Gambling disorder (GD) often co-occurs with other disorders, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, researchers and clinicians do not fully understand the relationship between GD and PTSD. Additionally, people who have both GD and PTSD often have more severe clinical outcomes than people who suffer from one or the other. This study is a systematic review of research examining the link between GD and PTSD, as well as other types of gambling problems and trauma.
The researchers reviewed 74 relevant studies. Overall, the studies supported the idea that stress, trauma, and PTSD symptoms were linked to problem gambling and GD. In particular, PTSD symptoms were most strongly linked to GD compared to trauma alone. Many studies supported the idea that people with PTSD gambled to escape negative emotions.
