This article is from page 8 of the 2011-07-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE number of gambling addicts presenting for treatment at the Bushypark Treatment Centre has increased slightly – the issue is so acute that € 100,000 bets on horses have been placed by those in the throes of the addiction.
Those presenting for treatment for gambling problems range in ages.
“There hasn’t been a huge increase in gambling. Gambling has always been very steady. There was an increase of about three per cent on other years,” said the manager of the centre, Margaret Nash.
“Before, gambling was very much a lone activity. Now, we are seeing it combined with alcohol and drugs. Ennis is well known for its gambling. It’s not about people playing poker. It’s the illegal sessions,” she said.
“Gambling is a social activity. The defining part is escape from reality. It’s about the buzz of things. We have had clients who would put € 100,000 on a horse and not wait to see how it gets on,” she said.
She said that those addicted to gambling commonly suffer from blackouts, ranging from just minutes to an hour.
Bushypark provides a range of services for those seeking help, but a lack of funding will curb its ambitions to widen its range of programmes.
“There is a need for more family support programmes. There is lack of services for children of addicts and those living in homes with an addictive person. There is funding there for family therapy but you need more peer-led groups. You can’t have those without funding,” she said. “Family is a key part of the work. If the family doesn’t encourage it, no change will happen,” she said. Outside of Dublin, there is only one facility where people are referred on after their treatment and more places should be provided, according to Ms Nash.
“We would like more half way houses where people can be referred on to after treatment,” she said.
“We refer everybody on to a twoyear aftercare programme. They are run in 14 centres around the country. The two years aftercare is very important. We have reviews during that time. Relapse is part of recovery for people,” she said.
“Our government funding is cut. We are endeavouring to do fundraising ourselves. We are fundraising in conjunction with Clarecare. . . Also, clients are finding it harder to access funds compared to three years ago,” she said.
“The core is in our residential treatment programme and our two-year aftercare programme.
“In 2009, we secured funding under the cocaine initiative and we are in our third year of that. It is to support aftercare,” she said.
This is an interagency programme between four treatment centres – Talbot Grove in Kerry, Aljeff in Limerick, Cuain Mhuire in Bruree and Bushypark.
“In addition we run a family support programme and an after care support programme, targeted at cocaine users,” she added.