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 A team of top psychologists in Switzerland have disclosed findings which show that playing blackjack will significantly lower relapse and decrease usage among cocaine and crack addicts. Dr. Geneva Francois Crespo and Dr. Sylvie Petit Jean decided found that the unconventional treatment was not only more pleasant than traditional rehab clinics or 12-step programs but that it had a higher success rate.
Dr. Crespo explained why blackjack games help stop the desire to use cocaine in the report saying, "After cocaine is used, it activates the reward center inside the brain. The brain released euphoric hormones and neurotransmitters such as dopamine, oxytocin and adrenaline which act as a mood enhancer. The same occurs with gambling: the brain perceives a reward from winning or the potential of a reward. The reward causes intense moments of happiness, which compensate for the desire to use cocaine."
Dr. Crespo did make it clear however that cocaine addiction and problems with gambling are far from the same, "Problem gambling is a different brain emphasis than cocaine addiction. The desire to gamble is present from birth; it is not a learned characteristic. The desire to use cocaine is learned and reinforced behavior. You can see small children making bets about whose father is strongest without being taught to do so, but you will not see children look for cocaine unless someone teaches them first."
Swiss health insurance companies are already beginning to accept this gambling as a treatment option, which involves the addict spending time playing blackjack, or other casino games along with psychotherapy. Since every person's brain chemistry is different and brain cells interconnect in different ways, online blackjack may work best for some addicts while roulette or video poker for others but the funny thing is that preliminary studies show that such treatment does work.
Further studies are still needed but the findings were startling to say the least.
As always, stay tuned to Casinofan for more news and updates.
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