Problem gambling, mental health and suicide

To gain understanding, it is important to explore some of the mental health issues affecting problem gamblers and to investigate the nature of the relationship between gambling, suicide and mental health in this potentially vulnerable population. [...] For the purposes of this review, unless a specific reference is needed to describe a certain level of gambling, the term “problem gambling” is used as a general term to denote gambling that has gone beyond the recreational level and thus has potentially harmful consequences, whether or not the gambling has reached the pathological level. [...] In an update of the rates of disordered gambling in the United States and Canada, Shaffer and Hall (2001) found that the rates of Level 3 gambling among adults were 1.7% previous year and 1.9% lifetime. [...] Given how sensitive the topic of suicide is to family members and to suicidal people themselves, it is important that the terminology people use be as free of judgment as possible, and that it demonstrate a level of respect and understanding The term “commit suicide” is fairly common and may seem benign to most people. [...] Global and North American scope of suicide Prior to understanding how mental health issues and suicide affect problem gamblers in particular, it is important to understand the scope of suicide and mental health issues in general.