Pathological gambling: a review of phenomenological models and treatment modalities for an underrecognized psychiatric disorder

Abstract

Pathological gambling (PG) is a prevalent and highly disabling impulse-control disorder. Two dominant phenomenological models for PG have been presented in the literature. According to one model, PG is included as an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder, while according to the second model, PG represents a form of nonpharmacologic addiction. In this article, we present an expanded conceptualization of the phenomenology of PG. On the basis of our clinical research experience and a review of data in the field, we propose 3 subtypes of pathological gamblers: the "impulsive" subtype, the "obsessive-compulsive" subtype, and the "addictive" subtype. We also review the current pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment strategies for PG. A further aim of this article is to encourage awareness of the importance of improved screening procedures for the early detection of PG.