Gambling disorder comorbidity a narrative review

Introduction: Problematic and pathological gambling (PG) lead to major adverse consequences for individuals, their families, and society and is highly comorbid with numerous other mental health disorders.

Methods: This narrative review summarized population-based, cross-sectional, treatment and prospective studies on gambling disorder and comorbidity over the past 14 years.

Results: These studies show a high rate of comorbidity of PG and substance and alcohol use disorders, mood and anxiety disorders. Prospective studies indicate that, in some cases, gambling precedes the onset of the comorbid disorder, while in other instances, the temporal relationship is reversed. Women face greater psychiatric comorbidity and are more likely to have mood disorders, suicidality, mania, anxiety and alcohol dependence. Treatment of PG can be effective by improving the gambling and depressive symptoms of PG.

Conclusions: Over the past 15 years, significant progress has been made in understanding and treating GD and its psychiatric comorbidities, with evidence highlighting the reciprocal relationships between GD and conditions like substance use, mood and anxiety disorders.