A case series of pathological gambling with suicidal ideation

Abstract

With the recent advances in technology, gambling, an activity which was previously restricted to casinos and card rooms is now readily available at the click of a button in the form of online gambling, wagering, and card games. The rapid surge in availability of this addictive activity has resulted in the increasing incidence of pathological gambling (PG) among groups of society which were otherwise shielded from this ailment. Here, we present a series of three cases of PG involved in online gambling who presented with similar symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. All three individuals had a similar work environment and were detected at their respective primary care with symptoms of low mood, reduced sleep, low appetite, and suicidal thoughts in the background of heavy financial debt and family problems owing to an irresistible urge to gamble in online games. The individuals had experienced an initial temporary success in these online games and thus developed craving to be continuously engaged in them at the cost of their personal and professional duties and well-being. Once the individuals were drained of their monetary savings completely, they resorted to borrowing money from their colleagues, relatives, and financial institutions to further gamble and win back their losses, resulting in the further aggravation of their financial burden and depressive symptoms. These individuals posed a dilemma for the treating physician whether their suicidal ideation was a result of depression or an aftermath of PG and the humiliation associated with it.

Keywords

• gambling disorders
• pathological gambling
• suicidal ideation in pathological gambling