It's ruined my life': Hundreds tell BBC how medication triggered gambling

[keyscore44]

This is worth to be read, it is not about drug addiction but about drug that is prescribed by a doctor to their patients.

One mentioned is a women that developed Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy that become worsen over time (a condition thought to be linked to levels of iron). She was prescribed Ropinirole, a drug that can increase dopamine activity in the brain.

Not just this woman, several people have noticed that such during that increase the dopamine activity like this drug caused them to gamble more, leading to gambling addiction. Not only that, but also the people can develop hypersexuality and be having extreme urge to have sex. The drug also caused increase in shopping.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce948d9gxevo

You know how slots affect the brain, specifically dopamine. The same mechanism applies to scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, or other social media. In slots, most moves are lost, but you make moves in anticipation of a reward. On social media, most content is boring, and you scroll through it looking for something interesting. It's the exact same dopamine cycle.

That's why more and more countries want to ban social media for children under 16. Because they become addicted, just like gambling, before they even reach adulthood.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

This is worth to be read, it is not about drug addiction but about drug that is prescribed by a doctor to their patients.

One mentioned is a women that developed Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy that become worsen over time (a condition thought to be linked to levels of iron). She was prescribed Ropinirole, a drug that can increase dopamine activity in the brain.

Not just this woman, several people have noticed that such during that increase the dopamine activity like this drug caused them to gamble more, leading to gambling addiction. Not only that, but also the people can develop hypersexuality and be having extreme urge to have sex. The drug also caused increase in shopping.

Well, this is the very first time I am getting to read and possibly learn that drugs prescribed by the doctor for some type of illnesses can actually cause some of the patients administered such drugs to gamble more, I really don't know how to explain this but I find it completely confusing..

I kind of want to assume that such people who claim that this drugs caused or made them to gamble more are not being totally sincere to what actually lead them to gambling more than they normally do, but in case where not one or two but several people have testified to the same issue of a drug pushing them to gamble more, then I guess there is a possibility that the claim be likely be true, but even with this knowledge, I still believe in self control, I believe that this people affected by this simply lost their self control because in reality, drugs taken can't force a person to gamble if the person decided and if determined not to gamble.

[bitbollo]

There are many other drugs that can triggers this effect in general, and has been observed also in Italy few years ago
https://www.huffingtonpost.it/cronaca/2017/12/22/news/diventa_un_giocatore_compulsivo_e_perde_300_mila_euro_a_causa_di_un_farmaco_per_il_parkinson-5836641/
The lesson learned was that ANY collateral effect must be clearly indicated in the label and physician must be aware of that.
Even if this seems "rare" or not directly related the risks involved is not something minor like the news linked above.
With crypto and bitcoin the risk could be higher ... this is why cold wallet/multisignatures/timelock are always the best solution for any player.

[Lida93]

You see some Durgs that are being prescribed to you will even end up changing Human behaviour not because the person is bad but because of the kind of drug the person take. When the dopamine is too high in human system yes it can push you into gambling , over shopping and you will be active sexually with the person even noticing it early.

I know how dopamine can be for a person condemning them to their destruction, but what I actually wants to really catch on with the topic is how this drug could make anyone who takes it to gamble that he turn a problematic gambler even when they had never being gambling before digesting such drugs. Are we talking about an already known gambler taking this drug and making his gambling habit worse off? The food and drugs department that gave approval of such drug has to be held accountable including it's manufacturers.

[Floxynice]

I don't believe this, if dopamine of a human is increased, it will only affect what they already love to do, someone who already hates gambling will never think about gambling if their dopamine is increased.

Those people already have one or two things for gambling already, the dopamine just happen to make them desire even more for gambling.

If someone hates gambling without dopamine they will do the we after dopamine is high, the dopamine will be directed towards something they are already excited about.

You just expressed my exact thoughts here. I do not see how it is possible for one to suddenly start gambling and excessively just after taking a drug. Their impulsive behaviour towards gambling is because they were already gamblers. The drug only made them more restless towards the activities they already loved doing.

To avoid situations like this, I usually research a new drug I am not familiar with before taking them. I watch out for the advance side effects and what to do if any negative effect occurs. At least if dopamine increases, I know what happened and I can either discontinue or speak with my doctor.

[leea-1334]

I do not know how true this is,,, everything must be trialed and made into lots and lots of data but what I can agree is addiction is a big problem when people are searching for the next dopamine rush. I know I was in a similar situation, different addictions, gaming even was worse as I even spent money on it and went down the drain with my health  

Take care of yourself people. Gambling should be fun and when it does not give you anymore fun,,, take a pause. You will love it again when you come back.

[TypoTonic]

Are we talking about an already known gambler taking this drug and making his gambling habit worse off?

This has been discussed in the article. They said that the users had no previous history of such behaviors, and that they had no idea it was caused by the drug they were taking.

To avoid situations like this, I usually research a new drug I am not familiar with before taking them. I watch out for the advance side effects and what to do if any negative effect occurs. At least if dopamine increases, I know what happened and I can either discontinue or speak with my doctor.

Maybe they didn't bother since they trust the doctors, they're experts in their field after all. But yeah, one google search is all it takes, see the AI overview below for Ropinirole's side effects. I do agree that what happened to the patients is due to the doctor's negligence, although I'm not sure if they could be held liable for it.

Serious Warnings & Side Effects:

• Impulse Control/Behavioral Changes: Patients may experience intense, uncontrollable urges such as compulsive gambling, binge eating, or hypersexuality.
  
  
• Sudden Sleep Attacks: Patients may fall asleep suddenly without warning, even while engaged in activities like driving.
  
  
• Hallucinations/Psychosis: Particularly in older adults or those taking concomitant levodopa.
  
  
• Augmentation (RLS): Long-term use for RLS may cause symptoms to occur earlier in the day or worsen.

[ScamViruS]

Every drug has side effects, when the doctor prescribes it, the doctor does not try to tell the details about the side effects, due to which the patient does not know much about it. I have seen changes in many people who took drugs for treatment, they actually took those drugs in an uncontrolled manner. Most of them became addicted to gambling. Again, I have seen many of them become excessively attracted to sex, and that too in an uncontrolled manner where they lost control over themselves.

So, even if you take a drug prescribed by a doctor, it should be done regularly and under the supervision of a doctor so that you do not ruin your life by taking uncontrolled drugs.

[Moreno233]

Drugs can make someone do things without thinking as shown in the material you shared. My challenge with that is that there is nothing anybody can do about this findings since those drugs are normal drugs that were administered for other things but it just turned out their effect results in the increase of dopamine level leading to gambling activities and sometimes addiction. It will not be right to stop administering those drugs neither will gambling companies be blamed that people who are of legal age are found themselves in their platform due to the drugs they were given for other health condition.

[Cantsay]

Most of the Dopamine agonist I know of are controlled medication, so for the Doctor to not be able to link her increased gambling activities to Ropinirole shows that he has a lesser knowledge on pharmacology. Sometime ago I responded to a thread and I still discuss this whole dopamine effect, but I paid more attention on the specific part of the brain it affects (Accumbens). That thread while I was doing an academic research on dopamine’s relationship with dependency.

If she gambled before and then took drugs that will increase her dopamine level, it will cause her to seek more of that activity but if wasn’t a gambler to begin with, then I doubt she would have suffered this addiction since you have never gotten any form of reward or pleasure from gambling before. So if left for me, my simple explanation would be that the drug increase her dependency or addiction towards most of the times she already does like shopping and the rest.

[Furball808]

Isn’t this how most drugs work? Drugs alter your brain and it makes your dopamine tolerance spike abnormally. Since it has higher tolerance for dopamine, it will now seek out more dopamine-releasing activities such as gambling. But not only limited to gambling as mentioned. Anything that feeds your reward system will be craved by your brain.

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

There are some drugs that a doctor would want to prescribed for their patients and they will ask the person if he or she has a certain illness or alleges, if yes, the doctor will change the drugs and they will also give an instruction of what to do if the medication gives some symptoms that might show up later. Normally some drugs can give a certain symptoms in one person but a different symptom in another person, it is better to always relate to the doctor what you are facing any symptoms after taking any drugs you were given.

[Dunamisx]

This is worth to be read, it is not about drug addiction but about drug that is prescribed by a doctor to their patients.

One mentioned is a women that developed Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy that become worsen over time (a condition thought to be linked to levels of iron). She was prescribed Ropinirole, a drug that can increase dopamine activity in the brain.

Not just this woman, several people have noticed that such during that increase the dopamine activity like this drug caused them to gamble more, leading to gambling addiction. Not only that, but also the people can develop hypersexuality and be having extreme urge to have sex. The drug also caused increase in shopping.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce948d9gxevo

I may not completely buy in ideas like this, not because i don't trust the delivery effect of dopamine in causing for increase gambling rate which may lead to addiction, but consider the number of people found in this category and how so many of them don't even like to gamble at all, maybe to an extent, those that like gambling could be affected by this, but those that don't may not found addiction in gambling, instead maybe on other things they are so committed to doing almost everyday.

[libert19]

Ok, this is new, first time hearing something like this.

...It’s a dilemma to pick between leg problem and gambling addiction if the only medicine you can have has worst side effect than the problem itself.

You said it already, managing the problem seems like a better deal in this scenario since drug to solve it comes with bigger problems, I mean the stories mentioned are horrendous.

Having a brain health intact is far more important than a leg problem anyday. Although, it must be noted, I don't have any idea about RLS.

Also, this got me rolling,

and others who pursued homosexual relationships for the first time.

Like, you can change someone's sexuality, the fuck? I mean this is breakthrough.

[Agbamoni]

Not just this woman, several people have noticed that such during that increase the dopamine activity like this drug caused them to gamble more, leading to gambling addiction. Not only that, but also the people can develop hypersexuality and be having extreme urge to have sex. The drug also caused increase in shopping.

Sceintifically the study is proven to be true. Drugs that increase dopamine activity will cause an individual to partake in any activity more often than they find pleasing. Before she was given the drug, the woman had always been a gambler, the dopamine only made her gamble more. If she were a smoker, a drunkard, or a pedophile, the dopamine would cause her to do more of those activities, too, without thinking twice, leading to addiction.

[Hispo]

I have had some experience with psychoactive medications myself and I have the impression people generally under-estimate the effect those medicines can have on the behavior of patients. Most of the effects which could be tagged as undesirable generally improve through time, as our brain gets accustomed to the new equilibrium of chemical substances.

The most interesting part about it is how it is very unlikely those big pharmaceutical companies will correct anything related to those drugs, they are simply legally obliged to share the possible side effects along side the medicine itself. Nobody will be able to successfully sue a pharmaceutical company for prompting part of the clients to gamble or have irresponsible sex.

[Cryptomultiplier]

I was quite fascinated with the story and it's no secret how medication can affect one's psychological behavior and personality. The funny thing is that, those who have been affected and have done damage, can hardly find a way to be compensated, or their wrong doings corrected.

I actually think that perhaps the drug revealed a hidden fantasy and fetish for many of the victims,  because I wonder how the lady started gambling excessively, if she never knew how to gamble already. She could have done something else besides gambling if she doesn't understand how to stake and gamble.

[coin-investor]

One mentioned is a women that developed Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy that become worsen over time (a condition thought to be linked to levels of iron). She was prescribed Ropinirole, a drug that can increase dopamine activity in the brain.

The doctor is responsible for explaining the ingredients of the drug he is prescribing to his patients and fully explaining its effects and side effects.
All I know is that when you are prescribed by your doctor, you have to give him an update if anything unusual happens, so he can change the dosage or prescribe a new one.
The effects are quite devastating. Imagine losing huge amounts of money because of the effects of the drug; there is a possibility that he can charge the doctor if she is not aware of the consequences.

[Bluedrem]

Some medicines are forced to be given by doctors to patients. Because if that medicine is not given, the disease may not be cured. At that time, dopamine-releasing drugs often act as a regulator of disease relief. Yes, we know that when dopamine is confirmed, people's curiosity increases, they like to take risks and risky activities give them pleasure. Many times, curiosity about gambling is born and from this curiosity, patients become addicted to gambling and they start gambling.

[Vaculin]

If this really happens to a lot of people, then the medicine should’ve been banned already.
I don’t see how it can still be on the market if it really makes people addicted to gambling or compulsive buying.

The real question is, does this only happen to that woman or just a few people?

Most likely it’s just a coincidence and not something that’s clearly proven to be caused by the drug itself.
If it was really that dangerous, regulators would’ve stepped in by now.