Slot Machines and the Mentally Ill

A recent report shows a correlation between the mentally ill and slot machines. It seems almost common sense when you think about it, but the report states that many people that have some sort of mental illness are drawn to the slot machines to play – and many develop some sort of addiction to them.

It would seem that those that are mentally handicapped in some way are drawn to the simplicity of the slot machines. They are shiny, they are easy, and when they win it triggers a sensor in their brain that brings them tremendous joy (as it does with all of us!) However, because of the way their brains are wired, there is a higher incidence of those with these issues becoming addicted to the slot machines.

The report says that perhaps their minds work on a more simplistic level they respond the way they do. They say that the idea is that they feel and respond to the win more strongly than someone without any sort of mental encumbrance that it sets them up for the slot machine addiction. This would make sense for they would always be trying to reduplicate the feeling – much like a drug addict trying to get his high.

They say that those that have a slot machine addiction do have a different mental breakdown than others do – which leads them to be more susceptible to the addictive qualities of a slot machine. This ties in with the theory that those that have any sort of mental illness might be more inclined to become addicted.
 

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