Experiences and perceptions of gamblers using gambling, mental health and alcohol and other drug use online forums: A natural language processing approach

Previous research into people seeking help for gambling has typically focussed on those receiving face-to-face support. In this report, the researchers explored the experiences and perceptions of people who gamble, using online forums in Australia, the UK and the USA.

Gambling problems often co-occur with mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues, however to-date there has been limited research on examining the interaction between these from the perspective of the person who gambles.

Findings  

The study found that people discussed their experiences of gambling and perceptions of co-occurring conditions and help-seeking options mostly in gambling forums, but also in non-gambling forums.

Help-seeking gamblers perceived that there was a complex connection between their gambling, mental health and AOD issues. Forum users with co-occurring gambling problems and mental health issues felt their successful recovery was dependent on both sets of issues being addressed.

Australian forum members often discussed gambling in the context of financial stress due to debt, highlighting the need for the promotion of financial counselling services. Australians who gambled were also likely to use mental health and gambling forums to seek information about help-seeking services and strategies.

The research suggests that regular screening for gambling problems in mental health and AOD services, and for mental health and AOD issues in gambling services, may be needed.

The findings highlight specific areas that resources could target including gambling and stress, gambling debt and finances, and the impact of mental health and AOD on gambling problems and recovery.

Meanwhile, gambling and mental health/AOD online forums could be used to promote and increase access to gambling-related information and resources, such as help-seeking options.

The authors suggest future research could explore whether it is feasible and effective to target multiple mental health and AOD concerns concurrently or sequentially.