomes have a tripled risk, and among men, the incidence is double.
“Those who gamble and go into debt are men, low-income individuals, and bettors, encouraged by active advertising and the false hope of winning. People say, 'I'll just gamble one more time, recover what I lost, pay my debts, and not gamble anymore.' But this is a fantasy,” emphasizes Renata Azevedo.
At Aspa, adults with Gambling Disorder undergo screening, psychiatric evaluation, and a support group. Treatment begins with group dynamics where the individual discusses their experience with gambling. If necessary, medication can be prescribed to control the impulse to gamble. “There are people gambling away their severance pay and others gambling their entire salary. This is worrying,” warns Maurício Sant’ana. For adolescents, the service is individualized, due to the particularities of this developmental stage.
Capacity
The Aspa team carried out a capacity In May, a workshop was held for over 100 professionals from Campinas and health science students from Unicamp, focusing on the care of individuals with problems related to electronic games and betting. The aim was to discuss the network and flow of care among the various points of the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS), update professionals on the topic, and improve the quality of care.
The program addressed the current landscape of problems related to gambling and betting, specific aspects of care for adolescents, and discussions of clinical cases. The activities were led by psychiatrist Felipe Santaella, psychologist Maurício Sant'ana from the in-service training program, and psychiatrist Renata Azevedo, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and coordinator of Aspa.
The training took place in the Paulistão amphitheater at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) of Unicamp. Participants included professionals from Basic Health Units (UBS), Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS), and services geared towards the university community. The meeting was supported by the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS) and the FCM Extension Coordination.
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