UNCP raises awareness of problem gambling

/
News
Problem Gambling

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month and The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is building awareness on campus by promoting the N.C. Problem Gambling Helpline.

Visit the Hawk’s Nest and/or Campus Recreation to find problem gambling brochures and helpline cards; use your bravemail account to email a picture of yourself holding a brochure or card to counselors@uncp.edu. We will reply, post it at https://www.facebook.com/UNCPCounseling/. Visit the counseling office in the Brave Health Center to pick up your prize.

  • Wednesday, March 14, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. UC Mall: CAPS is co-sponsoring the Health & Wellness Fair; come out and participate in activities that increase responsible health choices including how we “play.”
  • Wednesday, March 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. UC Mall: FREE Mental Health Screenings and informational giveaways.
  • Wednesday, March 21 and Wednesday March 28: Catch a ride on March Madness Wellness Wheels to show off your knowledge about problem gambling; answer trivia, ask questions, and get to our counselors all while saving yourself a few steps to class.

     

The March Madness Educational Events is funded by the N.C. Problem Gambling Program.

Problem gambling, commonly referred to as a gambling addiction and clinically recognized as a gambling disorder, affects people of all ages, from adolescents as young as 10 to adults in their senior years. It is not a matter of being irresponsible, it is an addiction rooted in the brain just as are the drug and alcohol addictions in millions of people.

The National Council on Problem Gambling report 1 percent of U.S. adults meet the criteria for pathological gambling and another 2 to 3 percent are considered problem gamblers. Additionally, research has shown that teenagers and college-aged young adults are more impulsive and at a higher risk for developing gambling disorders than adults. Studies indicate that 6 percent of college students in the U.S. have a serious gambling problem. 

Students with gambling problems are more likely to use tobacco, drugs and alcohol. Many students currently in treatment for substance abuse may also have a gambling problem. What has been labeled the “hidden addiction” many times can only be exposed through problem gambling screening tools that are available for clinicians.

“UNCP Counseling and Psychological Services is committed to seeing every student thrive through responsible decision-making. We are thankful for the support offered by the NC Problem Gambling Program in continuing that work,” said Charla Suggs, outreach coordinator for CAPS.

The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program was established to provide and support effective problem gambling prevention, education, outreach and treatment programs throughout the state. For more information about the free treatment services visit www.morethanagamenc.com or call the hotline at 877. 718.5543. If you have any questions regarding the prevention services, reach out to Alison Drain at 919.800.8482 or alison.drain@dhhs.nc.gov.